Into the Kyoto Countryside

The best way to discover little-known sights,

and make even familiar places feel brand new, is to go exploring by bicycle.

Our road this time takes us to Kyoto.

Japan's ancient capital is one of the world's great tourist destinations.

But few leave the city to explore surrounding Kyoto Prefecture, a fascinating region in its own right.

The wind!

This kind of fish dries beautifully.

Out in the country, life proceeds at a very different pace.

These people have not forgotten their roots, or how to work and play together.

You're not holding back.

People here rely on inner strength to overcome adversity.

This is a very fine rock.

Unbelievable.

Come with us now, on a 400-kilometer ride through the beautiful countryside of Kyoto Prefecture.

We set off from the heart of the ancient city itself.

Starting with a quick prayer for a safe trip at Kodaiji temple, founded in 1606.

Kyoto - it really is a spectacular place.

It's just breathtaking.

Paul Imperatrice is from New Zealand.

A lifelong passion for eastern philosophy and martial arts brought him to Japan 32 years ago.

Paul lives in Tokyo, where he runs his own English school.

This time on my trip, I'm going to leave Kyoto, the city, and head off into the hills.

I'm going to try and make as far a trip as I can and hopefully hit the sea.

Who I'll meet along the way is unknown to me because I've never really visited this part of Japan before.

So off we go.

Another adventure begins.

This four-day trip first takes us through the hills of the south,

to an area that supported the traditional culture of the capital.

On the second day, we ride through the farmland that made Kyoto cuisine so unique.

The third day brings us north to a fishing port,

and on the final day, we climb a mountain for a spectacular view down over the coast.

It's a very clear day.

Direct sun.

And Kyoto is in a basin so it's extremely hot.

And just amazing sights.

Look at the size of that.

This is a bigger, natural river.

Oh wow.

The Kamo River runs right through the heart of Kyoto City.

It gives it a very traditional feel.

It breaks up the harshness of modern cities.

The riverside paths that run along both banks are very popular with cyclists.

Kyoto was built 1,200 years ago in a basin surrounded by mountains,

so, leaving the city in any direction involves quite a climb.

This is super hot.

I'm just getting fried here.

Wow, tea.

I didn't expect to see that here.

Very well manicured.

Wow, look all over there.

40-kilometers cycling has brought Paul to the lush tea plantations of Wazuka.

With gentle breezes and large temperature differences between day and night,

this area is ideal for tea growing.

Riding on, we soon come to Uji, the famous tea manufacturing center.

Paul has worked up quite a thirst, but he knows there's a teahouse just over this bridge.

- Good morning.
- Welcome. Come in.

- Your teahouse has such character.
- Thank you.

Tsuen Yusuke is the 24th head of the family that's run this teahouse for over 800 years.

Those are family heirlooms.

The statue is the main character
of a Kyogen farce called Tsuen.

It was modeled on my ancestor
who founded this teahouse.

When I whisk the first tea each morning,
I set a bowl in front of Tsuen's statue.

It's to thank him, and all the generations
of my family who ran this teahouse.

I start my day with that prayer.

And I also pray for the safety
of all travelers who pass by.

- Such a history.
- Yes, indeed.

The Tsuen family were originally in charge of managing the bridge to Uji.

They opened this teahouse to serve travelers crossing the river to buy the town's famous teas.

Tea, of course, became a central part of Kyoto life and culture.

Here, we experience the country roots of that tradition of civilized hospitality.

What a beautiful color!

Today is such a hot day for cycling,
I thought you'd prefer it on ice.

- It's so fragrant.
- Yes, that's a big point.

It's very fluffy because of the powder and the bubbles.

It's very light.

It fills up the mouth very well and not bitter at all.

Tea blenders look for a subtle balance of taste, fragrance and color.

Tsuen's skills are based on 24 generations of family knowledge,

but his own life experiences inspired him to create new flavors too.

I worked as a DJ until I was about 30.

It always struck me how very similar
that job was to blending tea.

Mixing tunes, adding vocals from one song
to another, it all felt so like blending teas.

- What are your plans for the future?
- Well, right now I have four young kids.

I look forward to seeing them take over the business.
Maybe they'll expand overseas?

