Enchanting Japan (1960s?)

[Music] one hour by train 30 miles southwest of tokyo is Kamakura a seaside resort noted for the great buddha within the boundaries of Kamakura there are 65 buddhist temples 19 shinto shrines and innumerable tombs all full of historic associations reminiscent of the days in the early 12th century when it was the seat of a feudal government there are many subjects to photograph in Japan perhaps a heute six inches high there are four Golf Links in this area all located in ideal surroundings in this national park amid mountainous beauty the ball takes wings as it soars down the fairway through the clear crisp air this challenging course is located at Sengoku Hara in the northern part of the Hakone spa zone [Music] playing golf in an atmosphere such as this will surely deepen the impressions made by travel in Japan there's nothing like some exercise to whet the appetite and after a stimulating round of golf it's easy to see why an outdoor barbecue would be a real treat to an empty stomach there is nothing more enhancing to food than the taste of charcoal for this barbecue beef onions and mushrooms are dipped in soy sauce and done to a turnover the glowing coals [Music] good food and drink and a chance to talk over the good and bad scores a wonderful ending to a trip to Hakone national party [Music] the first-rate Express on the Tokaido line covers the distance of 364 miles between Tokyo and Kobe in a little over seven hours [Music] it runs for the most part along the Pacific Coast and affords many pretty glimpses of the seashore and countryside at lunchtime any travelers enjoy a box lunch sold its stations along the route if a larger meal is in order the dining car with its excellent service and superb food is a must for the hungry traveler [Music] travelers in Japan need not worry about tipping a pleasant surprise to many tourists in Japan the people who serve you feel that the services they perform are parts of their JIT Kyoto the ancient capital of Japan only six hours after leaving Tokyo Kyoto the classical city of Japan was the center of Japanese culture for a thousand years the city preserves intact the arts and crafts of old Japan and within its precincts there were a large number of artistic masterpieces the monuments of a long history filled with the Buddhist tradition there is a constant flow of visitors to Kyoto those who are in search of tranquility in the beauty of life and those who are attracted by the sights and art objects which are to be found here in abundance in Kyoto each Street has a history of its own [Music] beckoning cats made of porcelain are believed to help promote business like sales women calling in customers these big-headed dwarfs are thought to bring good luck shopkeepers and people in the entertainment world are good customers for these figures badgers too are supposed to bring good luck and when installed like this on the right hand side of the entrance to a restaurant they are supposed to lure the customers in restaurants are plentiful this one serves charcoal broiled fish with rice this one specializes in chicken dishes and there are plenty of confectioner's shops to the age-old charm of Japan is epitomized in the old-world shopping streets composed exclusively of purely Japanese style houses Kyoto is noted for many things of the past it is also noted for the production of pure silk fabrics embroidery work like ER wear and ceramics in a bamboo grove in the suburbs of Kyoto a master ceramist Ono ski kawaii has made his home in these peaceful surroundings he has continued to produce his ceramic works for more than 20 years it takes many turns of the potter's wheel and a lifetime of study to turn out these masterpieces of Japanese craftsmanship [Music] vases are carefully hand-painted with the deft strokes of a master before they are placed in a kill to harden Japan is rich in kaolin the clay required for pottery and porcelain manufacture and the Japanese have a technical skill essentially their own [Music] the finished products are things of beauty there are more than 1,700 buddhist temples and shinto shrines in kyoto the famous golden pavilion of the kinkakuji temple is a typical specimen of this city's architecture destroyed by repeated fires for the first five centuries the last remaining one was reduced to ashes through arson and july 1950 the present pavilion is an exact replica completed in october 1955 the old imperial palace - has been repeatedly destroyed by fire since 795 the present building dates from 1855 the building's though not brilliantly decorated are very fascinating in their noble simplicity there are many Japanese inns in Kyoto in which to relax after a strenuous day of sightseeing green tea is served by a charming Michael [Music] at night one of the most famous attractions of Kyoto is the cows eaves at constant flow of visitors who are attracted by the culture of old Japan still lingering in the city the oldest Buddhist temple of Japan the horyuji was founded in 607 [Music] some of the temple buildings are the oldest wooden buildings in the world [Music] visitors find the temple well guarded by the devil Kings this imposing building the world's largest wooden building and shrines the great bronze buddha of the todaiji temple [Music] you kasuga shrine is one of the most famous and oldest shinto shrines in Japan founded in 768 the shrine buildings painted in bright vermilion are celebrated for their fine architecture and enchanting setting over 3,000 lanterns half of which stand in the shrine and the rest hang from the eaves of the buildings are offerings from devotees one half far away from Nara is Osaka the second-largest city in Japan and its leading industrial metropolis from Tokyo Osaka is only seven hours by train and less than two hours by plane since 1584 Osaka has continued to develop its activities is the most important center of domestic and foreign commerce in Japan [Music] the finished goods produced at tens of thousands of factories located in the city are shipped abroad constantly through the port of Osaka and the adjacent port of Kobe Osaka has a fine network of canals interlacing it's busy streets and these waterways add Beauty to this industrial metropolis with a construction of Railways the importance of these waterways as a means of communication has declined today sightseeing boats make possible of pleasant cruise through these waters [Music] as a reminder of the ancient past Osaka Castle in the very heart of the city adds a touch of grandeur reflections in no way disclosed the hustle and bustle of this thriving metropolis the busy life of Osaka may best be observed on a wholesaler Street goods are piled high in the trade is brisk there are over two and a half million people in Osaka and business is good [Music] Osaka is famous for its puppet theater called Bunraku Zod they only for choice now it is contrasted with this flashback to over 200 years ago when a courier dressed like this used to go back and forth between Tokyo and nickel [Music] today Nikko can be reached from Tokyo in less than two hours by train Nikko 90 miles north of Tokyo combines the grandeur of nature with the finest of man's handiwork as represented by the tosho-gu shrine who's gorgeous edifices are redolent of the marvelous plain of craftsmanship during the early Tokugawa days the o'may aman gate main entrance to the shrine is truly Nico's highlight and it enjoys international repute for its magnificent decorations [Music] this shrine built in 1636 is one of the greatest monuments in a history of Japanese architecture in Nikko National Park regarded by many as the most interesting spot in Japan lakes waterfalls rivers gorges and hot springs weave out a peculiar beauty amid Sylvan grandeur this has been a quick tour of just seven tourist points the countless other sites that are musts to the visitor to Japan cannot be covered in so short a time it makes no difference what the time of year the age-old charm of this enchanting land is captivating in any season [Music]