テーマは「竹」。▽宮崎県日之影町で、日々の暮らしの中で使われる竹製道具の数々。機能性と美しさを兼ね備えた道具には、伝説の竹細工職人の哲学 が！？▽これも竹！？“自然がデザインした”不思議な形や模様の竹が続々。幻の一級品も登場。竹の個性を生かした美術品は圧巻！▽伝統工芸、駿河竹千筋細 工の技術を総動員して作った竹の豪華シャンデリア！繊細な光と影の世界は要注目！前代未聞の作品に挑んだ職人の奮闘物語も！

Bamboo grows widely throughout Japan. For centuries this versatile plant has played an essential role in people's lives. Its wood is used in traditional architecture and to make a wide range of everyday objects. Craftsmen fashion it into tea ceremony utensils. And in spring, the freshly dug root is considered a seasonal delicacy.

Because bamboo grows so strongly and in such abundance, it has been revered since ancient times as a plant with mystical properties, featuring in legends, seasonal festivals and religious rituals. In this edition of Begin Japanology, we examine the multifold uses of this plant that holds such a special place in the hearts of Japanese people.