Heading west from Uji brings Paul into an area of forested hills.

It's really solid.

I love that big, heavy green.

This trail takes us on a 1.8 kilometer ride though tranquil bamboo groves.

Paul has now come to Kameoka, a fertile area that was historically a major supplier of food to the old capital.

There's a man here in Kameoka that Paul has been wanting to meet.

Ah, this is it here.

- Hello!
- Hello.

I hear you have an interesting craft.

Yes, I make whetstones,
using rock I mine myself.

Tsuchihashi Yozo is an artisan who crafts whetstones,

traditionally used for sharpening knives and bladed tools.

Go on, have a feel.

People compare it to a baby's skin.

- Feel how gentle it is on your cheek.
- That's amazing.

Have a try yourself.

I can't believe this is stone.

Feels good, eh? So smooth.

Stone mined here in Kameoka is extremely fine grained,

giving it the quality needed to hone the sharpest blades.

I start with a rock like this.

Tsuchihashi selects different rocks to suit each application, whether it's chef's knife or craft tool.

I'll cut here, on this slight fault.
This is the shape I want to get.

He uses a power saw to cut the stone into shape.

Then he removes any irregularities or different types of rock.

From this 10 kilogram block, he'll end up with about 2 kilos suitable for crafting whetstones.

I find the highest quality stone
and try to bring out its best qualities.

Chefs, carpenters, swordsmiths -
they all need stones to sharpen their blades.

Japanese blades are famous worldwide because
they're ground with whetstones like these.

Tsuchihashi's whetstones are in demand from top chefs the world over.

Oh, it's Marina. Long time no see.

Lovely to meet you again.

This feels about right.

Marina has been coming here from France to buy whetstones for seven years now.

Tsuchihashi supplies customers in over 40 countries.

Artificial stones never give
this color and feel to the metal.

Cutting with a chef's knife sharpened on a
natural stone just feels completely different.

- The door's open.
- Thanks.

Tsuchihashi has invited Paul to see where he mines the rock to make his whetstones.

This is a lot more serious than I thought.

Here we are!

- Quite a blast of cold air.
- Yes, it's chilly in there.

Come on in.

Tsuchihashi is one of the very few artisans who still mines his own stone.

Here we are. Take a look around.

This is the rock I use for my whetstones.

This cave is now 15 meters tall and 30 wide.

Tsuchihashi excavated it entirely by himself.

- This is how I work.
- You do everything yourself?

- Just me, with my hammer and chisel.
- Unbelievable.

- It took over 30 years to get this far.
- Up to here?

And it goes deeper over there.

Any kind of mining machinery would damage the delicate rocks, so Tsuchihashi does everything by hand.

- Now it will all just break off.
- Just like that?

Here it goes.

Beautiful, eh?

- How much does it weigh?
- All this? About 70 kilos.

Look at this lovely chunk.

Unbelievable.

That will sharpen any kind of blade.

This is the best rock you can find.

Many artisans prefer to use natural
rather than artificial whetstones.

So I keep laying up stocks for future use.

Tsuchihashi was born into a family that had made whetstones for four generations.

Even as a child, he longed to continue the family tradition.

But, after cheaper artificial whetstones began to dominate in the 1950s, demand for natural stones fell sharply.

Fewer people were mining natural stone,
and no one was buying it, so business collapsed.

It's embarrassing to say it, but in the worst period
I only sold 5 whetstones in a year.

I had plenty of stone, but I couldn't sell it
and I really thought I'd have to give up.

The family mine was also almost depleted and it looked like the end for their business.

But Tsuchihashi, like his father and grandfather, remained committed to natural stone.

It took him ten years searching for a fresh source of rock, until he finally discovered this site.

If I hadn't found this vein of ore,
I'd have had to give up the craft.

It was the first time my father ever
praised my work: "You did well, son."

He wasn't the kind to give compliments,
and I'll never forget those words.

The spirit that supported Kyoto's culture throughout history.

Mountains are looking a little mysterious with the morning fog.

The second day takes Paul up into the Tamba Highlands.

Nice and sheltered.

This is cool.

For a thousand years, these dense forests have supplied the timber that made Kyoto such an architectural masterpiece.

It's now 40 kilometers since he set off this morning, and Paul has arrived at Miyama.

