Japan

DVD. Featuring: Dr. Dwayne L. Merry As in his previous films Dr. Merry brings more than his expertise as an archaeologist/anthropologist to this film. He was stationed in Japan, and his wife, Telse, who speaks fluent Japanese, and has lived there for several years. By driving the length and breadth of the country, they captured on film the traditions and the pageantry that are inseparable from everyday life in Japan. In Tokyo, Dr. Merry had the rare privilege of being invited to film the Sumo wrestlers in training, mingling with the crowds in the Asakusa temple and participate in a wedding ceremony at the Meiji Shrine. In addition to the famous gardens, parks and beautiful temples he also goes to places where very few tourists have gone. Dr. Merry and Telse hike the old Tokaido road, that connected the ancient capitals of Tokyo and Kyoto. The couple discover giant rocks along the way where statues were carved more than 1,500 years ago. On Shikoku, they travel along with pilgrims who are visiting the 88 temples of that island. The final scenes of the film show Kobe recovering from the devastating earthquake of 1995, and Nagasaki and Hiroshima today - symbols of hope for world peace. Dr. Dwayne L. Merry, a professor of anthropology and archaeology, has conducted research and excavations around the world and written several books on his travels around the world. [?2005 - Color]. 80 minutes.

DVD. Cities of the World. 60 Minutes. Tokyo, a city of 30 million, is a place where traditions and modern inventions live together. From the Tokyo Tower one can see only skyscrapers, palaces made of concrete and glass, multi-level highway junctions and monorail expresses. But under the neon lights there are still rickshaw runners pulling their carts and geishas walking in their wooden shoes. The ornamented pagodas, the Japanese gardens, the calm Shintoist sanctuaries tell us about the age of shoguns and ninjas. The digital cameras and the swords of the samurais can be found at the same store. In the restaurants one can have sushi, sukiyaki and tempura sitting on a tatami, using chopsticks. We can take a look at the masterpieces of ikebana and origami and the pictures painted on rice paper. Travelers can take a trip to the ancient city of Kyoto, to the giant Buddha of Kamakura, to the warm springs and to the Sacred Mountain, Fujiyama, where the cherry trees are blossoming at the foot of the hills.

DVD. The Little Travelers. 60 Minutes. Join the Little Travelers as they travel to Japan and spend three months discovering the culture, food and customs, while making many new friends along the way. From trips to the market to a day in preschool, squat toilets to eating snails, their days are full of adventure. They meet monkeys and ninjas, dress up in kimono, and even take a Taiko drum class. Come discover Japan through the eyes of two young girls and be inspired to become a Little Traveler yourself.

DVD. Bennett-Watt Productions. Featuring Kyoto, meet a Maiko face to face, Himeji Castle, Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.

DVD. Globe Trekker. 60 Minutes. Merrilees Parker travels to Japan to learn about its unique food culture. She begins her journey in Tokyo, at Tsukiji, the world's biggest fish market, where she encounters weird shellfish and 500lb tuna! Master chef, Romeo teaches her how to make the ultimate sushi, an art that takes years to master. Then it's off to a ramen museum, where you can try various regional styles of the noodle soup. Although the Japanese have one of the healthiest diets on the planet, many of their ingredients are alien to the average westerner. Merrilees meets Elizabeth Andoh, a food writer who guides her round the unfamiliar ingredients of a Tokyo food hall. Escaping the city, Merrilees takes the bullet train to Matsusaka where she visits a farm that produces the most expensive beef in the world - the cows are fed with apples and beer and massaged daily! On to Kyoto, the old seat of the empire where she's immersed in traditional Japanese customs such as the tea ceremony and visits a 400-year-old restaurant. After shopping in its ancient market, known as Kyoto's Kitchen, she learns about the Japanese art of knife-crafting. Merrilees visits a local restaurant to try Japanese staples, soba noodles and tofu before meeting the master brewer of a local sake brewery - a Brit! After a quick look at the ancient practice of cormorant fishing, Merrilees travels to Japan's iconic Mount Fuji for the annual Summer Fire Festival to gorge herself on wonderful street food. Back in the suburbs of Tokyo, Merrilees is invited to a private home and is taught how to make tempura. Then, Merrilees watches the preparation of fugu - the ultimate Japanese delicacy - a poisonous fish which can be deadly if prepared in the wrong way. Her journey ends with a lesson in Japanese/European fusion cuisine.

DVD. The World Atlas. 39 Minutes. The Atlas steps into the digital age. A new one-of-a-kind World Atlas covering all parts of the globe with animated maps from Rand McNally and in-depth cultural and historical information. Each episode is dedicated to different countries, containing four distinct features - physical geography, political geography, popular locations, and thematic maps. The new digitally animated one-of-a-kind version of an Atlas of the World like you have never seen before!