｜Length : 24min. ｜Year : 1995 ｜

Osamu Nagano is more than just a teacher at a small village school in the mountains of Fukushima - he is a certified weather forecaster too. Since the winter blizzards that strike can endanger his students as they return home, Mr. Nagano has taken it upon himself to study weather forecasting. During the winter he examines the snow at lunch time religiously to make sure it is safe for his charges to go home later.

｜Length : 24min. ｜Year : 1995 ｜

Land reclamation projects have gradually destroyed the vast wetlands around Tokyo Bay that were once a paradise for wild birds. In response to public pressure, however, some reclaimed land next to the Imperial Household's duck farm has been designated as a sanctuary and two environmental activists, Mrs. Sumiko Hasuo and her husband, have been appointed as keepers. The program documents the activities of the Hasuo's as they attempt to revive the birds' natural habitat.

｜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 : 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 : 1993 ｜

As one can see from the little cluster of temporary structures in one corner of Shiiba in Miyazaki, life in Japan's rural communities requires resilience, perseverance, and even courage. Two years ago, for example, a typhoon destroyed almost everything Himeko owned, including her barber shop. Even so, she is rebuilding her life supported by family and friends. This is a moving portrait of village life in Japan's mountainous west and of one woman's determination.