About this season
Centuries ago, Tokyo was known as Edo. More than a million people enjoyed life in this small but abundant city. They live on in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Each episode is a deep dive into a single print, and an exploration of the soul of Old Tokyo. We examine works by artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige not just for their aesthetic and historical value, but for the stories they tell of everyday life. That is how the people of Edo themselves enjoyed this mass-produced medium.
Episodes (16)
1. The Bird Cafe
Aired 22 March 2021 • 5 min
We visit an Edo-style open-air teahouse, where the townspeople enjoyed refreshments, conversation ... and the company of exotic birds. For them, these outings were about more than a good time.
2. A Stylish Concert
Aired 23 March 2021 • 5 min
We attend a New Year's concert at a samurai residence, where a master koto player delights a crowd of gorgeously dressed celebrity-types. Lounging in the best seat in the house ... is no ordinary V.I.P.
3. The Great Race
Aired 23 March 2021 • 5 min
It's edge-of-your-seat excitement as a high-speed transport boat departs for Edo carrying a rich cargo. Find out what's on the line for the stalwart crew as we break down their strategy.
4. Edo Aquatics
Aired 24 March 2021 • 5 min
We go out onto a river where pleasure seekers take in an aquatic show. At first glance a display of rag-tag theatricality, the performers are actually practicing a centuries-old form of swimming.
5. Late Summer Fun
Aired 24 March 2021 • 5 min
Summer is winding down, and tonight down by Edo Bay the streets are filled with professional entertainers, food sellers and revelers. It's getting late, but this party is just getting started.
6. A Kitty's Dreams
Aired 25 March 2021 • 5 min
In the pleasure quarters of Edo, a precious house cat stares longingly out the window at a crowd of people going to and fro. Telltale signs scattered about the room reveal why it appears to be upset.
7. Will Sparks Fly?
Aired 25 March 2021 • 5 min
A dapper young man sits in a teahouse with his older companion when a young woman catches his eye. From the way they're looking at each other, it's clear that there's something going on between them.
8. The Star Festival
Aired 25 March 2021 • 5 min
For the annual Tanabata Star Festival, families across Edo flew bamboo stalks adorned with strips of paper and ornaments representing wishes. We examine what their wishes tell us about their lives.
9. Two Scenic Views
Aired 26 March 2021 • 5 min
We break down a print that warps space to allow the viewer to be in 2 places at once: Shinobazu Pond, known for its lotus flowers, and the Sumida River, one of Edo's busiest waterways.
10. Unruly Catfish
Aired 26 March 2021 • 5 min
Japan is a seismically active land; the Edo period was no exception. In the aftermath of a major 1855 earthquake, an angry guardian deity sets off on a quest to capture those considered responsible.
11. A Napping Boy Dreams of Monsters
Aired 27 September 2021 • 5 min
When a little boy's nap is disturbed by a bad dream, his mother comes to his rescue. What was terrorizing him? We examine a print that shows how much the Edo townspeople cherished their kids.
12. Ritual Purification at Roben Falls
Aired 28 September 2021 • 5 min
We journey to a sacred mountain where pilgrims are purifying themselves in a waterfall before moving on. Some of them have even brought along offerings ... and it turns out they have something to prove.
13. The Niwaka Costume Festival
Aired 29 September 2021 • 5 min
In the pleasure quarter of Yoshiwara, a high-ranking courtesan tends to a patron, while a jester attempts to entertain with an eccentric costume -- hinting at the Edo townspeople's affinity for cosplay.
14. Clam Digging at the Beach in Style
Aired 30 September 2021 • 5 min
It's spring, and a group of young men and women have come to the beach for some recreational clam-digging. The sea breeze mixes with the smell of freshly-cooked seafood. There's also love in the air.
15. Cooling Off Along Takinogawa River
Aired 1 October 2021 • 5 min
We travel to a well-known tourist resort just outside of Edo, where day-trippers are enjoying river recreation and forest walks, praying at local shrines, and sitting down for riverside picnics.
16. Airing Laundry at the Local Well
Aired 3 October 2021 • 5 min
It's summer, and a group of women have gathered at the local well to do laundry in the shade. We learn about the different techniques and tools they used to wash and dry different types of kimonos.