say i say it was a hit. the departure is a little shadow of it sound. everything is recorded with photos being taken of people taking photos. it is typical of the japanese to wave until the train is out of sight. we leave the city. the light reflected from the star is part of the plan because the stars serve you sure have to listen to. it.

we head out into the countryside. lunch is about to be served on the train with chefs from the 7 prefectures of key you show on board preparing exquisite meals. dining in the correct order is crucial for proper enjoyment and of course a few introductory what's. love got is all that is selfish to have a pleasant meal and feel free to ask any questions this way to get us a good out the study of this must. be off. the train make sunny break stops and one of them. he meets

the 7 stars biggest bath who hero tasha row stands at almost every platform where the train stops he has yet to actually take the train but he still loves it. the city's mascots also make an appearance when the 7 stars arrives wral way stations come to life. know has made his passion for the 7 stars into his profession and now works at the train station as it is i like the design and how it draws so many guests to our area the city of khan's aki and saga prefecture. has. the luxury train has only been around since 2013 and its japanese designers were inspired by the luxury trains of the ballot hawk. the 7 stars moves at a markedly slow pace and mostly sticks to the scenic route. in

japan such cross-country round journeys and not just pleasant excursions with fine dining they have an almost philosophical game. i go that's cool so as i already said this morning 7 stars gold lowers the 7 stars concept consists of the following 3 points 1st place it gives the passengers with the time and space for them to reflect on their past lives and generate a new ideas for their future peace and quiet while letting the outside landscape pass by or through the window it was just a secondly we also aim to give our passengers new experiences as they think about their office at the us and finally as i will the 3rd point is for our passengers to have new encounters with us our crew and the people of usual chicken about that but i feel it is very important to enable our passengers to have these 3 experiences at the mall just excited about. offering a train ride without an actual destination with a so an. pleasantly meandering past nice scenery was initially seen as an economic

risk there are now several different luxury trains making their way through japan and these exorbitant excursions are consistently solid hours. in this veritable hotel on wales the dining car turns into a cocktail bar in the evening. while coketown having served on the 7 styles you have the opportunity to reflect on your past and future as recommended by the crew manager this concept hasn't really getting traction and european trains. we disembark from the 7 stars and the next morning we board the ufo in no morey

another very special train. fare to passengers enjoy special attention on this special train with a normal take a price. on. the train especially designed for enjoying the view and the seats and windows are particularly high up. even look over the conductor shoulder in a cabin with its big windows. we're heading for a particularly popular vacation region in. the train is named after the hot springs resort you fall in and because it passes through dense forest areas it was painted green.

unlike in the 7 stars however you have to stand in line in the you for no more aid to get your meal but it's a special treat. this bento box was specially designed for the train. food on trains has a tradition of its own because the trains here don't usually have dining cars instead passengers can buy vento boxes at the train stations or like here in the train. they seem to hit the spot. the forest is becoming increasingly dense as the route passes through narrow river valleys the mountainous interior is less populated than the coastal regions. was. there too getting your

picture taken on the train is part of the experience. the guests quickly grab a stamp as souvenirs from a trip are a must for any japanese traveler and every special train and many sites offer commemorative stamps. upon arrival a new photo in almost all the passengers photograph each other to remember their brief stay. they take a hot foot bath. there is steam rising everywhere as you for in his famous for its hot springs. and its weather phenomena are impressive with the sky hosting a real spectacle. up in the mountains the hot springs trickle out in plain sight and you might almost

feel a bit uneasy with all this volcanic activity. it's like a volcanic egg kolker here. a shrine about 400 years old shows that nature here can be anything but harmless little sacrifices are meant to calm the horses of nature. the samsung result is dedicated to ancient japanese garden and living culture. and on center is a japanese thermal bath advanced to drive a description who wants offered to get. the bath is deliberately kept simple you lie down inside and enjoy the hot water nobody here would even think of making

a bubble bath out of it because for the japanese this would be tantamount to sacrilege. there is even a traditional fireplace in the suite. the meal is celebrated as if it were almost a religious ritual this is just one course of many. that we have available. for the life i reckon associate it was and was taking us all a little who there was a massive. passengers receive a detailed explanation about how to eat was the cause of our mind that covers. the whole vessel it's a welcome break from the hustle of everyday japanese life. next

