Japanese Films and Music: Documentaries

n a sleepy lagoon off the coast of Japan is a highly guarded secret. During the night, Taiji fishermen engage in an unseen hunt for thousands of dolphins. The work is so horrifying, the fishermen will stop at nothing to keep it hidden from the outside world. When a team of elite activists, filmmakers, and free-divers embark on a secret mission to penetrate their cover, the shocking discoveries they find there are just the tip of the iceberg. Includes commentary, deleted scenes, and more.

Tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in the early days of World War II and focuses on the efforts of a small group of unarmed Westerners who established a Safety Zone where over 200,000 Chinese found refuge. Told through deeply moving interviews with Chinese survivors, archival footage, and chilling testimonies of Japanese soldiers, interwoven with staged readings of the Westerners' letters and diaries.

The Japan of shoguns and samurai, discovered by the Portuguese in 1540, soon appeared to be swept away by a wave of Westernization. This program presents a portrait of the regent Hideyoshi, illustrating his lifestyle, his taste, and his abrupt shift in direction: Christian priests and converts were persecuted and martyred and, in 1650, Japan shut tight its doors to the outside.

Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine honors and venerates the spirits of Japanese soldiers and officers, including convicted and executed war criminals. This program explores the history of the Shinto shrine, the complexity of its functions, and the controversies generated when political leaders appear there.