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Embark on an unforgettable exploration of Japan's most iconic railway routes in the premiere episode of Great Japanese Railway Journeys. This episode delves into the intricate beauty and engineering marvels that define the country's renowned rail network.
Discover the unique landscapes and cultural heritage that are best experienced from the window of a train. We journey through diverse regions, highlighting the seamless integration of modern transportation with traditional Japanese aesthetics and the vital role these railways play in connecting communities.
Gain insight into the operational excellence and dedication to passenger experience that make Japanese trains a global benchmark. From scenic vistas to bustling urban lines, this series offers a captivating look at the art and science of Japanese rail travel.
#JapaneseRailways #TravelJapan #TrainJourneys
Discover the unique landscapes and cultural heritage that are best experienced from the window of a train. We journey through diverse regions, highlighting the seamless integration of modern transportation with traditional Japanese aesthetics and the vital role these railways play in connecting communities.
Gain insight into the operational excellence and dedication to passenger experience that make Japanese trains a global benchmark. From scenic vistas to bustling urban lines, this series offers a captivating look at the art and science of Japanese rail travel.
#JapaneseRailways #TravelJapan #TrainJourneys
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FunTranscript
00:04Japan.
00:05Michael, welcome to Japan, a railway paradise.
00:08Its huge population spread over Long Islands lives by its railways.
00:13I feel like I'm driving.
00:14My new adventure takes me through the land that launched the high-speed train.
00:19I love Shinkansen.
00:21Where millions of journeys are made each day through some of the most bustling stations on earth.
00:27Busy city.
00:28I'll ride Japan's vast railway network to uncover a land of bold innovation.
00:35Haven't quite got the hang of it yet.
00:37A place of enduring traditions, volatile geology and remarkable people.
00:44Kanpai.
00:45Join me on an excursion like no other.
00:48I'm too excited to sit down.
01:08My journey across the beautiful mountainous island of Kyushu is reaching its conclusion.
01:17I now look forward to crossing over to Honshu, the largest of the islands that make up Japan.
01:24Not so very long before I was born, my country Britain and Japan were at war.
01:29The technology of the mid-20th century made it possible to kill tens of thousands in a moment.
01:36And the cruelties of the war would have been a disgrace to humankind in any century.
01:42At Hiroshima, I shall reflect on the beauty of peace.
01:50Japan is made up of four large and many small islands.
01:55On this journey, I've been exploring Kyushu, the most westerly and southerly of the big ones.
02:02I began in Kagoshima and explored Kyushu's western coast, which historically was the most outward-looking part of Japan.
02:11I'll soon be crossing over to the tip of Honshu Island to end this leg at Hiroshima.
02:25To make my way from one island to the next, I've come to the top of Kyushu on a local
02:31train.
02:31I can easily see Honshu. It's almost within touching distance.
02:37Rather than taking a Shinkansen bullet train under the water, I've opted for another route.
02:46This service ends at Mojiko, a station unlike any on my route so far.
02:59In contrast to all those brand-new Shinkansen stations in concrete, steel and glass,
03:05this is a masterpiece in timber, an antique gem.
03:14This is one of the few remaining large-scale wooden stations left in all of Japan.
03:21Here at Mojiko Station, there is a bell which can be rung by those unlucky enough to be leaving Mojiko,
03:28which I shall be doing shortly, departing for Honshu.
03:40Separating Kyushu and Honshu is the Kanmon Strait,
03:44a busy shipping channel where cargo ships take the short route from Korea and China through to Osaka and Tokyo.
03:53As well as road bridges and ferry services connecting the two islands,
03:57there are road and rail tunnels beneath the sea.
04:00You can also make the crossing on foot, as there's a pedestrian tunnel 780 metres long.
04:08My Trans-Pacific Stroll.
04:10The tunnel pops out on Honshu, Japan's largest and most populous island.
04:17Shimonoseki is my first stop.
04:26It's a major fishing port, and on the waterfront, its historic fish market began with street vendors in 1909.
04:35While in Japan, I've been very much enjoying sashimi,
04:39but you can only be happy with raw seafood or fish if it's of very high quality and absolutely fresh.
04:48Now, the flesh of the puffer fish is considered an extraordinary delicacy,
04:54but other parts of it contain a neurotoxin that is a thousand times more powerful than cyanide,
05:01and there is no known antidote.
05:04It's time for me to play Japanese roulette.
05:09This perilous delicacy is known as fugu in Japanese.
05:14And to hear more, I'm meeting local guide Ria Mihara.
05:18Hello, Michael.
05:20Ria, what a pleasure. How do you do?
05:24Welcome to Shimonoseki.
05:27In the moments that I've been in Shimonoseki, I've seen representations of the puffer fish.
05:31It's very closely associated with the town, isn't that right?
05:34Yes, that's really right.
