S2015 E1 • Winter: Lake Biwa and Kyoto

In this episode, we will take you a winter journey through Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan, to Kyoto. In the ancient capital, we will celebrate "Setsubun", one of the spring festivals. Lake Biwa serves as a reservoir for the cities such as Kyoto and Osaka. It provides drinking water for about 15 million people in the Kansai region. On the lakeside people have been enjoying unique lifestyle with abundant body of water. Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan. We will visit an old temple in Kyoto, and join a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come.

Première diffusion : 1 mars 2015

S2015 E2 • Spring in the Noto Peninsula

In this episode of CYCLE AROUND JAPAN, we will take you to a spring journey of Noto Peninsula. The Noto Peninsula makes up the northern half of Ishikawa Prefecture, extending about 100 kilometers into the Sea of Japan. The peninsula is known for its coastal scenery, particularly along the Okunoto coast, as well as for its rural atmosphere. We will start our trip from Kanazawa where people enjoying cherry blossom, to Rokko Saki, the northernmost point of the peninsula. Because the area's public transportation is limited, a bicycle is the best way to explore the peninsula, and it allows visitors much more freedom in exploring the region's attractions such as the lacquer-making town of Wajima.

Première diffusion : 22 mai 2015

S2015 E3 • Pilgrimage through Nagasaki

Our summer trip this year takes us on a 290km-tour of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan's former entrance to the Asian Continent since ancient times. During the Sakoku Era, when a strict nationwide policy of isolation was in place, the city thrived as a gateway to the so-called Southern barbarian trade era. This led to the blossoming of unique crafts and culture born from exposure and fusion with foreign culture. Now, 70 years after the end of World WarⅡ, we see the Nagasaki residents continuing to pray. After enduring the horrific suffering caused by the atomic bomb in 1945, the city made a remarkable recovery. This show focuses on the locals who work hard to keep those memories alive. At the end of the trip, we visit Ikitsukishima, home to some of the Christianity-related artifacts which Japan is applying to register as a World Heritage Site. There, we meet locals who continue to believe in Christianity, for which their ancestors were punished during an infamous oppression against Christians. What are those people praying for now? What are they hoping for? This tour also features breathtaking views of Mt. Unzen and seashores of Genkainada, and introduces ways to use trains during a cycling trip.

Première diffusion : 15 août 2015