Oh, here's one.

Amazing.

These roofs are thatched with locally grown materials like pampas grass and reeds.

Wow, there's a really big clump of them there.

It's a whole village.

It's like going back in time.

Kitamura has almost forty of these old thatched homes.

Oh, it's just amazing to see these, so many of these houses all in one place.

The village farmers communally harvest the straw, and local artisans do the skilled work of thatching.

Nakano Makoto, born and raised in this village, travels all over Japan to restore thatched roofs.

The thatch rests on a framework of bamboo.

The steep angle of these roofs efficiently sheds rain, preventing rot.

Thatched roofs can last 20 years before needing renewal.

It doesn't work if you simply
lay the thatch on in big bundles.

Each thin stem has a different thickness.

The skill is to combine them
in the best way to build up the thatch.

It's a skill that takes years to master.

Thatched roofs keep out rain while allowing good ventilation,

so these houses are comfortable all year round.

Nakano originally worked for a farming cooperative,

and at age 21, he traveled to England to study natural farming techniques.

He was impressed by how the English valued their thatched houses

and respected the traditional artisans who maintained them.

I had some photos of my village with me.

When I showed them to the family
I stayed with, they were really amazed.

Their reaction made me realize that
my village's thatched roofs were special.

Such praise for what I'd thought
was just a little backwoods village.

Back in Japan, Nakano apprenticed himself to a Miyama thatcher.

Among the elderly surviving artisans, he was the only one under 60.

Nakano felt he had to rescue the craft.

At age 33, he founded a thatching company and started training his own apprentices.

I decided to join this company
after studying architecture at university.

I liked the idea of working with
serious people about the same age.

Today, Nakano is guiding over 10 young trainees to mastery of the old skills.

I'd like it to become a World Heritage.

I dream of the world coming
to see what we've made here.

Paul has left Miyama and is now cycling westwards.

Woah, river crossing, river crossing.

Cycle across.

This is the Wachi district of Kyotanba.

Wow, look at the sky.

Beautiful old building.

Drumming noise from inside.

Wow. That's sounding pretty powerful.

The local drumming tradition known as Wachidaiko has a history going back 1,000 years.

This group rents space in an old school to practice twice a week.

Legend has it that the villagers began drumming to spur on warriors in a battle against demons attacking Kyoto.

- Fantastic! Hello.
- Hello.

My name's Paul. I heard the drums
and had to come in. I hope you don't mind.

- Would you like to have a go?
- Well... If it's something really simple.

Fujimoto Yoshikazu will guide Paul through a basic drumming sequence.

- I started in high school and I'm now 72.
- That's amazing.

- Over 50 years drumming.
- It's kept you young - strong and agile.

Listening to the drums gives you energy.
Playing them is even better.

The group has transcribed the traditional rhythms to make them easier to learn.

This is the base rhythm.
You come in here.

- And that's it. Simple.
- Simple?

Paul will try his hand at the most basic pattern.

I'll play the baseline. Get ready.

- No! Stop!
- Sorry.

- OK, this time for real.
- That's the spirit. Go!

OK!

That was great. Thank you so much.

- You did well.
- All thanks to his instruction.

I never thought I'd get it.
Such fun - and a whole body workout.

The group welcomes anyone, regardless of age or skill, and includes several local schoolchildren.

Hit firmly, like this.

Hard on the accent.

Seven-year-old Kotaro loves drumming, and comes here to practice together with his mother.

- How long have you been drumming?
- About a year.

Wow. You were really good.

One day you'll be as good as the teachers.

I hope so.

I'm sure you will.
You're doing a great job.

Wonderful. Great.

- Keep it up.
- Thank you.

Wachidaiko requires total mental focus and perfect synchronization with your fellow drummers.

It's an inspiring thing to experience.

For me, drumming is a kind of prayer.

When you pour your whole spirit into it,
it becomes a healing, a purification.

Something we need in these pandemic times.

Drumming keeps us healthy and strong,
and gives energy to everyone who listens.

It's a very warm morning and I'm just dropping out of the forest.

Just a perfect day. Blue sky, lime green rice fields.

Today, we're in the Tango region, bordering the Sea of Japan.

There it is.

