Translation result.
At the crossroads of late winter and early spring, a country’s true character often shows up more vividly in quiet alleyways and daily routines than at tourist attractions. EBS1’s new four-part series, Lee Ji-yeon’s Travels Through Japan’s Small Cities, offers a fresh, intimate take on a Japan you thought you knew. Instead of bright cityscapes, the show follows nature, tradition, and the warm rhythms of everyday life—inviting viewers to rethink what travel should be.
The first episode, Between Snow and Cherry Blossoms: Nagano, which airs on May 4, begins the journey. Nicknamed the Japanese Alps, Nagano is a place where seasons overlap and resist neat boundaries. Red plum blossoms line the streets and announce spring, yet glance upward and snow-clad peaks still hold on to winter. Host Lee Ji-yeon steps into this rare coexistence and traces the fleeting moments where seasons meet.
The journey opens at the summit of Mount Ryuo on the Kitashiga Plateau. You can still ski here into early May; sipping coffee while gazing at the snowy range blurs the line between seasons. Next, the crew visits Jigokudani Monkey Park, which, despite its ominous name, feels remarkably calm. Steam rising from the earth and the scent of sulfur earned it the nickname Hell Valley, but it’s also the unforgettable sight of wild macaques bathing in hot springs—creatures warming themselves in a way that oddly reflects human routines.
Nagano’s everyday life shows up in its food. The region’s signature snack, oyaki, is humble and comforting. Dough made from wheat or buckwheat is filled with red bean paste or pickled vegetables, then baked in a wood-fired oven. It’s not about flash—oyaki tastes like home. One simple bite connects travelers to the slow, lived rhythms that shaped local lives.
The next stop is the castle town of Matsumoto. Known as Crow Castle for its black exterior, Matsumoto Castle takes on a softer, entirely different mood in spring. Cherry blossoms framing the castle against distant snowy peaks create a striking contrast that somehow feels perfectly balanced. From there, attention naturally shifts to the city’s water: meltwater from the Northern Alps feeds wells across Matsumoto, and residents still rely on that clean source every day.
That water feeds another kind of tradition. At a sixth-generation miso brewery, crystal-clear mountain water and patient time come together to develop a deep, complex flavor. Miso isn’t rushed; it’s the product of hands, time, and nature working in tandem. Host Lee Ji-yeon follows the process and shows how these foods carry meaning far beyond mere sustenance.
Episode 1 of World Theme Travel focuses not on headline attractions but on the seams between seasons, the marks of human touch, and landscapes shaped by time. Starting in Nagano—where snow and cherry blossoms exist side by side—this journey makes the familiar Japan feel newly strange. Lee Ji-yeon’s Travels Through Japan’s Small Cities, Episode 1: Between Snow and Cherry Blossoms: Nagano, airs May 4 at 8:40 PM.
「id=docs-internal-guid-4c7ba796-7fff-8ac3-b74e-298e0ca736b8」
※ This article was produced without compensation.
Most Commented