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Dive into the intriguing stories behind two unique locations. Learn about why a Japanese city banned bright colors and uncover the mysteries of Vermont's Bennington Triangle. Explore the cultural significance and enigmatic phenomena surrounding these fascinating places in this captivating video presentation.
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00:00Hey there! Quick question! What is the capital of Japan?
00:06If you said Tokyo, then you got it right!
00:10Tokyo is one of the most modern and colorful cities in Japan.
00:14But for over a thousand years, Kyoto occupied that place.
00:19Yeah, I know, the names are similar.
00:21But while Tokyo is the futuristic center of Japan,
00:24Kyoto is one of the most traditional and historical cities in Japan.
00:28It's known as Japan's cultural capital.
00:32Let's play a game of spot the difference.
00:34Here are two photos.
00:35The first one is from Tokyo, and the second one is from Kyoto.
00:40Can you tell what is the main difference between both?
00:43Hold that thought for one more second.
00:45Here are two more pictures.
00:47The first one is from Asakusa, a neighborhood in Tokyo,
00:51while the second one is from Kyoto.
00:53What would you say is the main difference here?
00:58Well, you can probably guess where I'm headed.
01:01If you didn't figure it out, I'll spell it out for you.
01:04The main difference is in the colors.
01:06If you've ever had a chance to travel around a bit,
01:09you've probably noticed how cities have certain color themes.
01:13Like Rome is terracotta, and Paris varies in tones of gray and sepia.
01:18Looking at these images, one can see that Tokyo is bright, electric,
01:22and looks even a bit chaotic.
01:25And Kyoto is monochromatic, and gives the impression of being calmer and more peaceful.
01:31It's fascinating to see that what causes this distinction between both cities
01:35has to do with a certain landscape law.
01:38You see, in 2007, Kyoto passed a new law prohibiting colorful street signs.
01:44The law also wanted to standardize overall constructions
01:48to make the city look more homogenous.
01:51Since Kyoto was Japan's capital city for such an extended period of time,
01:56it was built using traditional feng shui architecture and principles.
02:00That's why so many of the buildings have that traditional Asian shape to them,
02:04the one with the curvy ceiling, like you see in the Mulan movie.
02:10Sure, this style is very far from what modern architects are doing today.
02:14If you take a look at Tokyo, you'd see glass skyscrapers rather than these old buildings.
02:20But that's all part of a bigger plan,
02:22set in motion by something called the Miyako Landscape Guidelines.
02:26The municipality's main argument to pass the law
02:30was that Kyoto was losing its unique landscape due to Japan's modernization.
02:35If Kyoto were to follow in Japan's footsteps and build humongous skyscrapers,
02:41citizens would lose their view of the three mountains that surround the city.
02:46And let's face it, nobody would want that to happen.
02:49Plus, it's nice that you can go to different cities in Japan
02:52and notice that they are unique in their own way.
02:56If the landscape law was to be effective in all of Japan,
02:59we wouldn't get to see architectural marvels,
03:02such as the Tokyo Sky Tree and the Asahi Flame Building.
03:08Now, take a look at the Akihabara district in Tokyo.
03:12It is known as one of Japan's most modern neighborhoods.
03:16It's filled with top-notch technology at every corner.
03:19And yes, it's also filled with signs everywhere.
03:23If we compare it with Kyoto after the passing of the new law,
03:27the first thing that would have to go are the rooftop signs.
03:30Oh, and flashing and moving lights are also illegal there now.
03:35This Kyoto Starbucks also illustrates what I'm talking about.
03:39If you were strolling along the bucolic streets of Kyoto's countryside,
03:43searching for a place to get a cappuccino,
03:46you'd miss this coffee shop completely.
03:48I think we can agree that the traditional Starbucks logo was made to call attention,
03:53with that crowned siren-like creature supported by a very green background.
03:58In other places in Japan, it still looks like this.
04:01But in Kyoto, the brand went above and beyond to respect the new guidelines
04:06and produce this beautiful wooden logo,
04:09and a little plaque that says this building has lattes.
04:13Yes, indeed.
04:16There are multiple examples like this.
04:18In Kyoto, the 7-Eleven doesn't have its traditional red, orange, and green stripes.
04:24Its logo was changed to black and white.
04:27You can think that's dull, but I think we can agree to disagree.
04:31It looks perfect when you look at its surroundings.
04:34Oh, and what about McDonald's, the world's most famous burger franchise?
04:39It kept its yellow logo, but took the red out of the background.
04:43In terms of the color palette allowed,
04:46the law uses the Munsell color system to determine which chroma levels are acceptable.
04:51Usually, the faded version of strong colors like red, black, green, and so on are accepted.
04:58Now, imagine if they adopted a Wes Anderson palette.
05:02It would look like a toy city, that's for sure.
05:06At first, vendors and shopkeepers felt disturbed by the new law.
05:10They didn't understand why they had to change their branding
05:13for the sake of some aesthetic the city was trying to preserve.
