｜Length : 51min. ｜Year : 2005 ｜

Fifty years ago, an Italian man visited Hegura Island off of the Noto Peninsula, to research women divers, 'Ama'. His name was Fosco Maraini, a cultural anthropologist, photographer, and world-class alpinist. Why did he love Japan? Including his interviewsv, his writings from Meeting with Japan, and The Diving Girl's island, and highlighting his photographs of Japanese people 50 years earlier, this program introduces forgotten images from a Japan half a century ago. Through the eyes of Fosco Maraini and other foreigners enchanted by Japan, we discover however that Japanese views of religion, nature, and the spiritual world have essentially remained unchanged over time.

｜Length : 49min. ｜Year : 2004 ｜

Since ancient time, people in Japan have looked forward to the blossoming of cherry tree as a special sigh that spring has come. In a remote village in Okayama Prefecture in Western Japan stands a giant cherry tree that is said to be a thousand years old. Whether it was planted or grew naturally no one knows, but the villagers cherish their ozakura or "great cherry tree". The tree can be seen from every home in a village where for centuries most inhabitants have shred an oddly apt family name: Haruki, "spring tree".

｜Length : 43min. ｜Year : 2004 ｜

On January the 17th a powerful earthquake hit the western part of Japan. A number of 6433 people lost their lives in the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. "Haruka" is the name of a little Japanese girl who died in the disaster. Haruka Kato lived with her elder sister and the parents. She was the only victim of the family. In summer, 6 months after the earthquake, something strange happened in the now vacant lot where Kato's house used to be. Lost of sunflowers bloomed in the very spot where Haruka died.

｜Length : 50min. ｜Year : 2004 ｜

Mrs. Hinako Noma(age 60) is a teacher at Heiwamachi School for the Handicapped. One of her concerns is that most of her students don't have any place they belong to after graduating from school. It is not easy to find a job; therefore they have no choice but to stay at home or in shelters. She feels torn apart when she sees parents' worried faces because she is also a parent of three children. As a volunteer where students could attend. Mrs. Noma has always cared about handicapped people and tried to do anything she can do for them. Today she makes pants and underwear for one of her students.

｜Length : 55min. ｜Year : 2004 ｜

Ehime Prefecture, in Western Japan, there is a tiny fishing village with a population of just 800, called Ohama. This story of neighborhood life, unfolds in a small Okonomiyaki restaurant. Owned by Mizuho Higaki, a powerful woman, the restaurant serves as a "third place"for those who live in the community. Everyday, people from all walks of life. drop in for a chat with Mizuho. Although each has his or her own problems, they nestle in close to the lives of each other, and go through both the good times as well as the bad times together. This is a life style which, until recently, was seen all over Japan; yet is quickly vanishing in these modern times.