05:36From ancient time, the people had been eating that like 15,000 years ago.
05:42Wow.
05:42Yes, we found the fossil of the puffer fish of the bones and tooth.
05:51In the 1590s, one of the leader, Hideyoshi, he banned to eat the puffer fish because so many people died.
05:59His warriors ate the puffer fish, and he lost the warriors, so he banned the puffer fish.
06:07But 1888, the first prime minister, Hirofumi Ito, he is from here, and then he ate the puffer fish for
06:17the first time.
06:18And they're like, how come we cannot eat this?
06:21You know, so he actually left the bun since then.
06:25The first place the puffer fish was eaten is here.
06:29Yes.
06:29So from here, the Shimonoseki is the home of the puffer fish.
06:34Part of the fish is highly poisonous and dangerous.
06:37Yes.
06:38So there must be considerable skill involved in cutting up the fish.
06:42Yes, exactly.
06:43And all the chefs have to take care of the puffer fish.
06:48They have to have the national license.
06:50And each prefecture has different exams, but the Yamaguchi license is the most reliable.
06:59Right.
06:59Because they have a paper and technique, skills, exams for both of them.
07:08Famous as a distinctively Japanese delicacy, the puffer fish is deeply woven into the national cultural identity
07:16and is believed to bring good luck.
07:19I'm intrigued and somewhat nervous to try it.
07:23Around the corner stands established puffer fish wholesaler Sakai Shoten.
07:30The puffer fish has met his end.
07:32The very dangerous parts of the body have been removed and now we're left with the flesh.
07:37It's being cut so thin that it is translucent, actually transparent.
07:43It's being arranged onto a dish that is a highly decorated Arita ware.
07:49And of course we can see the pattern through the fish.
07:54Now, for the moment of truth.
08:05This looks absolutely superb. Thank you so much. I'm very honored to be here.
08:12This is lovely. We have never met before.
08:15Today I've put my life in your hands.
08:19And I feel absolute trust.
08:21The puffer fish is really dry and safe to eat it.
08:32It's possible to eat it safely.
08:34Should I begin at the center or the edges?
08:37From the middle.
08:51That's a wonderful texture.
08:54A beautiful fish.
08:56I'm happy.
08:58Do you think that the fish brings good luck?
09:01Of course, I think.
09:05So, not only have I survived, but I go forth with good luck.
09:19I'm leaving Shimonoseki from its railway station, which was first established in 1901.
09:26It's been served by the high-speed Shinkansen trains since 1975.
09:36A display of models of Shinkansen trains from the very oldest to the very newest.
09:45Japan invented high-speed rail and is still very proud of it.
09:58I'm taking one of these high-speed trains eastwards to my next destination, Tokuyama.
10:08I'm travelling on a Hikari rail-style train, a model which was introduced in 2000.
10:20You have to be impressed by Japan's ability to manage rapid change.
10:25In the late 19th century, it went from being a feudal to an industrial society.
10:31In 1945, its cities lay in ruins.
10:35But in 1962, it produced the prototype of the world's first high-speed train.
10:42And the Shinkansen began services in 1964.
10:47The first models and many subsequent and much faster versions were designed and manufactured by Hitachi.
10:55The Holden
11:08Highlight at Tokuyama to visit one of the most significant railway factories in the world.
11:14Stretching over the equivalent of 72 football pitches,
11:18the Casado factory has been manufacturing railway rolling stock for over a century.
11:25From building steam locomotives to pioneering early electric models
11:29and now producing Tokyo's modern metro trains,
11:33it has continually driven innovation in railway design,
11:37most famously with its iconic achievement, the Shinkansen.
11:46Iwasaki-san, I'm Michael.
11:50Nice to meet you.
11:52Showing me the production line is Mitsuo Iwasaki, an engineer
11:56and now head of Hitachi Japan Business.
12:03Iwasaki-san, how old is Hitachi and how old is this factory?
12:08Hitachi is founded in 1910, therefore over 100 years.
12:15In the early days, what was the company doing?
12:18How did the company get into railways?
12:20The company started electrical equipment to produce,
12:25starting from electrical motors or copper mining.
12:30Coming to the 1950s and 1960s,
12:33Japan develops the world's first high-speed rail, the Shinkansen.
12:37Why did Japan make that national effort, do you think?
12:41I think Japan would like to make Japanese economy to be developed
12:48in order to do that,
12:50the transportation system should be developed dramatically.
12:55Japan is a long, thin country.
12:57Yes.
12:57So joining it together reliably boosts the economy.
13:01Yes, I think so.
13:04In 1962, Hitachi unveiled the prototype of the Shinkansen.
13:10Just two years later,
13:11the world's first high-speed rail line opened in time
13:14for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, transforming Japan's global image.
13:21The Shinkansen was not only a technological triumph,
13:25but also a defining symbol of Japan's post-war recovery and resurgence.
