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Seasoning the Seasons
Season 4 • Episode 6 • Sanriku Railway: Back from the Brink
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Seasoning the Seasons Season 4, Episode 6: Sanriku Railway: Back from the Brink
The Sanriku Railway in Iwate Prefecture is a lifeline, playing an important role in the local community. The train goes up and down the line, and the arrival of the train is part of the rhythm of life. In March 2011, the railway was completely destroyed by the tsunami that followed the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake. The road to recovery was a difficult one, and at one point, there was even talk of abolishing the line. The railway is now back on track, having finally resumed full service. We look back on the slow but steady restoration of the Sanriku Railway, over a period of 3 years. Watch Seasoning the Seasons Season 4, Episode 6 Sanriku Railway: Back from the Brink in HD free online. Enjoy high-quality streaming of Seasoning the Seasons Season 4, Episode 6 and share your thoughts in the comments below!
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18 episodesTsugaru: Enduring Winter for the Hot Festival
During the region's short summer, local people are caught up in the festival fever. The Tsugaru Plain, at the base of Mt. Iwaki, is famous for incredible snowfalls. The harsh winter lasts nearly half the year, and when the short summer comes around, the passion of local people floods out. After withstanding the trials of nature, they live life to the full during the season of the sun. In a few dozen days, summer is over. We take a look at the festival season in Tsugaru when the land shimmers in the summer heat and local people make the most of the mild weather.
Tosa: Land of Passionate People
The average temperature is over 17℃. And, here in Shikoku's Kochi Prefecture, there's also glaring sunlight and over 3m/year of rain - a lot even for Japan. Long ago, this area was known as 'Tosa'. Tosa's special climate gave its people a unique temperament.Even today, the men of Tosa are 'igosso' (stubborn), and the women are 'hachikin' (strong-willed). These strongly individualistic, goal-oriented people are Tosa's life force. They still have their unique traditions from long ago.
The Gods of Japan: An Infinite World of Spirits
In various different situations, Japanese people often pray to the gods. Their prayers may range from requests for help with major, life-changing events or they may be simple prayers for peace and security in daily life. Religious rituals also vary widely depending on the region. We travel across Japan, visiting shrines and other sacred sites to introduce the sometimes mysterious world of traditional religious observance in Japan.
Aizu: Land of the Last Samurai
Aizu is roughly 300 kilometers north of Tokyo. It is a region west of Fukushima Prefecture. Around 150 years ago, Aizu was defeated in a civil war, beginning a road of hardship. The skills to survive a tough environment and to care for others thrive in Aizu. From parents to children, from predecessors to successors, the pride of Aizu is passed down. Fondness for lords long-gone still remains in people's hearts. This is a story of Aizu, where the spirit of samurai from ages ago still lives on.
Yakushima: Island of Primeval Forests
The ancient natural environment on Yakushima Island, in Kagoshima Prefecture, is registered as a World Heritage Site. It is said that rain falls 35 days in a month on this island. Yakushima is located about 65 kilometers south of Cape Sata, the southernmost part of Kyushu. The island is about 30 kilometers in diameter, and is almost entirely mountainous, with 2000-meter high mountains towering above the shoreline. The island's forests are home to trees more than a thousand years old. The mountains and the rain. The people and their prayers. This is the story of life in Yakushima.
Sanriku Railway: Back from the Brink
The Sanriku Railway in Iwate Prefecture is a lifeline, playing an important role in the local community. The train goes up and down the line, and the arrival of the train is part of the rhythm of life. In March 2011, the railway was completely destroyed by the tsunami that followed the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake. The road to recovery was a difficult one, and at one point, there was even talk of abolishing the line. The railway is now back on track, having finally resumed full service. We look back on the slow but steady restoration of the Sanriku Railway, over a period of 3 years.
Nihonbashi: The Bridge at the Center of Japanese Commerce
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The Shikoku Pilgrimage
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Dewa Sanzan: Mystic Mountains of Prayers
Dewa Sanzan is located in the center of Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of Japan. Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono. Collectively, these 3 mountains are called Dewa Sanzan. The pilgrimage of Dewa Sanzan symbolizes the death and rebirth of a person. It is believed that something important can be obtained by climbing the mountains.
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Osaka: City of Waterways
Osaka is located in an estuary, where several rivers flow into the Osaka Bay. The waterways that stem from these rivers have supported the city's development. Intertwining within the landscape of the city are its many bridges. Because of that, Osaka is sometimes called a "city of 8 hundred and 8 bridges". Join us as we take a voyage down the always-lively Osaka, a city of waterways.
Owara Kaze no Bon: A Festival to Calm the Wind Gods
On the north side of Japan's main island, in the foothills of the Hida Mountains, lies Yatsuo Town, Toyama Prefecture. Every year, the 'Owara Kaze no Bon' Festival begins on September 1 and lasts for 3 days. During Owara Kaze no Bon, the people dance day and night, and the whole town livens up. The festival has a 300-year history here. It is thought to have begun with people seeking to appease the wind gods. The festival dances are sensual, graceful, yet proud and the dancers are boys, girls and young people under 30. Adults play traditional musical instruments such as the 'kokyu' and 'shamisen'. Owara Kaze no Bon, signifies summer's end. This is the story of the people behind Japan's most tranquil festival.
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Kinosaki Onsen: A Town of Hot Springs
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