Core Kyoto

At 3 a.m. on October 22, two large pine torches over 10m long are lit to signal the start of the fire festival at Iwakura Jinja. Long ago, it was believed that demons were contained by a huge boulder in the area, after which both the shrine and the area are named. In the late 1100's the shrine was built and the deity was transferred there, but it returns to the boulder on the day of the festival. Discover this 500-year-old festival through the preparations of the residents of Iwakura.

All Episodes - Season 4

Episode 1

Kyo-yaki: Kyoto Ceramics Charm and Delight the Beholder

Episode 2

Suiseki: A World of Understated Beauty Within Natural Stone

Episode 3

Kyo-Kanoko Shibori: Untying the Beauty Bound Within

Episode 4

Small Restaurants: A Full, Rich Experience While Sipping Sake

Episode 5

Obi: Unbridled Beauty in a Knot

Episode 6

Traditional Musical Instruments: Eternal Tones Waft Through the Ancient Capital

Episode 7

Woodblock Prints: Beauty in the Hands of a Trinity of Artists

Episode 8

Tsubo-niwa: Life Enhanced by Quintessential Spaces

Episode 9

Insho Domoto: The Pulsing Heart of Artistic Innovation

Episode 10

Hidden Treasures: Preserved for Another Millennium

Episode 11

Kyoto Walls: Elegance Molded from Earth

Episode 12

Kata-yuzen: The Stenciled Beauty of Dyeing

Episode 13

Cool Customs: Beating the Summer Heat

Episode 14

Atago Sennichi Mairi: Pilgrimage to the Guardian Against Fire

Episode 15

Kiyomizu Rokubey: Tradition and Vision in Ceramics

Episode 16

Stone Jizo: Neighborhood Guardians Watch Over Children

Episode 17

The Cinema Capital: The Professionals Behind the Samurai Filming Industry

Episode 18

Fusuma Paintings: Artful Partitions Transform Space

Episode 19

Yase Shamenchi Odori: A Dance of Gratitude

Episode 20

Iwakura Fire Festival: The Divine Spirit Returns