J-Trip Plan - Season 3 / Year 2017

Reporter Chris takes us to Shizuoka Prefecture in response to a viewer request about Ieyasu, who established the Tokugawa shogunate. Ieyasu spent his final years here and left his legacy in the city. Chris visits Kunozan Toshogu where Ieyasu is revered and other related places. He also goes to a storehouse to try aged green tea, a favorite of Ieyasu's, and visits a workshop producing lacquered geta. Also, we introduce popular New Year fare, and give tips on how to enjoy mochi rice cakes in your hotel room.

Our reporter Rachel tours workshops specializing in various traditional handicrafts in Echizen, Fukui Pref. Cabinetmakers use no nails to assemble the wooden cabinets. Washi paper making has a history in the city going back 1,500 years. And Rachel watches artisans making the knives, now popular overseas. She even experiences making a paper knife herself. Also, we show you some of Japan's beautiful, winter scenery, and we give you some tips on how to use smart cards to travel around Japan.

We feature Hokkaido's Niseko which attracts visitors from abroad for its powder snow. Our correspondent, a Niseko resident, tells us there's more to Niseko than skiing. And, our reporter takes us to Yamaga in Kumamoto Prefecture, an old post town that prospered on rice agriculture. He visits a sake brewery, and tries making rice crackers. He also watches the Yamaga Lantern Dance Performance and has a lesson in how to make a miniature version of the paper lanterns the dancers wear on their heads. Reporter: Nick Szasz

Our reporter escapes the bustle of Tokyo to discover Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba Prefectures. His 3-day train trip starts in Saitama with a bonsai experience and a visit to 1,400-year-old ruins. Day 2, he travels to a fishing port in Kanagawa to savor the seafood. Before crossing Tokyo Bay to Chiba, he tries on sukajan - or souvenir jackets, which are admired in fashion circles - at Yokosuka. Day 3, he prays at a temple on a cliff then travels to a peninsula to admire the Pacific Ocean. Reporter: Joel Dickerson

Our reporter encounters the wonders of Kochi Prefecture's Pacific coast: the beautiful scenery and the plentiful seafood. He explores the grand, natural sculptures at the cape and goes out whale watching. This plan is ideal for nature lovers to experience the warmer climes of southern Japan. Also, we share viewers' museum recommendations. One art museum has a stunning Japanese garden, and the kanji museum will fascinate, especially students of Japanese. We also look at the wide use of masks. Reporter: Alan Hawley

Our reporter visits Shigaraki in Shiga Prefecture, where he is greeted by hundreds of ceramic tanuki statues when he gets off the train. Walking around town, it is hard to miss these lucky charms that are placed in front of homes and shops, and line the streets. Daniel visits potteries, paints his own tanuki, soaks in a tanuki onsen bath, and eats tanuki udon. Also, we share viewer information about delicious ekiben, or train bento, from around the country, and talk with our correspondent. Reporter: Daniel Donny-Clark

Our reporter goes to Yuki where luxurious Yuki Tsumugi fabrics are woven. This silk kimono textile is handmade, and the process is registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Ali walks around town in a Yuki Tsumugi kimono that is characteristically warm and light. She watches artisans at work and visits a century-old brewery and miso manufacturer. Also, our correspondent discusses trekking the old Saba Kaido road, along which mackerel was carried from the sea to landlocked Kyoto. Reporter: Ali Marie

Our reporter introduces novel activities near Kansai International Airport. He goes fishing with jumbos flying low overhead, learns how to wield a sword dressed in samurai attire, and makes a mini-tatami mat. He also shows us some of the airport's friendly services and fun ways to kill time during a layover. And, our correspondent focuses on 100-yen shops that sell a wide range of cheap yet top-quality products. She gives simple DIY tips on how to combine these handy goods to brighten your home. Reporter: Alan Hawley

The Seto Inland Sea, which is referred to as Japan's "Mediterranean", is a large body of water in western Japan studded with 700 islands of all sizes. Since ancient times, it has prospered as the primary transportation and trade route in western Japan, and it still retains heavy traces of old Japan. Take a leisurely yacht cruise near Hiroshima Prefecture, explore small remote islands, visit an old pirate fortress and an island of wild rabbits, and stroll through the picturesque port town of Onomichi. Reporter: Meaghan Ballweg

Matsue in Shimane Pref., west Japan, is a famous for Matsue Castle built in 1611 and its old townscape. Greek-Irish writer Lafcadio Hearn lived here in the 1890's. His books about Japanese culture and his collections of ghost stories became international bestsellers. Our reporter visits spots connected with his ghost stories. Also, we go to UNESCO-listed Kumano Kodo, southeast of Osaka. Our correspondent went on a 3-day hike along this pilgrimage route deep through the mountains of Wakayama Pref. Reporter: Ali Marie

Himeji Castle in Hyogo Pref. was voted Japan's best castle on a major traveler review site. Our reporter checks out spots to take superb photos of this photogenic castle from interesting angles and strolls through an expansive Japanese garden. He also experiences copying sutras on Mt. Shosha and takes a leisurely trip to the island of Ieshima. We share viewers' photos of scenes taken from the shinkansen windows, and a foreign resident takes us on a one-day trip to 2 beautiful temples of moss. Reporter: Alan Hawley

Hiraizumi, in Iwate Pref., once prospered on the vast reservoirs of gold nearby. It was listed with UNESCO for its 800-year-old historical remains linked to Buddhism. Our reporter visits Chuson-ji and its golden temple, experiences lacquer painting, and strolls through a garden of the Pure Land, a Buddhist paradise. Our correspondent talks about taking fun, trick photos incorporating huge signage in the Minami entertainment district in Osaka's south. We also look at takoyaki, an Osaka delicacy. Reporter: Sara Aiko