The Sea of Japan.

Nihonkai.

That feels great just to get down here.

Wow, that water is just unbelievably translucent.

That looks really inviting.

It is, it's a really light turquoise blue.

Very cool.

Paul's now in the fishing port of Taiza.

I might just stick my nose in here and see if I can see what's going on.

It's 8:30 am, and the daily fish auction has just started.

2,500 yen, 3,000 yen...

Buyers are bidding for the morning's catch, fresh off the fishing boats.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Are you a fishmonger?
- That's right.

We buy fish here and prepare it in various ways.

Then we sell fresh and processed fish
From our shop on wheels.

Shimo-oka Chieko's family has been in the fish trade for over 50 years.

Chieko and her mother Yukako wheel their purchases home for processing.

Chieko is the one with culinary skills, so she does this part of the job.

Fish like these, salted and dried overnight, have never lost their popularity.

This is horse mackerel. It's very good.

The fish caught around here
is great, with plenty of fat.

This size tastes best of all.

Dried horse mackerel is a regular item on Japanese breakfast tables.

- In New Zealand, we don't eat much fish.
- What a waste.

I agree.

Oh, this is so good.

Unbelievable. Sugoi.

Very interesting mixture of salty and fresh.

It's very, there's lots of flesh still on it.

But it's got that very dry taste as well, plus a juicy taste in the middle.

Wonderful.

Yukako knows everyone in town, and her gregarious personality makes her a great saleswoman.

Lots of shellfish today.

Today, they have 20 kinds of fish, sashimi and air-dried.

Yukako knows her customers' tastes very well.

- I'll tag along.
- Stay close behind us.

I'll do that, thanks.

They'll spend the whole day driving around this small town, selling to its 2,000 residents.

Hello there!

Their first customer runs a clothing shop.

The mobile store is a boon for people who can't leave their work to buy food.

I'll have one of these, and one of these.
Thank you very much.

That will be ¥1,700.

- Do you often buy from her?
- Every week.

So many shops closed when the owners died
with no one to take over.

Mobile stores like this are a blessing.

In places with an aging and declining population, mobile stores also provide human contact.

- She's so interesting to talk to.
- I'm her advisor.

It's true.

Thank you!

Twenty years ago, Yukako and her husband Tomoaki took over the family business.

Sadly, Tomoaki passed away three years ago, after a sudden illness.

He fought the disease for a month,
but in the end he lost the battle.

He never wanted to stop working,
but nature had other ideas.

It still feels like a terrible loss to us.

All our customers loved him.
They thought of him as family.

Everyone was so sad when he passed.
They begged us to keep the store going.

Chieko had been working in Osaka, but she came home to help her mother keep the business going.

As an only child, I couldn't leave
my mother to handle things by herself.

She's great at selling,
but processing fish isn't her strong point.

So I took over that side of the business.
I just felt I had to do whatever I could.

Any sandfish today?

These are very tasty.

I went to school with him.

Pals from nursery school.

He's a really expert skin diver.
I brought some big turban shells for you.

Really? That's great!

This is amazing. I can barely hold it.
It's as big as my fist.

Thank you very much.

Every day she does this job, Chieko feels a stronger connection to her hometown.

The better I got at doing it,
the more I liked the fish business.

I only started because dad died,
but now I feel it's my real calling in life.

On the final day, Paul will ride up from the coast to the top of Mount Gorogatake.

I wasn't sure how my legs were going to hold out.

I wasn't expecting this much climbing.

Wow, what a view.

A spectacular view, to end a spectacular trip.

Kyoto is full of beautiful scenery, just breathtaking rivers, rice paddies, traditional architecture.

It's a really amazing place.

But perhaps the most amazing thing, for me, was meeting the people.

What I became aware of on this trip was that no one can avoid the hardships or difficulties of life.

But this suffering can be magically transformed through genuine communication and simple acts of compassion.

Not only can these acts alleviate the hardships,

but also provide the givers with a greater feeling of satisfaction and happiness in their own lives.

People down here really smile.

They smile from their heart.

That will be an image that stays with me for a long time.

From family and friends, we gain joy and the strength to overcome life's hardships.

A simple truth that the people in Kyoto's countryside have never forgotten.