morning we're back at it again on a little local train getting ready to depart. that was that. was. our trip is taking us toward the are so region this little side road leads into the crater area of the mt asso volcano. that is often a sparsely frequented lines that reveal the most beautiful landscapes. the fans are displayed on board and here almost exclusively residents from the area take the local trains. was. it that we reached the small town of bongo tac

a ta which has 2 special things about it. passengers are welcomed with an old folk song. was. and the person in charge here is a cat the official head of the station in bongo jackets are is named new ya. having a cat as a station manager is perhaps indicative of a certain easygoing approach to life. maybe you need it in this area too because we're approaching one of the most active volcanoes in japan. they are so area was declared a national park back in 1900. 34 making the os to cujo national park the oldest in

japan. the volcano spilling ash and smoke towers in the background mt also is a volcano with a dented craters and it's colder out extends across 380 square kilometers within which lies the city of assholes and extensive fertile land. this is the not a kentucky waterfall and the national park is famous for its streams and gorges. the vocal on a group is hollowed out meaning you can view the water streaming down from behind. water plays a big role for people here. in our so there is a restaurant situated below a small spring and builds around many fountains. the rain that fell and also 30 or

50 years ago penetrated deep into the earth and is now emerging again as spring water and it's the best water you can imagine the water temperature is 13.5 degrees celsius so it is also very good for cooling. a day ok no she towel off has little traditional dishes here. cazares these are should automaton go a little rice balls. they are made from rice that has been around in japan for a long time. ago which are made from sweet sticky rice and not an after being chilled with water like here taste the best have always it was in japanese culture a great deal of emphasis is placed on celebrating the season such clear water like here is a pleasantly refreshing in the summer and when you fish so many notice out of this water and eat them it's a playful and fun experience. good to. it speaks to our souls and minds which take

joy in the seasons of thought i'm going to move quarrel that's what my gosh he saw men are betting on this he'll. be seeing cold noodles from a bamboo stem is also a way to celebrate food a piece of japanese tradition and for their part japanese people have no trouble fishing the noodles out of the water. here contemplation and cockiness sometimes much. feeling. the whole town is full of little fountains. everything here seems very indelicate but the scenery is fragile with a severe ass quake rocking the area in 26 days. the famous are so temple was also partially destroyed.

japan is a country of contrasts with excited passengers getting there must absolve us while the hitter yoshi steam trains white said c'mon moto station. the special train is an attraction in fusion especially since the japanese don't get much by cation time making short outings by popular. n.q. show people have discovered the appeal of special trains it all started with a luxury of 7 stars and now nearly every region has its own train i've each of the try. dane's has its own character meant to exude more than luxury and

with cars boasting an old fashioned but completely modernized design. was. the route takes passengers through the kumar river valley. following the course of the river for about 2 and a half hours. the car with the viewing window reveals majestic scenery i. was the train is driven by the oldest still operational steam locomotive in japan belts in 1922 i. bought the view outside is the main attraction the river is one of the fastest flowing waterways in the country however

it is also dammed in some places. this route used to be one of the most important transit cardinals to the south. now however it is mostly local trains and of course the steam train giving herons a start. we will reach here to your she in just a moment where passengers are welcomed by a big name in japanese gastronomy. forward order. oh are you. sure you only show who has been selling bento boxes containing local delicacies for 50 years. before. i had a pretty got outside 30 there's almost nothing but mountains here what you see.

