Today BBC Four starts a “Japan Season” of programmes, starting with art historian Dr. James Fox’s look at Japanese art.
In this first of three episodes, Dr. Fox begins by looking at the role nature has had in the world of Japanese art. This includes an examination of the country’s two main religions, Buddhism and Shintoism, as well as looking at bonsai trees and Zen gardens.
This is followed by an accompanying programme, Handmade in Japan, which looks at the manufacture of key items from Japanese items. The first episode looks at the making of a samurai sword.
The Art of Japanese Life is on BBC Four at 21.00, followed by Handmade in Japan at 22.00.
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