Japan Video Topics 2007/1
Naoshima-The Island of Art
The Inland Sea of Japan located west of the city of Osaka, the biggest city in Western Japan, is famous for its mild climate and chain of beautiful islands. Naoshima Island is unique amongst them; with a population of about 4,000, it is today decorated with many famous works of contemporary art. "Benesse House", an art museum combined with accommodation facilities designed by the renowned architect Tadao Ando and his team was opened in 1992. Since then, works of internationally known artists have been exhibited one after another. The island is making an effort to activate the whole town as an exhibition site for contemporary art using not only the museum but old private houses.
Bringing a New Charm to BONSAI
This segment introduces the world of bonsai, a unique feature of Japanese culture, and a young female bonsai expert who is breathing fresh life into it. The Japanese sense of beauty lay behind the development of the miniature trees planted in pots that can express the whole world of nature. Kaori Yamada is a young female bonsai professional who is ushering in a new phase of bonsai history by advocating the application of modern sensibility: she plants assorted grasses and seasonal flowers in the same pot as the bonsai. Bonsai are generally regarded as a hobby for the elderly, but Kaori is hoping to encourage people of different age groups, especially women, to appreciate bonsai cultivation.
At the Forefront of Endoscopy
The world's first endoscope for the investigation of internal organs was developed in Japan 50 years ago, and ever since Japan has led the world in this field of medical technology. A new technique to send an endoscope deep into the small intestine has been drawing attention recently. The small intestine has been described as the most uncharted territory in the human body; being long and thin, it is not easy for an endoscope to penetrate it fully. But Dr. Hironori Yamamoto from Jichi Medical University has overcome this problem by developing an endoscope with two small balloon attachments. This segment introduces the latest developments in Japanese endoscopic technology that leads the world.
Japan's Creative Cheese
One of the cheeses produced at Shintoku Farm in Obihiro,on the northern island of Hokkaido, won the Gold Prize in the 2006 Monde Selection, an internationally prestigious food fair. It was the first time for a Japanese cheese to make such an outstanding achievement. Shintoku Farm has been producing cheese by hand for the last 30 years, with the aim of producing cheeses that suit the Japanese climate. As its name suggests, the "Sakura" (Cherry Blossom) cheese that won the Gold Prize features a subtle aroma of Japan's national flower. This segment introduces the cheese-making process at Shintoku Farm.
|
