Small Journeys

Flowing through Kawauchi Village in Fukushima Prefecture is the pristine water nurtured by the lush forests of the Abukuma Mountains. The entire village was once forced to evacuate following the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent nuclear disaster of 2011, but the people are gradually recovering their way of life. Come meet some of the villagers, including a family that relies on the water source that their father established access to some 70 years ago, a man who farms iwana trout—which only inhabit clear waters—and a woman getting ready to open her own café after rediscovering the charms of her hometown during her evacuation. United by the blessings of the stream, these individuals illuminate the spirit of those dedicated to upholding the richness of this unique way of life.

Nestled in the heart of the Kanto Plain, Okegawa in Saitama Prefecture has prospered through the cultivation of benibana, or safflower, since the Edo period. The flower was in high demand as a natural dye, but the industry suffered a decline with the emergence of chemical dyes. However, local residents have been working tirelessly for the past three decades to revive cultivation. This program introduces the stories of various individuals in Okegawa who are deeply connected to the red flower. We meet a farmer who inherited her benibana field from her father and passionately safeguards it with the help of her young children. A husband and wife eagerly anticipate benibana season and visit the fields annually to capture their beauty through photography. We also meet a woman who devotes herself to benibana dyeing alongside her circle of friends, not once forgetting about the precious memories of her late husband. Explore the lives of these individuals who protect benibana and find solace in their crimson blossoms.