Journeys in Japan 3

Walking the Historic Nakasendo (2012)

Nakasendo was the old mountain road connecting Edo, today's Tokyo, to Kyoto. The 530-kilometer stretch of road was dotted with 69 post towns. Our reporter, JJ, walks along a preserved section of the Nakasendo and stops at Tsumago, a beautifully restored post town. He spends the night at a venerable inn and meets people who treasure a traditional way of life. This edition of Journeys in Japan features a walk back in time along an Edo era road.

Samurai Days in Satsuma (2012)

The era of the samurai in Japan ended in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration, marking the start of the country's modernization. One of the powerful forces in this movement was the Satsuma domain - the area now known as Kagoshima. The warriors of Satsuma were renowned for their fierceness as fighters. That samurai spirit still lives on in modern-day Kagoshima. Kagoshima lies at the southern tip of Kyushu. It has a mild climate year-round, with warmer average temperatures than most other parts of Japan. It's a volcanic area, with many active volcanoes and abundant hot springs. The city of Kagoshima has been nicknamed the "Naples of the East" because both cities have bayside locations and have active volcanoes close-by. In fact, Kagoshima City and Naples actually have a sister-city tie-up.

Mikuni, Fukui Prefecture: The Supreme Winter Delicacy (2012)

In this Journeys in Japan, Gow takes a trip to Mikuni-cho of Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, in search of snow crabs, the king of winter delicacies.

Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture: City of Sumi (2012)

Since ancient times, people in Japan have produced a form of ink known as sumi, which is used for calligraphy and traditional ink wash painting. Prepared in the form of ink sticks, sumi has to be diluted in water to create a black liquid. Until about 100 years ago, sumi was one of the most popular items sold at stationery stores. Today, ink sticks are rarely used in everyday life, but they are an essential aspect of traditional calligraphy. Shodo, the art of writing kanji characters with sumi ink, remains very popular. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, John Gathright travels to Suzuka, in Mie Prefecture, where sumi has been produced for centuries. He meets a traditional ink-stick master craftsman and discovers the vibrant art of calligraphy.

Furano, Hokkaido: White Wintry World (2012)