Japan's Northern Alps – Life-Giving Mountains

Detailed summary

On an early spring ride around the base of this extensive mountain range, we meet an artisan making traditional snowshoes and villagers picking medicinal herbs.

On an early spring ride around the base of this extensive mountain range, we meet an artisan making traditional snowshoes and villagers picking medicinal herbs.

We'll meet people who live in harmony with the bounties of the mountains.

With the melting snow still on the ground, we'll search for spring's first mountain herbs.

I came to understand that what we eat is the most important thing in life.

Good morning. We're here in Omachi in Nagano at the foot of the Northern Alps,

and hopefully see a bit of the contrast between the early spring and the winter in the mountains.

The Northern Alps are one of Japan's major mountain ranges, with many peaks over 3,000 meters.

You can see the reflection of the mountains in the rice paddies here, just been flooded.

The jade originates in the mountains, and is carried by rivers down to the coast.

Opening of the article, excerpted from NHK World. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.