Dive in Tokyo

We visit northern Tokyo's Nishiarai, which evolved from a farming village into an industrial district and is now mainly residential. But the local temple has always been at the heart of the community.

Koishikawa is a residential area in the city center that is home to a botanical garden and a temple associated with the Edo shogunate. As we explore, we discover a legacy of printing and bookbinding.

Shinagawa is home to a major train terminal used by 500,000 people a day. We explore a historic lodging area, an old garden with abundant nature, and more as we unravel 1,000 years of history.

We take a trip to Sapporo, the city that served as a base for the development of Hokkaido. Learn the history behind its central river and see how locals are now working to restore wild salmon runs.

Okachimachi is an area just north of Akihabara renowned for its jewelry district. Its story involves Buddhist craftspeople, American servicemen, and more recently, communities of foreign artisans.

We head past the Scramble Crossing into historic backstreets, where we find an upscale residential area, a former geisha quarter, and a leisure district that paved the way for modern-day Shibuya.