Japan - Landscapes & Nature 4:3
kikuchi

I live in the city of Kumamoto. It is situated on the island of Kyushu, Japan.
Kyushu is the southernmost of Japan's 4 large islands.
The climate in Japan is such that the trees produce a wide range of radiant autumn colours in October and November.
Kikuchi Gorge is about a 1 hour drive north-east of Kumamoto.
It is a popular tourist attraction and also a wonderful place for a day out.
Cherry blossom time in the spring and the colours in autumn are the two busiest times of the year.
stock
A friend of mine once drove me around the hills to the south of Kumamoto and showed me with pride lots and lots of "stone bridges".
I later pointed out for him that stone bridges are rather commonplace in western countries.
However, historically speaking, the use of stone and the special technique for constructing the bridges is relatively recent innovation in Japan. Traditionally most bridges were built of wood.

The Tsujun bridge is an aqueduct which was built to lead water over to a small plateau which although excellent for growing rice had no water supply of its own.
  
japan
 Sumioshi is ...............  
kumamoto

I was asked to summarise my first 4 years of living in Kumamoto and put it into a 2 minute video! Here is my effort. Your first impression may be of confusion - if so, then I have succeeded!

Japan is truly a land of contrasts - tourists usually get this impression too. What they do not have time to learn, is that the seeming contrasts and confusion in Japan are actually part of a well-balanced system that can probably exist due to a underlying "Shinto" and "Buddhist" belief that is found deep in the soul of most Japanese. Even though they themselves may be loath to admit it.

  
kyushu

The second video for a project I am working on showing various aspects of life and scenes from Kumamoto Prefecture.

This one mainly features the growing and harvesting of rice.
I also want it to show that Japan is not really a country full of crowds jostling with each other as they try to board a packed train!

  
sakura
 The japanese cherry blossom is world renowned.