13:32Which is this model?
13:33This is the N700S.
13:36The N700S.
13:37Is this the one that includes a tilting technology?
13:40Yes.
13:40Tilting mechanism is for the faster speed to passing the curvature.
13:45Yes.
13:46You don't have to slow down for the curves.
13:49It doesn't need to slow down.
13:50Hmm.
13:51And what other technological advance came with the N700S?
13:55Uh, they are inside is a battery system can be used in the case of the earthquake,
14:01so the train can still move to the stations.
14:05The train can move itself even if the wires have fallen down.
14:08Yes.
14:10Now I find myself at the nose of a Shinkansen.
14:13I've often, um, admired them in stations.
14:17Um, taken my photographs, taken selfies with the train.
14:20But this is, uh, the first time I've seen it from here.
14:23A piece of engineering and almost a piece of art at the same time.
14:27So we have some design rules to make such a shape.
14:32And everybody think about how to make it beautiful.
14:36That's the Shinkansen.
14:43The Shinkansen is, of course, mass produced.
14:46There are already hundreds of these vehicles running on Japanese Shinkansen lines.
14:51But this is not, uh, a factory like a car factory,
14:55where, you know, the bodies are suspended above the factory
14:59and they go from station to station.
15:01Here, there's still room for craftsmanship and for hand finish.
15:19In 1962, Japan stole a march on the world with its prototype of the high-speed train,
15:25the Shinkansen.
15:26And since then, other countries have followed, notably France.
15:30Then again, Japan has continued to improve its technology.
15:34And there's a lot of commercial secrecy that surrounds all of that.
15:38So being admitted to this factory to see the inside and what's going on
15:44has been quite a coup.
15:55I've returned to Tokoyama Station to continue my journey.
15:59And I'm finding rail travel in Japan surprisingly easy.
16:04That all looks a great puzzle.
16:06But fortunately, a ticket machine has an English function.
16:12I'm travelling on the Shinkansen.
16:14I'm going to Hiroshima today.
16:18Nine o'clock is my next option.
16:20There are a few seats left.
16:22Okay.
16:24Japan still uses a lot of cash by comparison with Europe.
16:32The machine is happily swallowing my money.
16:37Excellent.
16:48This train will be stopping at Hiroshima, Fukuyama, Okayama and Shin-Kobe before arriving at Shin-Kobe.
16:59The Osaka terminal.
17:02I have successfully bought a ticket to my next stop, Hiroshima,
17:07which is around 75 kilometres northeast along Honshu Island.
17:14It's a city known for a single devastating event.
17:21Sadako Sasaki was a two-year-old girl living in Hiroshima, very close to where the atomic bomb fell.
17:30She and her family were able to escape.
17:33But at the age of 12, she contracted leukaemia, which was known as the Womp disease.
17:40And at that point, she had learned that in Japanese folklore, the crane lives for a thousand years.
17:47And so she began to fold origami cranes.
17:53And by the time of her death at the age of 12, she had folded 1,300 and she died
18:00surrounded by her work.
18:02So today, the origami crane is associated not only with longevity, but also with peace.
18:21Surrounded by mountains and at the head of a large bay is the city of Hiroshima.
18:26I'm arriving into its gleaming modern railway station, a busy regional hub with five lines and 14 platforms.
18:36During the Second World War, Hiroshima was a military headquarters and logistics hub, which made it a target for the
18:43Allies.
18:43In May 1945, Germany had been defeated, but the war with Japan continued.
18:49In August of that year, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, causing unprecedented, instantaneous loss of life.
18:59One square mile was flattened, while more than four and a half square miles were destroyed.
19:0527 days later, Japan surrendered.
19:10Today, Hiroshima has been rebuilt.
19:12It's a busy metropolis that's home to a population of 1.1 million.
19:23Hiroshima City runs a fleet of trams, both vintage and highly modern.
19:29They are in themselves a city attraction, and they fill the streets with their sound of banging, grinding and clanging.
19:41The one I take across the city I find beautiful, and its history is very poignant.
19:54This very tram was in service the day that the bomb dropped.
19:58It was hit by a heat blast of 1,000 degrees centigrade.
20:02The driver and 89 of the 90 passengers were killed.
20:06An extremely moving thought.
20:09In the days following the blast, city workers heroically got some trams operating again to help the injured.
20:16And this car was back in service by March of 1946.
20:22The bomb detonated approximately 600 metres above an area that is now the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
20:31Near the ruins of an old prefectural building, which stands as a reminder of the destruction,
20:37I'm meeting Luli van der Doos, an associate professor at the Centre for Peace.
20:43Luli, we're in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.
20:47Could you please describe it to me?
20:49Ah, yes.
20:50Well, this place used to be a vibrant community.
20:53Just behind you would have been a barber shop.
