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Japan: Earth's Enchanted Islands

Japan: Earth's Enchanted Islands is a three-part BBC documentary series narrated by Michelle Dockery, exploring the landscapes and wildlife of Japan. Japan is a stratovolcanic archipelago of approximately 6,800 islands. The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan's landscapes range from snowy mountains to subtropical warmth. They are full of wildlife - and animals' and people's lives often cross as they adapt to these extremes.

Episode 1 - Honshu


Episode 1 - Honshu
The central island of Honshu is home to over 100 million people, and its biggest city, Tokyo, is one of the largest urban metropolises on earth. But it has a wild heart - most of Honshu is mountainous.

Episode 2 - The Southwest Islands
In the far south west of Japan, there is a chain of islands stretching towards the tropics - a place where all life is influenced by the power of the sea, and where volcanoes and typhoons are forces to be reckoned with.

Episode 3 - Hokkaido
Hokkaido is the large island to the north separated from the rest of Japan by a deep ocean trench. Once connected to Siberia, the wildlife, brown bears, chipmunks, and others, crossed to the island before the last ice-age melted, severing the land.


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