Moss
Mosses are some of the most primitive terrestrial plants. They have no roots - only leaves and stems. But moss is deeply embedded in the Japanese way of life. You'll even find the word for moss in the Japanese national anthem. It is an essential element of bonsai and of Japanese-style landscape gardens. One temple garden was originally designed as a large bed of white gravel. But war and natural disaster left it in ruins. The garden was neglected for centuries and became overgrown with moss. It took on a new kind of beauty and is one of the most famous and beloved gardens in Japan today. Moss is the home of tiny forest creatures. Water bears and trapdoor spiders are just two of the fascinating creatures that rely on moss. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, we look at moss - its remarkable ecology and some of the uniquely Japanese ways of enjoying it.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
On Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, John Oliver presents a satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events.
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is an Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase.
Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in defiance of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.
Lioness
Lioness, inspired by an actual U.S. Military program, follows the life of Joe while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade and Donald Westfield, enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA's efforts to thwart the next 9/11.
Dark Matter
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen, a physicist, professor, and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.