05:17But with time, they not only came to terms with the new law,
05:21but could already see the benefits of it for their brand success.
05:25You see, this helped turn Kyoto into an even bigger tourist attraction.
05:29Tourists felt like they were traveling in time, sort of.
05:33Some tourists even liked to dress up in traditional kimonos and walk around like geishas.
05:39The municipality also began an awards system
05:42to compensate the shops and brands that had done their homework well.
05:46Of course, the camouflaged Starbucks won an award back in 2018,
05:51as did Sagawa, a major delivery company in Japan, back in 2012.
05:56It's not only shops that needed to adjust to the new guidelines.
06:00Things such as vending machines and post offices also needed to be toned down.
06:06Again, the idea is to make the city more visually coherent.
06:10And they sure help.
06:14Now, what happens if you don't follow the rules?
06:17Well, the people who chose to ignore the landscape law
06:21can spend up to one year in jail or pay a huge fine.
06:24We can also compare the differences inside Kyoto itself.
06:29Around the city center, the landscape law is less strict.
06:33So you'll find taller buildings and even bigger and more colorful signs.
06:37But as you leave the center and move towards smaller cities in the countryside,
06:42the law is much more strict.
06:44It's especially strict around the UNESCO heritage sites.
06:48In case you're not aware, there are 17 heritage sites in Kyoto.
06:51Yep, that's a lot.
06:53But that's what makes Kyoto so unique.
06:56Now, welcome to the neighborhood of Pantolcho.
07:00This neighborhood is a good example of how the landscape law changed the city's mood over the years.
07:06Pantolcho is a cute alleyway in Kyoto that spans over several blocks.
07:11If you look at this Google Street image from 2009 and this one from 2023, you'll see clear differences.
07:18For starters, the huge sign at the entrance of the alleyway is gone.
07:23And so are the wires hanging from the tops of the shops.
07:26The pavement was redone and the big store signs disappeared.
07:30It's much cleaner.
07:31At night, the alleyway turned into the perfect spot for atmospheric dining,
07:36since its legislation decided to rule over the type of lighting allowed in the neighborhood.
07:42This is what it looks like at nighttime.
07:44Hey, you fancy grabbing some sushi?
07:47Hmm?
07:48I can't help thinking that this landscape law contributed a lot to Japan's minimalist architecture.
07:55Although images like these ones in Tokyo are far from the idea we have of this minimalist aesthetic,
08:02Kyoto falls right into place with it.
08:04How about we take a quick look inside one of these establishments?
08:08The Starbucks we mentioned earlier also invested in turning its interior design local.
08:14It's the first-ever Starbucks where you can drink tea on a tatami floor.
08:19You can sit cross-legged, like many Japanese people do, and enjoy a delicious hot beverage.
08:25I must say I quite like the new Kyoto.
08:28How about you?
08:31A college sophomore finished her shift at the cafeteria and decided to go for a hike.
08:36She got dressed, said goodbye to her roommate, and hitchhiked a ride to the start of a trail.
08:41The 18-year-old girl met some hikers who were coming back and asked them for directions.
08:46It was getting dark, but the student pressed on, and she was never seen again.
08:52Her name was Paula Jean Weldon, and she went missing in 1946.
08:57She was walking along a trail near Bennington, a town in southwestern Vermont.
09:02The next day, her roommate reported her missing.
09:05The authorities quickly organized a search party.
09:08Hundreds of people searched the woodlands around the trail for four weeks.
09:13Her college even shut down for a while, so students and faculty staff could join the search.
09:18They came back empty.
09:20The girl had disappeared into thin air.
09:23Paula didn't pack a bag.
09:24She didn't take any extra clothes or money.
09:27All the evidence suggested she didn't expect to be out for more than a couple of hours.
09:32Her father was a well-known industrial engineer.
09:36He blamed the county sheriff for poorly conducting the investigation.
09:40Despite all the efforts, the poor girl was still nowhere to be found.
09:44Her case remains unsolved to this day.
09:47But this is not the first time someone went missing in Vermont's forests.
09:52A year earlier, Mitty Rivers, a lively 74-year-old man, was the guide for a group of four hunters.
10:00He reached a fork in the road with his son-in-law.
10:02Mitty said he would walk a short distance down one of the paths.
10:06After all, he didn't want to miss lunchtime back at the camp.
10:09But that was the last time anyone had saw him.
10:13The group he had accompanied searched for the man all afternoon before calling the police.
10:17A more extensive search followed, but it didn't yield any results.
10:21The local man was an experienced hiker, and he was well familiar with the trail.
10:26Still, he had gone missing.
10:29Firefighters, volunteers, and even servicemen couldn't find the missing person after a month of searching.
10:35All that they found was a cartridge he dropped in a nearby stream.
10:40The local authorities still haven't solved the case.
10:43Nobody knew at the time, but Mitty and Paula were just the beginning.
10:47In just half a decade, five people in total disappeared in this part of Vermont.
