An important part of getting to know a country is eating the everyday food that people there enjoy. Guidebook writer Chiara Terzuolo tells us how to find and prepare that kind of food in Japan. Her advice includes making use of miso and tofu sold at grocery stores, pickling Japanese plums to make "umeboshi" at home, and looking beyond differences to enjoy "yoshoku"—Japanese adaptations of Western cuisine, served at restaurants and cafés.

Also in the program, NHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWSLINE anchor Yoshikawa Ryuichi talks about open-air art festivals. They’re held in various parts of the country. By going, you get to see the art, experience the setting, and come to know the people who live there.