Yonezawa city, Yamagata
On this edition of "journeys in japan" we head to northern Japan to visit a historic city with a warrior legacy -- Yonezawa in Yamagata prefecture. For long years, it flourished as a castle town and was a home to many samurai. Our reporter JJ explores its samurai legacy. JJ first visits Uesugi Shrine, dedicated to the great lord Uesugi Kenshin who was in power about 500 years ago. Yonezawa was long ruled by generations of Kenshin's descendants. In 1871, local followers of the Uesugi clan built Uesugi Shrine in honor of Kenshin on the former site of Yonezawa Castle. At the shrine, JJ meets samurai enthusiasts who show him the appeal of samurai. In fact, Yonezawa is home to a big festival called the Uesugi Matsuri every May. Some 700 samurai enthusiasts from across Japan don costumes and participate in the mock battle to get a sense of what is was like to be a warrior 500 years ago. JJ wears the armor of a 16th century warlord. In Yonezawa, there are lots of hedges with the ukogi plant. Many ukogi hedges were created during the 18th century as part of a clan policy. The lord of Yonezawa domain at the time was Uesugi Yozan, the tenth family head of the Uesugi caln. Yozan conceived the idea to utilize ukogi as an emergency food source. During his reign, Yonezawa's food supply was very tight. So Yozan encouraged people to cook and eat ukogi plant with staples. JJ meets local people who are carrying on the tradition of ukogi dining. JJ caps off his visit by dipping at a hot spring in Yonezawa frequented by generations of the Uesugi clan. JJ feels the warrior's legacy in Yonezawa.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
America's Got Talent
With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
The 1% Club
The 1% Club is a unique, compelling and funny entertainment show that tests the nation's intelligence, based on a scientific survey. It's a chance to test how your brain works through a series of questions that all have a right answer but can also lead to a series of entertaining wrong answers along the way. Whether you're a contestant vying for the cash prize or a viewer playing with your friends and family on the app, answer enough questions correctly, and you could earn yourself a place in the 1% Club: an elite group of people who can honestly say they've outwitted 99% of the population.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
The cast of Jersey Shore swore they would always do a vacation together. Now, five years, five kids, three marriages, and who knows how many GTL sessions later, the gang is back together and on vacation in a swanky house in Miami Beach.
General Hospital
General Hospital, which celebrated its golden anniversary on April 1, 2013, continues its tradition of passion, intrigue and adventure that takes place in the fictional town of Port Charles in upstate New York. The glamour and excitement of those who have come to find their destinies in this familiar seaport town intertwine with the lives, loves and fortunes of beloved, well-known faces. As always, love, danger and mind blowing plot twists continue to abound on General Hospital with contemporary storylines and unforgettable characters.