Greatest Journeys: Japan

Even with technology playing an increasingly larger role in the world, Japan still holds on to its traditions. Placing a great emphasis on ritualistic customs, Japanese people believe in the importance of keeping history alive through practices such as the tea ceremony, calligraphy, and gastronomy--the art and science of food and eating. This edition of the GREATEST JOURNEYS series uses the Tokaido, one of Japan's most historically important roads, as a starting point to explore Japanese culture. Running along the pacific from Edo to Kyoto and through to Osaka, the Tokaido served many purposes throughout Japan's history, once functioning as the favored route for samurais, daimyo lords, monks, and countless other travelers.