20:56And this one, the rest house now, used to be a kimono shop.
21:02So, yeah, that was a place to go and a place to be seen.
21:07But unfortunately, in 1945, on the 6th of August, atomic bomb dropped just behind you,
21:15about 150 metres from here, on top of the Shima Hospital.
21:21An entire community simply disappeared.
21:25How many people do we think were killed by the atomic bomb?
21:30On that day, according to various records, for example, the rice rationing record and so on,
21:38we estimate about 50,000 to 70,000 people died.
21:43But by the end of the same year, at least 140,000 died.
21:49And then other people would die with cancers after that?
21:52Oh, yes, cancers, blood cancer like leukemia.
21:56On top of that, some people suffered from long-term trauma and committed suicide.
22:05And today, like for example, my mother as well, you have several kinds of cancers suddenly starting up.
22:14And so the atomic bomb survivors continue to live eight decades,
22:20fearing at any moment their time may come.
22:26One of those survivors is 87-year-old Keiko Ogura, who lived just 2.4 kilometres from the blast centre,
22:33and today often speaks about her experiences, including in an address to world leaders at a G7 summit.
22:40With the peace bell ringing in the distance, she gives me the honour today.
22:46Hello, I'm delighted to meet you.
22:48Nice to see you.
22:49I'm Michael.
22:50Keiko-san, it's a privilege to meet you.
22:52Thank you for making the time, and also to speak about things which are, of course, so painful.
22:57Could you please tell me about your experience on the 6th of August, 1945?
23:03At that time, I was eight years old, and I was almost going to school, elementary school.
23:11But my father said, don't go to your school today, because the previous night was so strange,
23:19many airplanes, American airplanes passed above us.
23:24All my classmates already went to school.
23:29And then all of a sudden, that time, a blinding flash, and everything I was looking at turned white.
23:39And then there was a strong wind blast, and then I felt like I was being in the midst of
23:48a tornado or a typhoon.
23:50Then blown, and I was beaten on the road, and I became unconscious.
23:54When I first opened my eyes, everywhere was just dark, no sound, and I was alone in the darkness.
24:07I couldn't understand what happened.
24:10My brother, he was actually behind Hiroshima Station, so he was watching the plane, and he could see the small
24:21dots released.
24:23That was an atomic bomb.
24:24And that spot exploded in the air.
24:28I saw people coming, like, you know, skin was peeling off.
24:35I first smelled their burnt hair, and the coming, first one line and two lines, and continuously they came.
24:46Then by and by, they started to die in front of me.
24:50And then we were horrified because people started to die without having any scars, no burns.
25:01We couldn't understand why they were dying.
25:05We did not know the word, the radiation.
25:08And then people tried to say, somebody who were in the city cannot have a good memory, and they will
25:17have malformed children.
25:20So we tried not to talk anything, shut our mouth.
25:27Hiroshima has been rebuilt, and it seems now a very beautiful city.
25:32Do you have hope?
25:33Yes, because I'm right now 87, soon I'll be 88.
25:41It's difficult, but if the world works together, the real world peace will come.
25:51Unite each other, a drop of water will spread like ocean, I hope.
25:59It's been a great honour talking to you. Thank you very much.
26:16After every war, humankind has said never again.
26:21And that was strongly the case after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan.
26:27Since then, nuclear weapons have become more sophisticated, and many nations have them.
26:32And yet, the fear of repeating what happened here has kept a sort of peace.
26:39No one has dared to use their weapons.
26:41Can we abolish nuclear weapons?
26:44They're so hard to uninvent.
26:47But what I would recommend is that every world leader should come to Hiroshima, an essential part of his or
26:55her education.
27:04To end this leg of my journey, I'm taking a ferry across the bay to Itsukushima Island, where the dramatic
27:12orange-red gate marks the location of one of Japan's most revered shrines.
27:19Japan recovered very quickly after the Second World War to become one of the biggest economies of the world.
27:27Now it's hampered by an ageing and shrinking population, but its achievements are still impressive.
27:33It imported many ideas from the West, for example, democracy, but without in any way affecting its distinctive culture and
27:44identity.
27:45It is orderly, disciplined and deferential.
27:49Having outperformed much of the West, today its most important challenges come from within Asia.
28:01Next time, we have the very Japanese-style trees, skyscrapers, typical of Tokyo.
28:08Then we have this palace that could be in England and a fountain that could be at home in Buckingham
28:13Palace.
28:14Yes, that's right.
28:17Wow, what a building!
28:19This is extraordinary.
28:21In the event of a quake, the rubber absorbs a lot of the energy.
28:27This technology just leaves me breathless.
28:48Yeah, that kind of
28:53Yes, we're not in the Arctic.
28:53Who can the librically series reach 100% more?
28:59That's why you've moved from a Humor prayed for.
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