15 Minutes - Season 4 / Year 2021

Season 4 / Year 2021

Episodes

Ground Detective Simon Wallis: File #2 "The Case of the Soy Sauce"

Fishing Crazy: Divine Duel at Sea

Close to ART: WATARI-UM - The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art

Through the Kitchen Window: Iga - Creating New Out of Old

A Treasured Creation: Today's Treasure - Ai, the Natural Indigo of Japan

A Treasured Creation: Today's Treasure - Keeping Barrel-brewed Soy Sauce Alive

Starting Over: Back to School Part 3

Starting Over: The Flight Goes On Part 3

Starting Over: Hotels Old and New Part 3

A Treasured Creation: Today's Treasure - "Natural Ice Farmers"

Fishing Crazy: Bonding With a Scaly Partner
Summer in Japan is the season to catch a prized river dweller called Sweetfish, and the method to do so is quite unique. Instead of bait or a lure, anglers actually attach a Sweetfish to their line to hook the wild ones who try to chase the intruder out of their territory. This technique is called "fishing with a partner fish." Join us and watch the masters in action as they skillfully guide their scaly partners to hook the finest Sweetfish around!

NINJA TRUTH Episode 15: Ninja Communication
Since ninja were engaged in espionage, they had to gather information and accurately convey it without anyone knowing. Typical means of information transmission included smoke signals, a cipher using knots in a rope, and special methods of transporting secret messages. But in the second half of the episode, we'll look at their ultimate method of concealing information: invisible ink! Find out how they did this, and follow Chris as he makes his own secret message with ninja techniques.

NINJA TRUTH Episode 16: The Fuma Ninja
The Hojo clan was a warrior clan that ruled the Kanto region from the 15th to 16th century. Supporting their efforts to defeat enemies and maintain control was a mysterious group called the Fuma ninja. Their leader, Fuma Kotaro, is described in historical documents as a monster, and may have been the reason why they were so feared. We'll look at how the Fuma ninja took over castles and also guarded them for the Hojo clan.

Through the Kitchen Window: For the Love of Akigawa's Sweetfish
The clear waters of the Akigawa River course through a verdant gorge, just 90 minutes west of Tokyo. They are home to a treasured fish that has been enjoyed for centuries -- the Ayu or Sweetfish. We meet 2 men who cherish this fish, in season briefly from early summer to early autumn. One has devoted his life to protecting its pure waters. The other saves its viscera to prepare a fermented delicacy. Their kitchens are full of gratitude for this life born and protected in the Akigawa River.

Ground Detective Simon Wallis: File #3 "The Case of the Udon Noodles"
The Ground Detective is back! In this episode, he travels to Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku Island. People come here from all around to enjoy its many udon noodle shops, numbering over 500. What is it about the local area that gives the udon noodles here their distinctive firm but sticky texture? Is it the fact that Kagawa faces an inland sea? Is it in the history of farming here? Is it related to earthquakes? The pieces of the puzzle are salt, flour and water, the only 3 ingredients for these noodles. And the Ground Detective is on the case!

A Treasured Creation: The Bond with Urushi, Japanese Lacquer
Japan's world-famous lacquerware is prized for its versatility, beauty and shine, which is due to the varnish made from the sap of Urushi trees. This sap is harvested by hand in small amounts through a meticulous process of scraping and cutting. Tobita Yuzo (86) carries on a lifelong pledge of brotherhood to the Urushi trees as one of the last few remaining harvesters. To make sure this legacy continues, Tobita plants thousands of new trees in the hopes of making a forest full of Urushi.

Fishing Crazy: Anglers in Wonderland
We venture to the sandy coastline southwest of Tokyo where the water remains shallow far into the sea - perfect conditions for surf fishing enthusiasts. To catch a variety of tasty local fish, they pivot and swing their rod in a wide arc as they throw their line over distances that sometimes can exceed 200m! According to these anglers, casting their line as far as possible transports them to a fairytale wonderland where, along with their rig, they send their mind flying above the ocean.
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