In this episode of "journeys in japan", our reporter, Adeyto, visits Oshino Village in Yamanashi Prefecture, in the northern foothills of Mt. Fuji., Japan's highest mountain. Her guide is the well-known actor Hatsunori Hasegawa. He lives in Tokyo but he loves the natural environment around Oshino Village so much that he built a villa there seven years ago. He shows Adeyto some of the beautiful spots in the area, and introduces her to the local people. (Excerpt)

Adeyto visits three sites, starting in Kawasaki for a night factory tour. Most participants, including Adeyto, are into photographing the urban industrial landscape. What's the attraction of large-scale public works' sites for so many Japanese today? Next Adeyto travels north of Tokyo to rural Gunma Prefecture to take in a vast chamber located deep inside a mountain. The Kannagawa Hydropower Plant attracts more than 10 thousand visitors a year. The final destination of Adeyto's tour of man-made structures is a deserted island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Traveling 17 kilometers off of Nagasaki's Port, you'll come to Hashima. Hashima was once a coal mining facility, home to 5000 people. When resources were exhausted, the island was abandoned in 1974. Since it opened to the public last year, 70 thousand people have visited despite the fact that only concrete ruins remain. For many tourists, they find a silent message here. (Excerpt)

On this edition of Journeys in Japan , we visit the Iya Valley, in the center of Shikoku.On this edition of journey in japan , we visit the Iya Valley, in the center of Shikoku. Until about 40 years ago, it was cut off from the rest of the island, and people living there had little interaction with other communities. This allowed the traditional customs and lifestyle to remain unchanged for centuries. Our reporter, Adeyto, takes a local train into the mountains of Shikoku, following the course of the Yoshino River, the longest river on the island. Then she has to take a bus along a mountain road that's so only wide enough for one vehicles at a time. (Excerpt)

This week's "Journeys in Japan" focuses on the small factories that helped to lay the foundation for Japan's postwar manufacturing prowess. Our reporter, Adeyto, visits four factories in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Tokyo, to meet craftsmen whose products are in demand all around the world, and to discover their skills and artisan spirit.