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. In the coastal community of Shinhama, Sendai City, this sea wall is already being transformed into a sand dune, with plants starting to grow over it. For countless generations, people in Shinhama have coexisted with the seafront environment. Although the massive tsunami of 2011 devastated their area, the natural environment has started to recover at a speed that has surprised the experts. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, Catrina Sugita from Switzerland, visits Shinhama to meet the local residents and to find out why nature has rebounded so strongly in this area.

The Mogami River is one of the most important waterways in northern Japan. It runs for 229 kilometers through Yamagata Prefecture, with around 80% of the prefecture's population living along its basin. From the 17th century, the river became a major transportation route, carrying people and cargo such as rice and safflower down to the coast, and from there as far as Kyoto and Osaka Prefecture. To this day, many towns along the river retain traces of their historic streetscapes and culture. In this episode, Catrina Sugita from Switzerland visits a community close to the Mogami River. She meets people who are keeping alive local traditions for surviving through the harsh, snowbound winter months. And she discovers the charm and bounty of this waterway known to the locals simply as their "Mother River."

The city of Senboku in Akita Prefecture is made up of three towns: Tazawako, which has the deepest lake in Japan; Nishiki, home to farming scenery: and Kakunodate, called the little Kyoto of Tohoku. In addition to the stunning nature and samurai culture, visitors can enjoy spectacles related to the Lunar New Year. Catrina Sugita experiences the area's winter lifestyle and its fiery festivals.