Honshu Japan: Earth's Enchanted Islands


Honshu

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The sun rises on Japan.

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More than 6,000 islands on the edge of the Pacific.

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Life here is at the mercy

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of Earth's most powerful elemental forces.

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From the wilds of the frozen north...

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BIRDS SQUAWK

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..to the subtropical warmth of the south...

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..animals along this chain of islands have had to adapt

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in unique and sometimes bizarre ways.

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Throughout this land, people have developed

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an extraordinary relationship with the natural world...

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BEAR GROWLS

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..trying to capture its fleeting beauty...

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..and tame its spirit.

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But these islands remain wild, mysterious

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and magical.

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This...

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is Japan.

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Japan's great chain of islands stretches for 2,000 miles.

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Right in the middle is its biggest island...

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..Honshu.

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Here is one of the largest urban areas on Earth.

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But this is a wild place too.

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From the volcanic mountains to the edge of the sea,

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people and nature are drawn together in the most extraordinary ways.

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Tokyo.

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Home to over 35 million people.

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It's so densely packed,

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it's hard to imagine there's any room left for nature.

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BIRDSONG

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But as the sun rises on a spring morning,

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something magical is about to happen.

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In the heart of the city,

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thousands of cherry trees are bursting into blossom.

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For just a few fleeting days, everyone celebrates.

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No other event in Honshu is more welcomed.

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This natural event is so important, it makes front-page news.

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Every spring, across Japan,

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people follow the sakura zensen - the cherry forecast -

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eager to see the blossom at its very best.

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The magic is all too brief.

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The petals start to fall almost as soon as they appear.

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Even in this most urban place,

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people still yearn for a connection with nature.

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But Honshu's cities are crowded for a reason.

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Three-quarters of this island is mountainous,

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where fewer people can live.

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Over 20 of these peaks are more than 3,000 metres high,

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pushed up by violent upheavals in the Earth's crust.

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This is no place for humans.

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The Hida Mountains are instead home to Honshu's wildest creatures.

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A black bear.

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And this one's hungry.

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He'll spend eight hours a day flipping rocks, looking for ants.

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It might not seem much to keep a bear going.

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He's not on his own up here.

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A Japanese macaque is also looking for a meal.

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But for these dextrous monkeys there are alternatives.

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These miniature trees, pruned by the elements, are covered in pine nuts.

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Full of fat and easy to reach.

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But despite these rich pickings,

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Honshu's macaques have learned

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that there are even easier ways to make a living.

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But to reach it, they have to venture off the mountain peaks...

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..and that will bring them into contact with people.

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No matter how wild it seems, there's nowhere in Honshu

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where the paths of people and animals don't cross.

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This crowd of macaques is on a mission,

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all heading down the mountain to the same place.

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In among the rocks, there's a pool heated by volcanic springs.

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The temperature of a warm bath,

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it's just the thing in the chilly mountain air.

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This was once a spa for the exclusive use of humans.

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Back in the '60s, one young macaque discovered the hot tub,

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and liked the warmth.

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News spread, and now they've claimed it as their own.

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It's so popular, there can be hundreds of macaques here every day.

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And thousands of adoring tourists

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venture into the mountains to see them.

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These are some of the most photographed animals on Earth.

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But they are not just here for a bath.

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They're onto a very good thing.

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Each macaque has its favourite way of retrieving the treats.

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You can try holding your breath

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and stuffing as much into your mouth as you can.

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But if you don't like getting your hair wet,

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there's a daintier technique.

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One for the more refined.

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At the end of the day, when the tourists have gone home,

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they make their way back to the mountain forest.

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But this is still a wild place, full of dangers for a young macaque.

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It's no place for a swimming lesson.

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MACAQUE SQUEALS

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There are no gentle streams here.

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Water tumbles off these mountains at four tonnes a second.

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The Shomyo Falls are Japan's highest.

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The water cascades over 300 metres -

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taller than the Eiffel Tower.

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Despite falling so far, the water doesn't roar,

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it murmurs.

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People say it sounds like the chanting of prayers.

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It may be a wild journey down the mountains

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but this raging water is about to be tamed.

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As it reaches the foothills,

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the torrents are gradually controlled and channelled.

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With so much pure water on tap,

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people can grow Japan's most important crop.

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These are Honshu's traditional rice paddies.

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Flat land is scarce,

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so these fields have been painstakingly carved out

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of the foothills and water guided in.

