Himeji-jo is the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture, comprising 83 buildings with highly developed systems of defense and ingenious protection devices dating from the beginning of the Shogun period.

The Gujo Odori, one of Japan's largest Bon dances, is a spectacle with scores of revelers, as well as the live festival music and clacking geta wooden clogs. For more than 400 years, it has been held for 30 nights from July to September in Gujo-Hachiman, a village located deep in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture. The main event is the all-night dance for four days starting on August 13. French actor Robin Barde explores the deep culture of the festival and dances the night away.

Kumamoto Castle was built by the feudal lord Kato Kiyomasa. The construction began in the late 16th century and was completed in the 17th century. Designated as a National Special Historic Site, it is also known as Ginnan Castle (ginkgo castle) because of a great ginkgo tree near the main tower. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, James Lambiasi explores the legacy of the sprawling castle, meeting local people and learning about the reconstruction efforts after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.

In Okayama Pref., Michael Keida explores the intricate woodcrafts and thriving forestry tradition in Maniwa.

Along the shoreline of northeast Japan, a 400-kilometer sea wall has been built to protect people living in the region from future tsunami disasters. This sea wall is already being transformed into a sand dune, with plants starting to grow over it. Although the massive tsunami of 2011 devastated their area, the natural environment has started to recover at a speed that has surprised the experts. Catrina Sugita visits Shinhama to meet the local residents and find out why it has rebounded .

A birdwatcher’s paradise We watch as our host observes the Ryukyu robin, the Amami Jay, Amami woodpecker, the Ryukyu scops owl and (rarest of all) the Amami Thrush. Other wildlife observed are the Japanese sword-tail newt, the Okinawawan pit viper, and the Amami Ishikawa frog. Special attention was given to the Amami rabbit, a rare ancient protected species with very short ears compared to other rabbits. Also featured are the unique art works of Isson Tanaka (1908-1977).