This three part BBC documentary shows us some of the wonders of nature in the islands of Japan. The first concentrates on Honshu; the mountainous main island that is home to most of the country's population. We see that away from the crowded population centres there is a wide variety of wildlife including bears and macaques which can be problematical for the rural populous but also more welcome species including fish that are used for cleaning the dishes in one town! The second episode moves to the subtropical islands of Okinawa where locals farm seaweed and catch deadly sea snakes, and the largest land crabs and smallest wild boar are to be found. Finally in part three we are taken north to Hokkaido where mild summers give way to Siberian winters. Here we see how man lives alongside bears and magnificent Steller's Sea Eagles and red crowned cranes that have been brought back from near extinction.
Anybody who enjoys natural history or is fascinated by Japan is sure to enjoy this series. Michelle Dockery does a fine job narrating the series; delivering the information in an interesting manner without being overly gushing. The photographic team did a great job filming the various creatures in their spectacular natural habitat they certainly made the country look great; if it hadn't been on the BBC I might have thought it was sponsored by the Japanese tourist board! Some of the things shown were familiar but most weren't and all of it was interesting I don't think I'll forget the amazing scenes of two seventy year old women catching sea snakes with their bare hands! Overall a fascinating insight into the nature of Japan; my only real complaint is that it was only three episodes long.
Anybody who enjoys natural history or is fascinated by Japan is sure to enjoy this series. Michelle Dockery does a fine job narrating the series; delivering the information in an interesting manner without being overly gushing. The photographic team did a great job filming the various creatures in their spectacular natural habitat they certainly made the country look great; if it hadn't been on the BBC I might have thought it was sponsored by the Japanese tourist board! Some of the things shown were familiar but most weren't and all of it was interesting I don't think I'll forget the amazing scenes of two seventy year old women catching sea snakes with their bare hands! Overall a fascinating insight into the nature of Japan; my only real complaint is that it was only three episodes long.