Journeys in Japan
Season 7 Episode 9 - Iwate Winter Rite
Deep in the north of Japan at a mountain temple, a festival called the Somin-sai and nicknamed the Naked Festival, has been held for around one thousand years. British actor, Dean Newcombe, travels to Oshu, in southern Iwate, to join in this enigmatic festival. First he takes in some of Oshu's other ancient winter rites. And then he visits a Zen training temple to practice asceticism to focus his mind for the harsh festival. The finale of his trip-the Somin-sai-was an experience beyond Dean's wildest dreams.
Episodes in Season 7
Takachiho: Dancing for the Deities
28 min
Miyako: The Island of Song
28 min
Koyasan: New Year at a Traditional Power Spot
28 min
Kushiro: The Crystalline Sounds of Winter
28 min
Okinoerabu Island: Home Away from Home
28 min
Kakunodate: Pride in the Samurai Tradition
28 min
Yatsugatake: Outdoor Winter Play
28 min
Kinosaki Onsen: Bathing in Tradition
28 min
Iwate Winter Rite
28 min
Okayama: Into the Deep Red
28 min
Chichibu: A Springtime Pilgrimage
28 min
Akiu: In the Footsteps of a Legendary Warlord
28 min
Mihonoseki: Land of the Gods
28 min
Ise-Shima: Experiencing a Lifestyle Close to Nature
28 min
Tendo: An Enduring, Evolving Passion for Wood
28 min
Nara: Tranquil Temples and Bountiful Blooms
28 min
Komatsu Kabuki Kids
28 min
A Taste of Nagasaki
28 min
Iejima: Resilient Land, Resilient People
28 min
Okayama: The Profound Spirit of the Rocks
28 min
Sabae: Eye on Design
28 min
Bounty of the Wild North: Cape Soya, Hokkaido
28 min
Hokkaido: Summer Gardens Under the Northern Sky
28 min
Hidden Village Kuma
28 min
Aomori: Out of This World
28 min
Akita: Swaying Lanterns Brighten Summer Nights
28 min
Deep Into Kurobe: Toyama Climbing
28 min
Uchikawa: A Retro River Townscape
28 min
Tanegashima: Guns, Rockets and Surf
28 min
Yubari: Mining the Nostalgia
28 min
Walking the Nakasendo: A Road to the Past
28 min
Chichibu: An Autumn Pilgrimage
28 min
Munakata: The Sea and Goddesses
28 min
Sacred Mt. Ishizuchi: Autumn Trekking
28 min
Hagi: The Cradle of Modern Japan
28 min
Isumi-Ichinomiya: Fresh Air and Laid-Back Living
28 min