Chubu International Airport, the gateway to central Japan, is located in Tokoname, Aichi Pref. The city is famous for its ceramics and is the major producer of maneki-neko beckoning cats popular both locally and abroad. Our reporter delights in strolling the streets that are dotted with ceramic cats of all shapes and sizes. She enjoys strawberry picking and making her own dessert with them. Also, we share tips on getting the most out of supermarkets, a treasure trove of foods and handy goods. Reporter: Mao Tsaiti

Hida, in Gifu Pref., is nestled deep in the mountains near the Japan Alps. This remote yet refined city is renowned for its master carpenters who use ancient techniques to construct sturdy buildings, without a single nail. Our reporter experiences these kumiki joinery methods. He also discovers the untouched beauty of rural Japan by bike, gets a peek at country life, and cycles along a discontinued rail line. Also, we get tips on creating delicious bento at depachika, department store basements. Reporter: Daniel Leung

The township of Ine lies on the Sea of Japan coast in northern Kyoto Pref. One 300-year-old fishing village here is well-known for its 5km of 230 boathouses that line the cove. Our reporter experiences local life: staying in a boathouse, fishing for dinner, sightseeing by boat and bike, and enjoying the delicious seafood. Also our correspondent recommends a cycling road in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref., about 1 hour north of Tokyo. Ride along 2 routes to the mountain or lake, exploring this rural area. Reporter: Ali Marie

Our reporter travels along the old Kisoji highway that connects the post towns of Magome and Tsumago where the 400-year-old scenery remains relatively untouched. She walks stone-paved paths and mountain passes, enjoys local delicacies and woodcraft, and stays in a traditional inn. Also, our correspondent takes us to some mystical locations in history-laden Kyoto, such as wells that serve as entries in and out of the underworld and a shopping street where yokai supernatural beings congregate. Reporter: Meaghan Ballweg

Kainan, in Wakayama Pref., has been the center of Kishu lacquerware production for over 400 years, and still preserves unique techniques that employ multi-colored lacquer layers. Our reporter walks the elegant streets, learning from craftsmen along the way, and even discovers an innovative new technique that marries lacquer to glassware. Then our correspondent discloses how best to experience an epic festival in Kishiwada, Osaka, where enormous wooden floats careen around crowded city streets.

Sandwiched between expansive wetlands and the Pacific Ocean, Kushiro in eastern Hokkaido frequently slides into a dream-world of fog. Its northern border is Japan's largest wetland - the Kushiro Marsh. Our reporter scouts this protected wilderness, encountering diverse wildlife and natural scenery from observatories, raised walkways, horseback and a canoe. Then another Hokkaido local takes to the sky above Furano in a hot air balloon to share a glimpse of Hokkaido's majestic scenery from the air.

Our reporter goes in search of adventure on the largest island in the Sea of Japan, Sado Island. She cruises along the sheer, rugged shoreline and kayaks to a stunning grotto in a dynamic coastline formed from volcanic rock. She takes an adventurous tour deep into the dark tunnels of an abandoned gold mine, dug around 400 years ago. Also, our correspondent introduces us to a street performance festival in Nagoya Prefecture. Watch acrobatic feats, traditional arts and powerful fire performances.

Our reporter visits Takasaki, Gunma Pref., to learn about daruma, which were modeled on the proponent of Zen, Bodhidharma. He meditates and copies sutras at the temple where the dolls began. To improve his fortune, he tours a sacred mountain and a cave holding Kannon statues. Also, our correspondent in Osaka explains how to best experience standing bars. These small places are great for meeting the locals and offer a range of affordable food - from kushikatsu to Spanish cuisine to brand wagyu.

Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Pref. presents a different face to Japan. Surrounded by coral seas, it abounds in tropical nature. Our reporter seeks out the best spots to view the dazzling seas in a rent-a-car, deciding to sail around the coral reefs in a traditional fishing boat. He takes a cooking lesson in the local cuisine and participates in a stargazing tour. Also, our local correspondent takes us on an outdoor adventure, kayaking and trekking on Iriomote and other islands near Ishigaki. Reporter: Luke Bridgford

The ports of Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi Pref.) and Moji (Fukuoka Pref.) across the Kanmon Strait are deeply linked. In Shimonoseki, Karato Market is lined with succulent sushi on weekends. Pufferfish can be poisonous, but our reporter tries this expensive, local delicacy. Then she crosses the undersea tunnel and tours the historic buildings in Moji. At a gallery, she watches young artists at work. Also, we get insider advice on the Shikoku Pilgrimage of 88 temples, where race and status disappear. Reporter: Kellie Holway

Explore the cuisine that is a global hit. Japan has a surprising array of seafood, but sushi is not just fish. It is ever evolving with chefs using seasonal vegetables to create new styles. We are joined by Japanese cuisine expert Yukari Sakamoto who discusses the intricacies of sushi as we look at reports on local types. Our reporter visits "the" place for sushi - Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref., known for bountiful seafood. With a fermentation culture, it is home to an original type of preserved sushi. Reporter: Rebecca Milner

Tsui on Awaji Island, Hyogo Pref., has been producing the captivating, silver roof tiles seen on temples, residences and other buildings for over 400 years. Walking around the town you'll see many objets d'art made with tiles and old kilns. Our reporter discovers the fire-and water-resistant properties of tiles and even tries his hand at karate-chopping them. Also, our correspondent introduces us to a festival for prosperity in the coming year held at New Year's on a beautiful isle near Kyushu. Reporter: Alan Hawley