Discover Japan's enchanting Kii Peninsula on CNN's The Journey Matters

HONG KONG, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Join CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Will Ripley, on The Journey Matters, as he ventures through the beautiful, lush landscapes of Japan's magical Kii Peninsula while discovering the region's traditional customs, crafts and cuisines.

Will begins his journey in the town of Koyasan, regarded as one of the most sacred places in Japan and the heart of Shingon Buddhism. At the ancient Ekoin Temple, monk Hoko Fukayama introduces Will to a unique shukubo temple stay experience where guests can take part in Buddhist rituals and immerse themselves in monastic life.

In Yuasa, the birthplace of Japanese soy sauce, Will visits Kadocho, a family-run business that has been making the salty condiment for over 180 years. Seventh generation brewer, Tsunenori Kano, teaches Will the complex art of producing soy sauce by hand. And in Yunomine, one of Japan's oldest hot spring towns, Will tries his hand at making "onsen eggs" in the naturally occurring hot spring basins dotted around the village – to varying degrees of success.

From the spiritual to the artistic, the city of Nara is not only the first capital of Japan but a city rich in history, not least of which is its long heritage of calligraphy ink and brush making. In the historical Naramachi neighborhood, Will receives a crash course in "Nara fude" from Chiyomi Tanaka, a master artisan preserving the art of hand-crafted calligraphy brushes. He then heads down the road to Kobaien, one of Japan's oldest calligraphy ink producers, where craftspeople have been making sumi for almost 450 years.

To cap off his epic journey, Will stops in Ise Jingu, the ancient epicenter of Shinto spirituality, home to 125 shrines and the gateway to Ise-Shima National Park which stretches across the region and contains lush forests, stunning coastlines and rich marine life. Kosuke Nakanishi, Instructor at Ise-Shima Adventure, takes Will off the beaten track to explore the area's scenic splendors on the back of an ATV. Along the coastline, Will encounters some of the country's living history, the legendary Ama free divers who still sustainably harvest the ocean's bounty in the same way as their ancestors over a thousand years ago. At the nearby Ran restaurant, chef Mototsugu Yamakawa whips up an off-menu special with their freshly caught turban shells for lunch.

The adventure ends at the sacred Shirataki Falls in the mountains of Ise-Shima where Will tries a Buddhist ritual called Takigyo, or waterfall meditation, in which the frigid waters are said to wash away distractions and help you to find a positive outlook in your life.

The Journey Matters trailer: https://bit.ly/41rEVEW
The Journey Matters images: https://bit.ly/3VATv9E

Airtimes for 30-minute special:
Sunday, 15^th December 2:00am, 4:30pm and 8:30pm HKT

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SOURCE CNN International