Journeys in Japan S10E02 · Chugei, Kochi: Exploring the Yuzu Road

Overview

Yuzu is a variety of citrus fruit that has long been prized for its superb aroma. A winter specialty, it is an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. The Chugei district, in the east of Kochi Prefecture, produces more yuzu than anywhere else in Japan. This area used to depend on timber - it was the most important source of lumber in western Japan. But the forestry industry declined after World War II, so people in Chugei turned to cultivating yuzu trees instead. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, David Wells visits the area to discover the magic of yuzu. He meets the local people who grow the fruit, and explores the villages where this special citrus is an essential part of people's daily lives.

Torrents

Subtitles

Episodes

1. 1 1. Kamioka: Pedaling Ahead to the Past2019-01-08 · 28mThe town of Kamioka lies in the mountains of central Japan. It was once famous as a major center for mining. Now the mine is closed, but these days the area has become a center for
2. 2 2. Chugei, Kochi: Exploring the Yuzu Road2019-02-05 · 28mYuzu is a variety of citrus fruit that has long been prized for its superb aroma. A winter specialty, it is an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. The Chugei district, in the
3. 3 3. Nichinan: A Port City Reviving2019-02-12 · 28mNichinan city, situated in Miyazaki Prefecture in southwestern Japan, once prospered from fisheries and forestry. Aburatsu, which is a major district along the sea, flourished as a
4. 4 4. Tottori: Crab Lover's Paradise2019-02-19 · 28mTottori Prefecture ranks number one in Japan when it comes to crab hauls. It's also the largest consumer of the seafood. The prized snow crab, called Matsuba locally, is especially
5. 5 5. Nagahama: Heading North Along Lake Biwa2019-02-26 · 28mLake Biwa is the largest lake in all of Japan. In winter, its remote northern coast is a place of unspoiled peace and silence. Since the old days, the local people have carefully p
6. 6 6. Iheya: Peaceful Winter Getaway2019-03-05 · 28mIheya is the northernmost island of Okinawa Prefecture and takes an hour and twenty minutes by ferry from a port in the north of the main island. Approximately 35 kilometers in cir
7. 7 7. Kikuchi: Slow Food, Slow Travel2019-03-12 · 28mThe city of Kikuchi, in northern Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu is known for its prosperous agriculture and livestock industries. Here, natural farming, which eschews fertilizers an
8. 8 8. Okinawa: Architecture of History and Tradition2019-03-19 · 28mOkinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, has developed a distinct architecture all its own, reflecting its subtropical setting and often harsh climate, as well as historical influ
9. 9 9. Iojima: A Volcanic Island with a Passion for Rhythm2019-03-26 · 28mIojima Island lies around 1,000 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, off the south coast of Kyushu. Its main peak is Mt. Iodake, a volcano that remains very much active. The island has a
10. 10 10. Gliding Hokkaido's Powder2019-04-02 · 28mJapow refers to Japan's world-famous powder where skiers delight in making tracks in heavenly virgin snow. An ideal place for this in central Hokkaido Prefecture ... on Mount Asahi
11. 11 11. Minami-Uonuma: Weaving New Snow Country Tales2019-04-09 · 28mMinami-Uonuma, in southern Niigata Prefecture, is one of Japan's snowiest regions. Suzuki Bokushi's Hokuetsu-seppu, which describes people's lives there, was published 180 years ag
12. 12 12. Oku-Echizen: Abundance and Tranquility2019-04-23 · 28mThe Oku-Echizen district lies deep in the mountains of Fukui Prefecture, inland from the Sea of Japan coast. The central city of this region is Ono, which first developed as a cast
13. 13 13. Road Tripping Around Miyazaki2019-05-07 · 28mJohn Moore, from Ireland, is a social entrepreneur. Euan Craig, from Australia, is a potter. The men take off on a road trip around western Miyazaki Prefecture, in Kyushu. They get
14. 14 14. Tateyama: Wondrous Underwater Encounters2019-05-14 · 28mTateyama is only 80 kilometers from Tokyo, in southern Chiba Prefecture. Off Tateyama spreads a bountiful sea that offers fresh seafood. Recently, the waters have been attracting a
15. 15 15. Iga: Keeping the Ninja Tradition Alive2019-05-21 · 28mIga, in the northwest of Mie Prefecture, is famous as a place where many ninjas lived, especially in the late 15th to 16th centuries. At that time, the Iga ninjas worked as mercena
16. 16 16. Hieizan: Mother Mountain of Eternal Prayer2019-05-28 · 28mHieizan (Mount Hiei) rises high to the northeast of the city of Kyoto, straddling the border between Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures. It is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Jap
17. 17 17. Uchiko: Epic Kite Battle2019-06-11 · 28mUchiko, which is 700 kilometers southwest of Tokyo in Shikoku's Ehime Prefecture, flourished as a pilgrimage post town on an ancient highway. In the city center, Machiya residences