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These man-made marshlands, perched on the edge of the mountains,

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are a magnet for wildlife.

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At the start of summer, as soon as the rice is planted,

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mysterious white globes start to appear

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in the trees around the paddy fields.

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The paddy fields can be a dangerous place to raise your young.

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Hungry mouths are everywhere.

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So some mothers have taken to the trees

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to give their babies a fighting chance of survival.

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FROGS CROAK

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The white globes are being made by these Japanese tree frogs.

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It's the breeding season

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and the trees are teeming with frogs.

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The female is with a male at the tip of a branch,

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perched above the paddy pool.

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She's building a nest by whipping up a giant ball of foam

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with her back legs.

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She lays hundreds of eggs inside.

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She's attracting the attention of other males.

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Each male could still fertilise some of the remaining eggs in the foam.

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They're coming in from all directions.

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But the foam makes it hard to get to grips with the competition.

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Things quickly descend into an undignified wrestling match.

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This male's work is done here.

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It's time to move on and find other nests.

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But when you're covered in slippery foam,

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it's hard to leave with dignity.

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It's an unusual problem for a tree frog.

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As the days pass,

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the eggs develop in the safety of their foam nest.

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The temperature rises with the summer sun,

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and the foam ball dries to form a protective case.

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The tadpoles inside are still moist,

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and six degrees cooler.

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But the little tadpoles need rain.

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At this time of year,

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warm air is rising over the steep Honshu mountains

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and clouds are starting to build.

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The tree frogs have timed their nest-building perfectly.

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After 20 days, conditions are just right

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and the waiting is over.

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The hard foam starts to dissolve and the tadpoles drop out,

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straight into the nursery pool of the rice paddy below.

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They feast on the remaining pieces of the nest -

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a final meal before they take their chances in the big, wide world.

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Their mother has pulled off a remarkable feat of planning.

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Over a third of Japan's fresh water goes to its paddies.

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Everyone relies on this precious resource

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and there are some uniquely Japanese ways of keeping it pure.

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The little village of Harie has a network of interconnecting canals.

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But these are not just any streams,

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they're part of an ancient system called kabata.

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The water is piped into small buildings close to each house.

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This is where Mrs Fukuda prepares her vegetables

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and does her washing up.

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All this waste should make the water dirty

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but it's not.

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It stays sparklingly clear.

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That's because Mrs Fukuda

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has an unusual band of kitchen helpers.

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Giant carp.

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As she washes her food and plates, the carp move in.

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Carp are natural ground feeders,

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sucking up the crumbs that sink to the bottom.

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As Mrs Fukuda rinses out her rice bowls,

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the carp pick out the bits of food

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and clean the water at the same time.

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No detergents, no waste,

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just some very obliging, well-fed fish.

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The same water is now piped out of the kitchen and on to the crops,

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clean and clear, for the benefit of everyone on the lowlands.

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They call this place 'the village of living water'.

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And around the edges of these waterways, on summer nights,

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something enchanting happens.

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As darkness falls, the air is filled with tiny lights.

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Fireflies.

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They can only thrive if their watery world is pristine.

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They've spent most of their brief lives as larvae,

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living in river beds.

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But for just a few weeks in summer,

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they emerge as adults to find partners.

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The female flashes her abdomen to attract attention.

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Soon, she's surrounded by eager males,

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all synchronising their flashes with hers.

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People call this dancing swarm a firefly contest.

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They've caught the imagination of countless generations.

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People once thought they were the fire of human souls,

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floating in the night.

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The female has found her mate.

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It will be a brief relationship.

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In a few weeks, they'll all be gone.

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But the pure water has created a magical, fleeting encounter

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between people and wildlife.

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There's a strong spiritual connection with nature

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in these mountain heartlands.

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Over half of Honshu is still thickly forested...

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..and people believe the oldest trees

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are inhabited by kodama -

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tree-spirits.

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The forests echo with their voices.

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LOUD HOWLS AND SCREECHES

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It's bad luck, so they say, to cut down a tree where a kodama lives.

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But there's another elusive creature in these ancient forests

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that was once hunted almost to extinction.

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People call it the cow demon or the phantom.

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It's a Japanese serow.

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This relative of antelopes and goats is unique to Japan.

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It's a strange, stocky creature,

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but it has a certain quirky charisma.

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When numbers fell dangerously low,

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the Japanese government banned hunting.

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The serow was saved and it's become an unlikely national icon.

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But it's a hard one to get to know.

