Awaji Island: Keeping Traditions Alive

In Awaji Island, John and Ruadh Moore explore the farms, food and traditional culture. In ancient times, Awaji Island (Awaji-shima in Japanese) was known as Miketsu-kuni, a land that provided food to the imperial court. To this day, it is renowned for its fertile land and abundant seafood. John Moore lives in Kochi Prefecture, where he works on projects to help preserve traditional Japanese agricultural techniques for future generations. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, John visits Awaji with his daughter, Ruadh. They meet a local farmer, visit a company making eco-friendly roof tiles and enjoy a meal at a restaurant that focuses on seasonal ingredients from the surrounding land and sea. They also watch a traditional performing art that has been passed down for five centuries, and come to understand the importance of keeping alive the island's traditional culture.