Amami Oshima: Shaped by Adversity

Life in Amami Oshima was once so tough that the islanders devised a way to make a poisonous plant edible. Harsh circumstances nurtured their resilience and resourcefulness on a subtropical island that was ruled by different outside forces as the centuries passed. Folk music became a medium for private communication, and in secret they produced silk fabric with a distinctive black beauty. In the second of two episodes, Peter Barakan gets to the heart of Amami Oshima's unique culture.

Release Date: 2014-04-03
Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
TMDb: 7.8/10
  • Country: JP
  • Language: English | 日本語
  • Runtime: 28

Other episodes for this season

Kitchens
Episode 1 - Kitchens
Satsumaimo: Sweet Potatoes
Episode 2 - Satsumaimo: Sweet Potatoe...
Dinosaurs
Episode 3 - Dinosaurs
Japanophiles: Kyle Holzhueter
Episode 4 - Japanophiles: Kyle Holzhu...
Camping
Episode 5 - Camping
Male Aesthetics
Episode 6 - Male Aesthetics
Konnyaku
Episode 7 - Konnyaku
Japanophiles: Isabelle Sasaki
Episode 8 - Japanophiles: Isabelle Sa...
Ueno
Episode 9 - Ueno
Meteorological Data
Episode 10 - Meteorological Data
Amami Oshima: Paradise Found
Episode 11 - Amami Oshima: Paradise Fo...
Amami Oshima: Shaped by Adversity
Episode 12 - Amami Oshima: Shaped by Adversity
Japanophiles: Francesco Panto
Episode 13 - Japanophiles: Francesco P...
Vacant Homes
Episode 14 - Vacant Homes
Rokyoku: Musical Storytelling
Episode 15 - Rokyoku: Musical Storytel...
Japanese Honeybees
Episode 16 - Japanese Honeybees
Japanophiles: Martin Holman
Episode 17 - Japanophiles: Martin Holm...
Unused Fish
Episode 18 - Unused Fish
Garbage
Episode 19 - Garbage
Firefighting
Episode 20 - Firefighting
Japanophiles: Benjamin Flatt
Episode 21 - Japanophiles: Benjamin Fl...
Izumo: Home of the Gods
Episode 22 - Izumo: Home of the Gods
Izumo: Land of the Supernatural
Episode 23 - Izumo: Land of the Supern...