18. 18 18. Yamaguchi: Landscapes and Their Stories2019-06-18 · 28mYamaguchi Prefecture lies in the far west of Japan's main island, Honshu. It has numerous landscapes that are unlike any other part of Japan: a limestone quarry evoking a giant anc
19. 19 19. Nishi-Izu, Hidden Gem2019-06-25 · 28mNishi-izu, with stellar views of Mt. Fuji, is located on the western coast of the Izu Peninsula. Geopark sites with strata formed by an undersea volcano are reachable on foot or by
20. 20 20. Shizuoka: Wonderland of Green Tea2019-07-02 · 28mJapanese green tea is produced from tea leaves that are steamed and then dried, unlike black tea, for which the leaves are first fermented. Shizuoka Prefecture is the largest tea-g
21. 21 21. Hachimantai: Timeless Landscape, Healing Water2019-07-30 · 28mThe Hachimantai Plateau straddles the border of Iwate and Akita Prefectures. A large area around its summit is covered by wetlands and during the warmer months, from June onward, t
22. 22 22. Tonami: The Winds of Change2019-08-06 · 28mOn this episode Charles Glover, an actor from the United States, visits the Tonami Plain in Toyama Prefecture, known for its vast farmlands, especially rice fields. He gets a glimp
23. 23 23. Mt. Hakusan: Sacred Peak of Natural Beauty2019-08-13 · 28mRising above the highlands of central Japan, Mt. Hakusan (2,702 meters) is considered of the most sacred peaks in the country. Since ancient times, it has been venerated as the hom
24. 24 24. Sawara: Festival Floats Keeping Ties Alive2019-08-20 · 28mSawara lies in northeast Chiba Prefecture, around 70 kilometers to the east of Tokyo. Thanks to its location on a tributary of the Tone River, by the 18th century it had become a p
25. 25 25. Steel City Muroran and Its Hidden Charms2019-09-03 · 28mMuroran, in southwestern Hokkaido Prefecture, flourished as an industrial city, mainly in steel manufacturing. After the 1970's, the city declined with industrial sector changes an
26. 26 26. Izumo: The Heart of the Japanese Spirit2019-09-17 · 28mThe Izumo region in Shimane Prefecture, where deities from across the country are said to gather annually for a meeting, is closely linked to the gods. On this episode of Journeys
27. 27 27. Iwate: Blazing a Trail to the Future2019-09-24 · 28mThe Michinoku Coastal Trail, which was launched by the Environment Ministry, is a long trail along the Pacific coast that crosses 4 prefectures from Aomori Prefecture, in the north
28. 28 28. Rausu: Coexistence with Nature's Bounty2019-10-01 · 28mRausu lies on the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula, in eastern Hokkaido Prefecture. Most of the peninsula is designated as a national park, to preserve its rich natural environment
29. 29 29. Kagawa: Stepping into the Past2019-10-08 · 28mKotohira, in western Kagawa Prefecture developed around the famous shrine complex known as Kotohira-gu. Some 2-million tourists visit annually from all over the world. In the olden
30. 30 30. Nakanojo: The Force of Art and Nature2019-10-22 · 28mThe Nakanojo Biennale is an art festival held in beautiful Nakanojo in Gunma Prefecture. It boasts one of the largest artist-in-residence programs in Japan, with creators from all
31. 31 31. Yamanashi: Escaping the Heat by the Katsura River2019-11-05 · 28mThe Katsura River runs through a beautiful valley in Yamanashi Prefecture, not far from Tokyo. Fed by springs from Mt. Fuji and the surrounding area, the river is known for the cla
32. 32 32. Kishiwada Danjiri Festival: Thrills and Local Pride2019-11-12 · 28mThe Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is one of the most vibrant and spectacular festivals in all of Japan. Over 2 consecutive days, ornately decorated floats known as Danjiri are pulled
33. 33 33. New Wind Blowing in Iwamizawa2019-11-19 · 28mIwamizawa is located about 40 minutes by train from Sapporo in Hokkaido Prefecture. It flourished as a transportation hub for coal, but spiraled into decline following the closure
34. 34 34. Ise: Pilgrimage to the Heart of Japan2019-11-26 · 28mIse City is in southeastern Mie Prefecture in Central Japan. It is home to one of Japan's most sacred sites, Ise Jingu Shrine. For hundreds of years it has welcomed pilgrims from a
35. 35 35. Nanyo: From Wheels to Wings2019-12-03 · 28mNanyo City lies in Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tohoku region north of Tokyo. The city is focusing on boosting tourism for visitors with disabilities. Wheelchair influencer Ryoko Na
36. 36 36. Osaka: The Architecture of a Vibrant Metropolis2019-12-10 · 28mOsaka is the largest city in western Japan. The 16th-century warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who unified Japan after a long period of civil war, chose it as his power base and built a
37. 37 37. Climbing Fun on Sacred Mt. Myogi2019-12-24 · 28mMt. Myogi, located in western Gunma Prefecture, is famous for its unusual rock formations and beautiful autumn foliage. At a little over 1,000 meters, it's not high, but has fun co