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NHK World: The Great Asian Highway
Just a heads-up: NHK World is going to re-run Season 1 of The Great Asian Highway (which consists of five 50 minute episodes) of Japanese actor Iura Arata traveling along the Silk Road and visiting countries such as Georgia, Turkey, Iran, and Uzbekistan. I originally watched it for shallow reasons, because I loved Arata in the J-drama Rich Man, Poor Woman: a handsome, scheming guy with glasses--that is totally my jam! However, it turned out to be a fascinating documentary, particularly episodes 3 and 4, which focus on Iran.
Arata said he expected to see a country that was suffering under the economic sanctions, and like him, I was surprised by what I saw. He visited a busy shopping mall that would not have looked out of place in the US, with shops filled with electronics that should fall under the sanctions--but it seems that Iranians want their smartphones and Apple computers just as much as the rest of us, and merchants get around the sanctions by traveling to places like India or China to buy them. However, we do see more subtle signs of the sanctions: women at a market who worry about increasing inflation, and a young woman at the mall who is able to converse in Japanese with Arata because she's been going to university in Japan. (The narration tells us that many young people are traveling abroad to find jobs and make a better living.)
There are also some casual, less serious encounters: he pauses to speak with a couple of curious, giggling schoolchildren who ask him in English where he's from and what his name is; and also with a young couple holding hands and looking very much in love, who tell Arata that they're engaged and shopping for her wedding dress and his suit. It puts a more human face on a country that many of us in the West don't know much about other than what we hear on the news.
Arata's visits to the other countries are also interesting and compelling, as he speaks with individuals that he meets along the way, and learns about their history and culture, which in many places, is deeply entertwined with the Islamic religion. The show doesn't really focus on the political side of things, aside from the discussion about the sanctions in the Iran episodes, focusing mainly on Arata's personal experiences and encounters with the people that he meets.
It begins airing on Jan. 16th in Japan, but the date could be different depending on your time zone, so check your local TV schedule if NHK airs in your area. (For me, the local PBS station airs select NHK shows.) You can also visit the NHK World website to download their live app or watch some shows online (not sure if this one will be available online at the website). It seems like there are some episodes or partial episodes currently up on YouTube as well.
(Btw, for those who share my love of guys with glasses see my new Arata icon on the IJ cross-post.)
Arata said he expected to see a country that was suffering under the economic sanctions, and like him, I was surprised by what I saw. He visited a busy shopping mall that would not have looked out of place in the US, with shops filled with electronics that should fall under the sanctions--but it seems that Iranians want their smartphones and Apple computers just as much as the rest of us, and merchants get around the sanctions by traveling to places like India or China to buy them. However, we do see more subtle signs of the sanctions: women at a market who worry about increasing inflation, and a young woman at the mall who is able to converse in Japanese with Arata because she's been going to university in Japan. (The narration tells us that many young people are traveling abroad to find jobs and make a better living.)
There are also some casual, less serious encounters: he pauses to speak with a couple of curious, giggling schoolchildren who ask him in English where he's from and what his name is; and also with a young couple holding hands and looking very much in love, who tell Arata that they're engaged and shopping for her wedding dress and his suit. It puts a more human face on a country that many of us in the West don't know much about other than what we hear on the news.
Arata's visits to the other countries are also interesting and compelling, as he speaks with individuals that he meets along the way, and learns about their history and culture, which in many places, is deeply entertwined with the Islamic religion. The show doesn't really focus on the political side of things, aside from the discussion about the sanctions in the Iran episodes, focusing mainly on Arata's personal experiences and encounters with the people that he meets.
It begins airing on Jan. 16th in Japan, but the date could be different depending on your time zone, so check your local TV schedule if NHK airs in your area. (For me, the local PBS station airs select NHK shows.) You can also visit the NHK World website to download their live app or watch some shows online (not sure if this one will be available online at the website). It seems like there are some episodes or partial episodes currently up on YouTube as well.
(Btw, for those who share my love of guys with glasses see my new Arata icon on the IJ cross-post.)