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At the slightest hint of danger, it will vanish into the forest...

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..like a ninja.

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These are still wild woods.

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But as you leave the foothills, the land flattens

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and it becomes easier for people to settle.

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It's when animals leave the forest edge and move into farmland

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that the relationship with humans becomes less benevolent.

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The macaques of the lower forests

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are as bold as their mountain cousins

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and often venture out in search of new opportunities.

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CAR HORN HONKS

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There are all sorts of perils,

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but there are rewards too, if you're willing to take some risks.

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CAR HORN HONKS

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For over 100 years, people have been growing

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the finest fruit and vegetables on these warm, rich soils.

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For these cheeky thieves, it's irresistible.

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Growing perfect produce is a Japanese obsession

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so the last thing people want is marauding macaques.

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As the day heats up, the farmers take a break.

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The coast is clear.

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They have to be cautious.

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If they're spotted, there'll be trouble.

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But every day they brave the electric fences.

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They know all the weak spots where they can stage their raids.

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And they gorge themselves on the fruit of the farmers' labours.

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They are almost impossible to stop

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but the farmers are not prepared to give in.

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DOG BARKS

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They bring out their secret weapon.

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Specially-trained monkey dogs.

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DOG GROWLS

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The Japanese Shiba Inu is one of the world's oldest breeds

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and people have trained them to protect their crops against monkeys.

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There's even a Japanese saying that when people are fighting,

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they're like a dog and a monkey.

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But the rewards outweigh the risks.

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They'll be back again tomorrow.

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But fruit farmers aren't the only ones

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having to outwit hungry visitors.

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Mr Nakayama has been keeping honeybees for more than 65 years

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and these sunny forest clearings are perfect for his hives.

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But every year, Mr Nakayama's hives come under attack.

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Whatever it is seems to be unfazed by a swarm of angry bees.

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Mr Nakayama has put an electric fence around his precious hives

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but even this doesn't seem to be keeping the culprit out.

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So he's called in some experts

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and they've set up an elaborate trap laden with honey.

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All they can do now is wait.

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And it doesn't take long.

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Within just a few hours, news comes in that the trap's been tripped.

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GROWLING

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Professor Izumiyama and his team are here to help.

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Although it's wise to tranquillise it first.

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It's a young black bear.

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He's strayed dangerously close to the edge of human habitation,

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looking for something to eat.

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Black bears have attacked people in the past

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so, for everyone's sake, he can't stay here.

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There's just enough room for the bear in the boot.

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He needs to be returned to the safety of the mountain

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but it's a one-hour drive.

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The bear could awake at any time.

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And there's no cage!

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In this rural area,

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bear expert Professor Izumiyama is used to taking this chance.

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They need to take the bear

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as deep into the mountain wilderness as possible.

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This is the most anxious time for the professor.

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Thanks to Professor Izumiyama, this lucky bear

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is back in the safety of the forest and out of harm's way.

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All across Honshu, big towns have grown up along the forest edges.

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Some are more than 1,000 years old.

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Here, links with nature are rooted in the most ancient beliefs.

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These sika deer live in the hills around Nara,

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one of the oldest towns in Japan.

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But, every morning, they leave the safety of the forest

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and head straight into town.

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Their destination is one of the most sacred places in Japan.

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The temple is the world's largest wooden building.

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Large enough to house a 15-metre statue of Buddha.

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It's visited by thousands of pilgrims.

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The deer are allowed in

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because they're believed to be messengers of the gods.

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No-one is allowed to harm them.

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Legend has it that a god arrived at the shrine of Nara

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riding on the back of a deer.

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1,200 years later, the deer are still regarded as sacred.

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They've become local celebrities.

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And they take full advantage of the situation.

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150 yen buys you a bag of deer biscuits.

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For many people visiting the temple,

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this may be as close to wildlife as they will ever get.

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But the relationship clearly needs some finessing.

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Some of the deer take unfair advantage of their sacred status.

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LAUGHTER

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As with all things in Japan,

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courtesy and respect goes a long way.

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A simple bow is quickly rewarded and everyone is happy.

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When they've had enough biscuits,

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the Nara deer head back to their home in the forest.

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But as you travel further from these mountain fringes,

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the landscape of Honshu is swallowed up in an urban sprawl.

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Every inch of the remaining flat land to the coast

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has been taken over by people.

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Over 35 million people are crammed into an area smaller than Yorkshire.

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In this concrete landscape,

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it would seem unlikely that any wildlife could survive.

