Abstract:

Kyushu is a southern island of Japan with mountains sheltering deep manicured valleys spilling over with stepped fields of waving rice and vegetable crops. In a Buddhist temple we see the preparation of a Kaiseki feast and observe the Tea Ceremony, an event meant to elevate the soul. A farmer sings local folk music and an 84 year old Geisha plays songs to entertain her guests. At a Shinto shrine, virgin dancers perform a harvest offering and a purist cook reveals her kitchens secrets as the essence of this unique culture and its preoccupation with exact simplicity is revealed.