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Season
Season 1 Episode
- Season 1 Koshu: The Miraculous Wine
- Season 1 Japan-discovery, Self-discovery: Exchange Students in Tokyo
- Season 1 My Life with Aikido
- Season 1 Delivering to Space
- Season 1 Peru & Japan Fusion of Cuisine
- Season 1 The Somin Naked Festival
- Season 1 The World of Miniatures
- Season 1 The Manufacturing Spirit and Sustainability
- Season 1 Japanese Gardens, Aesthetic Encounters
- Season 1 Going Beyond Tradition: The Challenge of Craftspeople in Kyoto
- Season 1 Innovative Japanese Bread
- Season 1 Capturing Masters’ Workmanship
- Season 1 MUSIC TRUNK: Journey to Discover the Roots of Japanese Sound
- Season 1 Anime Dramatic Tours
- Season 1 The Captivating World of Escape Games
- Season 1 The Alluring Beauty of Japanese Gardens
- Season 1 Journey Through the Woodland
- Season 1 Sweet Revolutionary: Mastering the Art of Marketing Wagashi
- Season 1 Best Eats and Hidden Gems
- Season 1 Roji: Kyoto’s Hidden Alleys
- Season 1 JAPANorama Rumble
Explore Japan - Season 1 Episode 6 The Somin Naked Festival
0.00 48 minutes The Somin Naked Festival has been passed down for more than one thousand years at a mountain temple, deep in snowy Northern Japan. This physically demanding, purification rite is held annually in the coldest month of the year—February. Hundreds of men gather at the rustic Kokuseki-ji temple on New Year’s Eve according to the lunar calendar. Wearing only fundoshi loincloths, they embark on a nightlong test of endurance in a bid to ward off evil and invite in fortune. On this program, Canadian TV personality Kyle Card makes his way to Oshu, in southern Iwate, to join in this enigmatic festival. First, he must purify himself in advance of the ritual. He adheres to a strict Zen shojin diet. Later, he sits Zazen at a training temple to practice asceticism and focus his mind for the harsh festival. Kyle experiences the pain, the thrill, and the glory. He gains firsthand insights into the significance of the Naked Festival—an experience beyond his wildest dreams.
