The Art Of Japanese Life

Japanese culture and the natural environment have always been intrinsically linked. Dr James Fox journeys through Japan's mountainous forests, glorious Zen gardens and encounters centuries-old bonsai to explore these connections. Traveling around the country's stunning geography, he examines how two great religions, Shinto and Buddhism, helped shape a creative response to nature.

The artistic life of three great Japanese cities shaped the country's attitudes and helped forge the very idea of Japan itself. Visiting Kyoto, Edo and Tokyo, Dr James Fox reveals how the flowering of classical culture produced many great treasures of Japanese art. These include everything from The Tale of Genji, considered the first novel ever, to the world-famous animation house Studio Ghibli.

The minimalism of the Japanese home has been exported around the world, from modernist architecture to lifestyle stores like Muji. But its origins evolved from a system of spiritual and philosophical values, dating back centuries. Dr James Fox explores the art of the Japanese home, visiting one of Japan's last surviving traditional wooden villages and learning the importance of calligraphy.