Kyushu: Land of Samurai Swords

Journeys in Japan – Season 16

Kyushu is a region where the traditional skills of kenjutsu – Japanese swordsmanship – remain deeply embedded, with more dojo (practice halls) for kendo than anywhere else in Japan. In this episode, American actor BT travels through Kyushu to learn the spirit of the samurai. He tries his hand at yabusame (horseback archery), visits a workshop of traditional samurai armor, and learns the skills of iaido (wielding and cutting with an actual sword).