Documentary

Nature & Science

Japan in Color and Lightニッポン印象派

  • 4 x 29 min.
  • EDC4S015-001~004
  • English, M/E, HD

©NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

Japan offers kaleidoscopic beauty both in the light and shadow of nature and the ancient cultural heritage created by the Japanese people. This series features the color and light afforded by some of the most breathtaking scenery found in the world, captured with loving care through 4K videography.

1. Snowmelt / 雪解け水

Snow piles high in the eastern reaches of the Ou Mountains, awaiting spring to bring a torrent of pure water down the mountainsides. Skunk cabbage and other plants bloom as creatures like the Japanese black salamander stir to life. This program captures in vivid detail the transition from winter to vibrant spring in Japan’s snow country.

2. Sea of Life / いのちの海

A colorful wonderland of marine life lies beneath the winter drift ice hugging the Shiratoko Peninsula. When the ice melts in the spring, the orcas arrive. Once worshipped as gods, they spout rainbows and dominate the waves as they enact the seasonal rites of nature, mingling with myriad other life forms in the teeming sea.

3. Peaks of Water, Mountains of Cloud / 水の峰雲の山

The lofty, sheer peaks of the Ishizuchi Range are swathed in a sea of clouds as far as the eye can see. Fed by ample rain and snow, the mountainsides are clothed in rich foliage that includes strange moss formations, beech trees, and conifers dating to the Ice Age, creating a breathtaking tapestry of color and light.

4. Autumn Leaves / 紅葉

The beauty of autumn leaves is fleeting, never to be seen again if missed. This program explores some of Japan’s most famous locations for autumn color, including Nikko, Yoshino, and isolated valleys deep hidden in the mountains. It tells the colorful tale of autumn, rich and gorgeous as brocaded silk.

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