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But one animal has made the city its home

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and it has a strangely charmed reputation.

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People even put fat little statues of it outside bars and restaurants.

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It's naughty, but it's also believed to bring good luck.

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Tanuki - the raccoon dog.

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It's a creature of the forest

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but, as buildings have replaced trees, it's been forced to adapt.

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These little creatures will eat almost anything.

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There's an opportunity at every turn.

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Tanuki make mischievous neighbours.

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But people think they're lucky, so they get away with it.

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They're so comfortable with urban life, they never leave.

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TANUKI CUBS SQUEAL AND CHITTER

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This mum is raising her brood next to a busy railway line,

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which could be lethal for cubs newly out of the den,

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but they grow up fast and quickly become streetwise.

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TRAIN BLASTS HORN

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Maybe they deserve that lucky reputation.

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All across this crowded island,

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people and nature are thrown closer together.

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In Japan's ancient Buddhist and Shinto philosophy,

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harmony with nature is an essential part of life.

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Mr Watanabe is hard at work.

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The space he is tending is called karesansui -

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dry mountain and water.

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Mr Watanabe has transformed Honshu's great mountains

0:41:390:41:42

and raging torrents into something beautifully simple.

0:41:420:41:46

It's nature in its purest essence,

0:41:500:41:53

for people to observe and reflect on.

0:41:530:41:56

But this is a land where the forces of nature are impossible to tame.

0:42:110:42:16

WATER GUSHES LOUDLY

0:42:170:42:19

Honshu sits at the mercy of four slabs of the earth's crust.

0:42:210:42:25

Every year, there are nearly 5,000 earthquakes and tremors.

0:42:260:42:30

The rocks steam and hiss with sulphurous gases.

0:42:310:42:35

It's no wonder the Japanese call these areas Jigokudani -

0:42:350:42:40

Hell Valley.

0:42:400:42:41

No-one is far from an active volcano.

0:42:460:42:49

Mount Fuji is just 60 miles from Tokyo.

0:42:510:42:55

This volatile landscape continues all the way to the coast.

0:42:570:43:01

These cliffs at Sanriku were pushed 200 metres above the sea

0:43:060:43:10

by violent upheavals under the ocean floor.

0:43:100:43:13

WAVES CRASH LOUDLY

0:43:130:43:16

This eastern coastline is regularly battered by tsunamis.

0:43:220:43:27

On the west coast of Honshu,

0:43:440:43:46

geological forces have formed a vast trench that runs just offshore.

0:43:460:43:51

But here, this extreme landscape creates a rare moment of magic.

0:43:520:43:57

An underwater valley, nearly 2,000 metres deep, runs close to shore.

0:44:010:44:05

The local fishermen are so in tune with nature,

0:44:110:44:14

they know exactly when conditions are right

0:44:140:44:17

to cast their nets above the deep valley.

0:44:170:44:19

ENGINES WHIR

0:44:260:44:28

GULLS SQUAWK

0:44:310:44:33

Something is stirring far below the boats.

0:44:350:44:38

These are firefly squid.

0:44:430:44:45

They spend most of their lives 300 metres down in the ocean depths,

0:44:510:44:56

signalling to each other in the darkness

0:44:560:44:59

using bioluminescent chemicals in their skin.

0:44:590:45:01

But on spring nights, the currents carry them up to the shallows,

0:45:070:45:11

where they mate and spawn.

0:45:110:45:13

As the eggs float back to the depths,

0:45:160:45:19

the squid's lifecycle comes to its natural end.

0:45:190:45:22

The fishermen have waited months for this brief event.

0:45:290:45:32

The squid are barely eight centimetres long

0:45:360:45:38

but there are millions of them.

0:45:380:45:40

It's a valuable catch of sushi.

0:45:440:45:47

GULLS SQUAWK WILDLY

0:45:480:45:50

As the fishermen haul in their nets, they may see something even rarer.

0:46:020:46:07

For just a few nights of the year,

0:46:130:46:16

if the moon, the tide and the wind are aligned,

0:46:160:46:19

the dying firefly squid are swept ashore.

0:46:190:46:22

It's the last, dazzling moment of their lives.

0:46:250:46:29

Between the turbulent sea and the inhospitable mountains,

0:46:580:47:01

there may be little room left to live,

0:47:010:47:04

but nature is still appreciated by millions of people.

0:47:040:47:07

Late at night in Tokyo,

0:47:220:47:24

the cherry blossom celebrations are ending with a great party.

