NHK BEGIN Japanology [Japanese swords]

Want to learn more about Japan? BEGIN Japanology is a series of popular TV programs that spotlight unique and fascinating Japanese culture with sophisticated English narration and beautiful video footage.

This iPad episode app is all about Japanese swords, known as Katana, the symbol of the samurai. It is believed that Japanese deities dwell in the strongest of Japanese swords, and they have been used in sacred Shinto rituals for centuries all over Japan. They are also highly praised as art pieces for their exceptional beauty, manifested in their form, balance, and temper patterns, in which images from nature can be discerned. In this App, you will learn to appreciate Japanese swords as works of art, the elaborate processes of making them, the history of swords in Japan, and the various Shinto ceremonies in which they are used. Finally, swordmaster Yoshiaki Sugita, one of Japan’s most revered swordsmiths, calls upon all his experience to make the ultimate masterpiece katana, using very valuable 200-year-old nails as raw materials for a sword commissioned by a 1200-year-old temple. All of the beautiful images are shot in high definition by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.


Visual Content:
1. Introduction
2. The Beauty and Devine in Japanese Swords
3. The Elaborate Process of Making Japanese Swords
4. The History of Swords in Japan
5. A Master Swordsmith and His Masterpiece

Features:
Full-screen mode is available.
Text can be switched between English, Japanese or Bilingual.
All video data is embedded in the App for offline viewing. (Unlike streaming video, you can enjoy this app anywhere without need for an Internet connection.)

Beautiful Footage:
All visual content is from NHK’s stunning library of program footage.
All images have been professionally adjusted for optimum viewing on an iPad.

Narrator: Stuart Varnam-Atkin