Midsummer with the Ancestors: Wakasa Town
journeys in japan

The town of Wakasa-cho lies on the coast of Fukui Prefecture, looking out on the Sea of Japan. In the old days, the town thrived as a key hub on a highway connecting the region with Kyoto. Each year in August, a traditional dance known as Rokusai Nenbutsu is performed by people in this town. The ceremony, which dates back over 700 years, is held to mark the midsummer Obon holiday, when the ancestors are believed to return to their former homes. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, rakugo artist Cyril Coppini meets the local people who are keeping alive this tradition, to ensure that generations to come will continue to welcome the spirits of their forebears.

Duration: 28 minutes and 3 seconds

Episode Number: 925

About Journeys In Japan:

In JOURNEYS IN JAPAN, English-speaking visitors travel the length of Japan exploring the culture, meeting local people, visiting historic sites, and offering travel hints rarely found in guidebooks.

The series provides an eye-opening look at the many unique places to visit in Japan.


Future Broadcast times for "Journeys In Japan": (show all)

Sun, Nov 9 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)
Sun, Nov 16 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)
Sun, Nov 23 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)
Sun, Nov 30 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)
Sun, Dec 7 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)
Sun, Dec 14 10:30 A.M. Journeys In Japan     NH Create (11.4)


NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast

WENH-TV Ch. 11 Durham

WLED-TV Ch. 48 Littleton

WEKW-TV Ch. 18 Keene

W50DP-D Ch. 50 Hanover

W34DQ-D Ch. 34 Pittsburg

Cable and Satellite Channels


NHPBS Five Channels

NHPBS - 11.1

Explore - 11.2

World - 11.3

Create - 11.4

Kids - 11.5

All of our channels and NHK World Japan are streaming LIVE ONLINE and on the PBS App, available on most devices.

Learn More


 

Community Impact

NHPBS NHPBS Passport Passport

This Old House | E5 | Carolina Comeback | Out of the Mountains
Ask This Old House | E5 | Planting Arborvitae, Storage Rack | Ask This Old House
Secrets of the Dead | The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
Maigret | Episode 1: The Lazy Burglar, Part 1
The Gold | Episode 1
Austin City Limits | FINNEAS
Sacred Planet with Gulnaz Khan | Reclaiming Peru's Glaciers
The Caverns Sessions | The String Cheese Incident
Antiques Roadshow | Vintage Raleigh 2025, Hour 2
Brian and Maggie | Episode 1
Great Performances | The Magic of Grace Bumbry
Big Cats 24/7 | New Beginnings
Hispanic Heritage Awards | 38th Hispanic Heritage Awards
Cook's Country | Georgia Food on My Mind
America's Test Kitchen | Make-Ahead Masterclass
American Experience | The Presidents: FDR (Part 2)
Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect | Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect
Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs | Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs
POV | DRIVER
Unforgotten | Episode 2
The Marlow Murder Club | Episode 2
The Great American Recipe | The Grand Finale
Walking with Dinosaurs: A Viewer's Guide | Walking with Dinosaurs: A Viewer's Guide
Pompeii: The New Dig | House of Treasures
Professor T | Overboard
The Last Ecstatic Days | The Last Ecstatic Days
The Carnival of More Animals | The Carnival of More Animals
Atomic People | Atomic People
Cinema Nomad | Bosnia & Herzegovina
Wisdom Keepers: Healing a Divided People | John Vervaeke - Finding Meaning Through our Common Connections
The Future of Farming | The Future of Farming
Kerry: Tides of Time | Episode 1
VOCES | Slumlord Millionaire
Impossible Town | Impossible Town
American Masters | Marcella [Extended Audio Description]
Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty | Rivalry
Doc World | Call Me Dancer