0:47:240:47:28

Hanami, or blossom-viewing parties,

0:47:310:47:34

have been held here for more than 1,000 years.

0:47:340:47:37

People gather under the trees to eat traditional food,

0:47:370:47:41

helped along with some sake.

0:47:410:47:43

But there's a poignancy to all this revelry.

0:47:490:47:52

Cherry blossom only appears for a brief moment in spring.

0:47:540:47:59

Within just a few days, it will all have fallen.

0:47:590:48:02

The delicacy of the flowers captures a particularly Japanese sentiment...

0:48:070:48:12

..the spirit of "mono no aware".

0:48:130:48:15

It's a wistful understanding of the transience of life.

0:48:180:48:21

All this will come to an end and it must be appreciated in the moment.

0:48:250:48:30

It perfectly captures the Japanese connection

0:48:320:48:36

to the natural world.

0:48:360:48:38

In such a crowded island,

0:48:420:48:44

people and nature must find ways to live together.

0:48:440:48:48

But all across Honshu,

0:48:520:48:55

there's an ancient bond with the natural world

0:48:550:48:58

that still runs deep.

0:48:580:49:00

There aren't many places in the world where the lives of people

0:49:170:49:21

and animals cross so closely as on Honshu.

0:49:210:49:24

Here, there are two animals that can cause havoc.

0:49:240:49:28

Japanese macaques and black bears.

0:49:290:49:32

This is a front line,

0:49:340:49:35

where these two animals are always in conflict with people,

0:49:350:49:39

so that makes it a challenging story to tell.

0:49:390:49:42

OK and go ahead.

0:49:420:49:44

Cameraman John Brown has filmed these interactions before

0:49:440:49:47

and knows how tricky they are.

0:49:470:49:50

OK, I think probably this end, I would say.

0:49:500:49:52

SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

0:49:520:49:53

But the team are working with some extraordinary and passionate people.

0:49:530:49:57

OK. I think we should...

0:49:570:49:59

Professor Shigeyuki Izumiyama is a bear biologist

0:50:000:50:04

and he knows this area very well.

0:50:040:50:07

He's spent the last 25 years rescuing and relocating black bears

0:50:070:50:11

that have strayed too close to human habitation.

0:50:110:50:14

Professor Izumiyama is an incredible individual.

0:50:150:50:19

He's a brilliant biologist that really understands his animals.

0:50:190:50:23

He's the only individual, as far as I know,

0:50:230:50:26

who's trying to tackle this problem.

0:50:260:50:29

The film crew are keen to film him catching a bear.

0:50:510:50:54

As soon as the next trap is sprung, he'll give them a call.

0:50:550:51:00

Meanwhile, the team are trying to film the other problem animal -

0:51:030:51:06

the macaques that raid the farmlands.

0:51:060:51:09

Filming macaques crop-raiding is a huge challenge

0:51:090:51:12

because they see any human presence as a major threat,

0:51:120:51:16

so they'll run as soon as they sense that they have been noticed.

0:51:160:51:21

So I guess the important thing is to kind of get a sense

0:51:210:51:23

of which direction they're going, if they're coming down...

0:51:230:51:26

They are being helped by scientist Takayo Soma.

0:51:260:51:30

She grew up round here, so she knows the situation very well.

0:51:300:51:34

Finding macaques is easy,

0:51:340:51:36

but the team want to film their crop-raiding behaviour.

0:51:360:51:39

That's not so straightforward.

0:51:390:51:42

EXPLOSION

0:51:440:51:46

The farmers are keen to move the macaques on

0:51:490:51:52

and they use firecrackers and dogs to scare them away.

0:51:520:51:54

DOG BARKS

0:51:540:51:57

The macaques cause £5 million worth of damage every year,

0:52:000:52:04

so it's understandable.

0:52:040:52:06

It's such a big issue, there's even a monkey policeman on patrol.

0:52:080:52:12

I think he's following us now.

0:52:160:52:18

I think he knows we're onto something.

0:52:180:52:20

The crew just need a bit of time to film,

0:52:200:52:23

so Takayo goes to negotiate.

0:52:230:52:25

She has a trick up her sleeve.

0:52:260:52:28

SHE LAUGHS

0:52:320:52:34

-You bribed him with an Oreo?

-You gave him some biscuits?

0:52:340:52:37

-He gave you a biscuit?

-I had biscuit.

0:52:370:52:40

-That's genius.