10:54Years went by, but still, nobody could explain their disappearances.
10:58And that's why the area got its name, the Bennington Triangle, after the famous Bermuda Triangle,
11:04where ships and planes have been disappearing for centuries.
11:08In 1949, the most puzzling disappearance happened in the Bennington Triangle.
11:13A 68-year-old veteran boarded a local bus.
11:17He was going home after visiting his relatives in St. Albans.
11:21His family took him to the bus station, and there were 14 witnesses who claimed he was still on it
11:26at the last stop before Bennington.
11:28But he never got off the bus there.
11:31His luggage was still on the rack, and an open bus timetable sat on his empty seat.
11:36The man had apparently vanished into thin air while on a moving bus.
11:41And there's another weird thing.
11:43He disappeared on the exact same date the college student went missing three years ago.
11:48The youngest person to mysteriously vanish was an 8-year-old.
11:52He was with his mother while she worked on the family farm.
11:55She went to feed the pigs and left her son alone for an hour or so.
11:59When she came back, the woman couldn't find her son.
12:02The locals soon formed search parties, and the local sheriff brought in tracking dogs.
12:07They picked up the scent, but lost it suddenly at a nearby crossroads.
12:12The guy was never found.
12:14Again, there was a strange element to this story.
12:17The youngster was wearing a bright red jacket.
12:20This would have made him more visible to the rescuers.
12:22But more strikingly, Paula, the college sophomore who disappeared four years earlier, also had a red jacket.
12:30The final disappearance happened just 16 days after the little fella vanished from the farm.
12:36A 53-year-old woman was camping with her family in the Green Mountain National Forest.
12:42She went for a hike with her cousin, but there was a mishap.
12:45The woman fell into a stream.
12:47She decided to go back to the camp to change clothes.
12:50Her cousin thought she would join him later and continued along the path alone.
12:55But the woman never came back.
12:57In fact, she never reached their base camp.
13:00For two weeks, 300 searchers scouted the woods.
13:04They brought in helicopters, but found no trace of the unfortunate woman.
13:09The last disappearance in the Bennington Triangle had an ending.
13:12Not a happy one, though.
13:14In the spring of the following year, the searchers found the poor camper three and a half miles from the
13:19original campsite.
13:20They had previously covered that spot, which made it only more mysterious.
13:25It was impossible to determine why and what happened to her.
13:29The only thing these five disappearances have in common is the period of time and the geographic area.
13:3636 square miles of thick woods in the southwest of Vermont.
13:40This remote area of Green Mountains wasn't the happiest of places.
13:44Bennington and the nearby village of Glastonbury were founded as mining and logging towns.
13:51The living conditions were harsh.
13:54Near the end of the 19th century, the locals tried to rebrand the area as a tourist destination.
13:59But the mountain was unstable and a huge flood washed away their dreams of a happy life.
14:06Residents started moving out.
14:07In 2010, only eight people lived in Glastonbury.
14:11It became a ghost town.
14:13In the late 1940s, the area was back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
14:19But how could these disappearances have remained a mystery for so long?
14:24Surely someone had a reasonable explanation.
14:27One theory suggests that it was a case of foul play.
14:31Maybe an unknown person was up to no good and harmed the unsuspecting people.
14:36But then there would have been a pattern.
14:38And there is none.
14:39Or maybe the elements were responsible.
14:42The college student went missing on a pleasant day at the very beginning of winter.
14:46She was lightly dressed because it was 50 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
14:50But in the evening, the air temperature plummeted.
14:53It was a freezing 9 degrees Fahrenheit the following morning.
14:57In this part of Vermont, the weather is quite unpredictable.
15:01It can get really windy, especially in winter.
15:05Perhaps the bad weather and the dense forest confuse the missing people.
15:09Recently, a strikingly similar case of disappearance happened here.
15:13A college student got lost in heavy fog at the top of Glastonbury Mountain.
15:18When he didn't return home, his fiancée called the police.
15:21State troopers immediately went out to look for him.
15:24But it was too dark and foggy to see anything.
15:28Luckily, they found him the next morning.
15:30He got lost because of the thick fog.
15:32He managed to find his way back to the trail only after the weather conditions improved.
15:37The mountains around Bennington are full of abandoned mineshafts.
15:42A reminder of the town's history.
15:44A hiker lost in fog could easily fall into one of these wells.
15:49They could have no way of getting out.
15:51The area is so remote that no one would ever find them.
15:55The second danger are wild animals.
15:57Black bears are native to New England.
16:00Local hiking clubs advise visitors to store their food in special boxes, not to attract bears.
16:06The Green Mountain National Forest sits in the middle of the Bennington Triangle.
16:10Today, this popular recreation area is within a day's drive of 70 million people.
16:17People come here to camp, hike, and ride mountain bikes.
16:20But do all of them know about the five mysterious disappearances?
16:24I guess I wouldn't dare venture into this remote patch of Vermont's wilderness now.
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