this area is great for collecting chestnuts which are a specialty here they're an absolutely local product iraq and prepared here from o'reilly i want to give out the i you freshwater salmon also come from the cooler river here and are famous. i. many people come here just to see mr show book but he is now in his late eighty's and his wooden box is starting to get heavy for him. can an icon like him just grow in the town now. but 1st of all they're going to what yes i've been doing this for 50 years so my physical strength isn't what it used to be and i'm starting to consider retiring. but my clients well that may be nothing. h. still means something in japan. to tell

you she along the river is now not just for its hot springs the city and its water are also famous for another japanese product. such a craft so to hear. rice is used to produce a spirit also known as japanese foka. the rice is 1st cooked then spread out finally and afterwards a mold is added before the make straight is from anted and then the brew is finally distilled this tradition has been pursued here for around 200 years. or. all. of it here we are at the stage of production where the rice we let ferment over night is taken out and we add he's to get it quiet if they do

then leave it to ferment a 2nd time making it stronger than just coming in get it superstate could do is have a wall street and one of the 200 year old pitchers have a crack or. here you can see little cracks and hairs well. well we repair such cracks whenever possible but you can see there was once a picture here too that completely broke apart if they break completely we have no choice but to throw them away. dating back even farther than the tradition of distilling so true other religious rites practised in the hour also shrine founded about 1200 years ago. it was.

in or from every year the oaken chief festival takes place where the traditional dances up of foamed in evening. the seasons are depicted symbolically. the festival last several days the next morning nearly the entire town gathers at the temple whose complete complex has been declared a national cultural heritage site. the priests and to the temple where the lions are already waiting today is that day. was. returned to the oaken chief festival could be compared to

a harvest festival as the harvest is blast and the forces of nature invoked. and then comes the performance everyone has been waiting for the lions jump out of the temple. the lions bite children on the head which is meant to bring them happiness and health but not every child seems to grasp the concept. that a festival is concluded with a parade. before we leave hitto yoshi we take a look at a clock in front of the train station. how do you know. i've always. been. a nobleman and his band appeared to the sounds of

a folk song. the little spectacled house the story of a young prince who visits the festival in the town around his castle and partakes in all sorts of feasts. the way this sort of auditing is popular in japan. the train disappears into the dense forests. these forests almost impenetrable in places characterize the landscape here as we continue onward to the south. outside the cities there is a great deal of untouched nature. and this stretch of roadway has a special feature in the middle of its layout namely

a double switch back. where we have sped up the train a bit to better illustrate how it maneuvers its way through. the trying has to switch back and forth twice in order to continue onward. in the middle of the switchbacks live a little past ation which isn't just known for the unusual track configuration many visitors come for a completely different reason. countless business cards line the station's walls and new ones are constantly being added. it is said that hanging your business card here in oak a bass station may boost your chances for a successful career. in the train arrives.

looms over the city's guy. the volcano lies directly opposite. and its 500000 inhabitants. in this lively metropolis the people aren't overly concerned by the volcano constantly spewing out ash. the trams seem a bit old fashioned but that doesn't mean public transport isn't efficient. is an old trading hub and the gateway to the world when japan finally opened up. the city's mercantile tradition is embodied by the 17th century house of the heiress to craddock and entrepreneurial family. southern japan was long the only region in contact with the rest of the world enabling greater economic and

political power to emerge here. the shema soup company still exist sam produces measuring equipment and other industrial products. the final leg of the journey always to the southern tip of cuba we will pass through. and then continue onward along to see once again in a special train with big windows. be able suki no tamati barcode limited express as striking black and white paint work. the white side always faces the sea and has the best beer. our final stop is at the southern tip of japan in the seaside resort of the basuki

also known as the hawaii of japan. things are a bit quieter. in the how cohesive can thermal spa there are even hot sand pots. the sand is heated up by hot springs if you can't get up again after about 10 to 15 minutes or whatever you want. japan has always had 2 sides to it on the one hand there is the contemplated quiet side that is also revealed and its many paths and on the other hand the hustle and bustle of its fiber and big cities. journey through southern japan is like looking through a kaleidoscope with. constantly changing impressions and it ends of the scene where are you running days finally comes to rest.

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come for to make your city go inside click into place. this is d w news live from berlin russian opposition leader alexina vali is arrested in moscow the kremlin critic was detained upon landing at a moscow airport hours after he departed berlin where he was recovering from a nerve agent attack that almost killed him russian authorities allege she's wanted over a suspended sentence also coming up united states braces for more violent protests

in the aftermath of the capital riots earlier this month all 50 us states are on high alert in the run up.