-How many bites? He just took one bite.

0:52:400:52:43

-Two bites.

-Two bites?!

0:52:430:52:44

-That's a brilliant bit of work.

-Wow, he's got a pretty low price.

0:52:440:52:48

But just as the coast is clear,

0:52:500:52:52

director Gavin Maxwell gets a call from Professor Izumiyama.

0:52:520:52:56

The previous night, up in the forest,

0:52:590:53:02

a bear wandered into one of the traps.

0:53:020:53:04

The bear was caught last night

0:53:060:53:09

and we're going as fast as we can to get to this site now.

0:53:090:53:12

It's about 45 minutes away.

0:53:120:53:14

So we're in a bit of a race to get there in time.

0:53:140:53:17

LOUD CLATTERING

0:53:240:53:26

Big bear in there.

0:53:270:53:28

As well as relocating bears,

0:53:340:53:36

Professor Izumiyama also studies them.

0:53:360:53:40

By fitting radio collars to track them,

0:53:500:53:53

he hopes to discover more about their movements.

0:53:530:53:55

I'm not sure how much more time we've got.

0:53:560:53:59

They have to work fast, before the drugs wear off.

0:54:010:54:04

(Does the bear have a name?)

0:54:210:54:22

-Hirokun.

-Hirokun.

0:54:280:54:30

-Hirokun.

-Hirokun.

0:54:300:54:32

As Hirokun begins to stir, it's wise to take some precautions.

0:54:330:54:38

Just John and Izumiyama-san we'll leave here.

0:54:380:54:41

-So we should retreat to the inside of the car?

-Yeah.

0:54:410:54:44

Professor Izumiyama carries pepper spray

0:54:510:54:54

just in case of attack.

0:54:540:54:56

John knows how nervous local people can get.

0:54:570:55:01

People get so scared and so angry about these bears

0:55:010:55:04

that unless he did something, they'd just end up dead.

0:55:040:55:07

A few hours of unpleasantness, which it will have forgotten by tomorrow,

0:55:070:55:10

is well worth it.

0:55:100:55:12

Another bear on its way, but now its movements can be tracked.

0:55:160:55:20

-Hunter.

-Yeah, that one.

-If, maybe in a weeks' time...

0:55:200:55:23

Over 25 years, Professor Izumiyama has caught a lot of bears.

0:55:230:55:28

-More than 1,000.

-More than 1,000 bears.

0:55:280:55:30

THEY LAUGH

0:55:300:55:32

1,000 bears and counting and there's no sign of stopping yet.

0:55:320:55:37

As soon as one bear is released, it's straight on to another.

0:55:370:55:41

Throughout the summer, he's on call 24/7.

0:55:420:55:46

Despite being such a populated country,

0:55:490:55:51

Honshu is home to over 10,000 bears...

0:55:510:55:55

TRACKER PINGS

0:55:550:55:56

..and what Professor Izumiyama is discovering is remarkable.

0:55:560:56:00

These bears have huge territories.

0:56:010:56:05

They can roam nearly 50 square miles in search of food.

0:56:050:56:08

All this effort will help to keep bears away from people

0:56:100:56:13

so that both stay safe.

0:56:130:56:15

The next day, the team are back on the plains,

0:56:200:56:23

still trying to catch the macaques staging a crop-raid.

0:56:230:56:26

We haven't seen anything.

0:56:260:56:28

-Anything interesting?

-No.

0:56:330:56:36

But with Takayo's expert help,

0:56:370:56:39

they are learning to predict the macaques' movements.

0:56:390:56:42

You might spot a macaque or two who are, kind of, looking a bit shifty

0:56:450:56:49

and you kind of get the sense that something's going to happen.

0:56:490:56:53

And then, at last,

0:56:530:56:55

they are in the right place at the right time for a raid.

0:56:550:56:58

Is that an apple in his hand?

0:57:080:57:10

Caught red-handed.

0:57:120:57:14

In a place with such close proximity between people and animals,

0:57:180:57:22

the relationship is always going to be challenging.

0:57:220:57:25

But Professor Izumiyama has seen a big change in attitudes

0:57:260:57:29

since he first started working with bears.

0:57:290:57:32

Next time, we head to Japan's far south.

0:58:130:58:16

This is a land ruled by the power of the sea.

0:58:190:58:22

Here, you have to make the most of every opportunity.

0:58:250:58:29

And the further south you travel, the stranger life becomes.

0:58:300:58:35

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