Journeys in Japan · SEASON 17
With Isabella Bird - Part 7: On the Road to Ise
Episode 2 · 2026-01-13

- Documentary
Episode overview
British explorer and writer Isabella Bird arrived in Japan in 1878, just 10 years after start of the Meiji Era. "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" is her highly praised account of her journey deep into Japan's hinterland. After traveling from Yokohama all the way up to Hokkaido, Bird then made her way to Kansai, where she visited Kyoto, Nara and Mie Prefectures. As a student, Rachael Aoki studied in Kyoto at a university that Isabella visited during her stay. In this episode, Rachael retraces Bird's steps from the Nara deer park to the Ise Jingu Shrine, with a stop at Hasedera Temple en route.
28 minutes
Season 17 episodes
1. Hiking the San'in Coast: Hyogo-Kyoto2026-01-06
2. With Isabella Bird - Part 7: On the Road to Ise2026-01-13
3. Noto: Lighting a Torch for the Future2026-02-10
4. Akan: The Sacred Winter World of the Ainu2026-02-17
5. Hokkaido: Voices from the Northern Land2026-02-24
6. Kushimoto: Life at the Water's Edge2026-03-17
7. Northern Yatsugatake: Adventures in Snow Hiking2026-03-24
8. Kokuto Okinawa Island Sweetness2026-04-14
9. Toyama MINGEI: Beauty in the Everyday2026-05-12
10. Tsuruoka: Gastronomy Rooted in Tradition2026-05-26
11. Komatsu: Stone Stories2026-06-16
12. Maze: A Museum Without Walls2026-06-23
13. Tokunoshima: Bull Sumo on Subtropical Island2026-06-30
14. Kihoku: A Wonderful Waterside World2026-07-07
15. Okayama: Traditions of the Seto Inland Sea2026-08-04
16. Aichi, Nagoya: Savoring its One-of-a-Kind Food Culture2026-09-01
17. Arimatsu: Nagoya District Shaped by Shibori2026-09-08
18. Kitakami: Land of the Demon Dance2026-09-29
19. Furumachi: Niigata's Hidden World of Geigi2026-10-13
20. Miyako Islands: Living with the Ocean and Gods2026-10-27
21. Miyagi: A Walk Through Sendai, City of History and Style2026-11-10