｜Length : 27min. ｜Year : 1994 ｜

For many, "kabuki" is the soul of Japanese tradition. But there is a lot that goes on behind the colorful spectacle that most people do not know about. This rare glimpse of "kabuki" backstage follows Juen Ichikawa, a "kabuki" actor and "kuroko" or stagehand as he plans, organizes, and manages the theatrical details of a performance by "kabuki" superstar Ennosuke Ichikawa. A very modern Japanese man who even does the housework at home, Juen is a miracle-worker in black in the theater.

｜Length : 27min. ｜Year : 1994 ｜

Japan's national sport, sumo, has attracted much international interest. Part of its appeal are its esoteric customs including the wrestlers' traditional topknots, of which there are several styles dating back centuries. The men who do the sumo wrestler's hair are called "tokoyama". This program features Mitsuo Sato who works at one of the sport's most prestigious stables; it is a stimulating look at a traditional art that requires much skill and experience.

｜Length : 24min. ｜Year : 1994 ｜

Nostalgic anyone? Most Japanese primary school children carry their books on their backs in satchels. After six years, these satchels get quite worn, but rather than throw them out some people send them to a small shop in Toda City. This shop uses leather from the originals to make miniature satchels as keepsakes. The shop owner has made more than 4000 such momentos in four years and gets more than a hundred letters every month about the memories these satchels evoke.

｜Length : 24min. ｜Year : 1994 ｜

Although most of us - especially those who live in big cities - have to some degree lost touch with the cycles of nature, Junichi Takami is very much an exception. Takami is a beekeeper from the northern island, Hokkaido. He and his bees winter in the Goto Retto Islands in the south and return to the north in May when the acacia blossoms bloom and the fields are covered with fresh clover. The rhythms of this man's life - and that of his family - resonate with the changing seasons.

｜Length : 46min. ｜Year : 1994 ｜

As the seasons change, so too do Japan's picturesque Southern Alps. This documentary explores all aspects of this region - geography, history, geology, flora, and fauna - from the top of the most challenging of peaks down to a remote village at the foot of the mountains, where the Maejima family introduce us to mushroom picking, country kabuki, snow sports, and local cuisine. This is a program for all who love nature and the warmth and humor of the people who live amidst it.