Time-Lapse Japan

The devasting disaster in Tohoku, northeast Japan, on March 11, 2011. Fukushima-born Daisuke Shimizu, time-lapse creator focuses on the hard-hit Tohoku region, 9 years on.

Stunning time-lapse images offer a new angle on Tohoku, northeast Japan. Daisuke Shimizu, time-lapse creator seeks glimpses of sprites and spirits mysterious yet familiar presence in Tono, Iwate Pref.

Stunning time-lapse images offer a new angle on Tohoku, northeast Japan. Daisuke Shimizu, time-lapse creator's camera conveys features of the region's relationship with the deceased.

Ten years on from the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster, time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke seeks out the undiminished beauty of Fukushima,this time focusing on the star-filled night sky.

Ten years on from the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster, time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke seeks out the undiminished beauty of Fukushima. This time, we focus on forests.

10 years on from the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster, time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke seeks out the undiminished beauty of Fukushima. This time we focus on mountains.

The Ainu: indigenous people of northern Japan. Time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke investigates various aspects of their culture and traditions. This time: Ainu Patterns.

The Ainu: indigenous people of northern Japan. Time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke investigates various aspects of their culture and traditions. This time: Ainu Boats.

The Ainu: indigenous people of northern Japan. Time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke investigates various aspects of their culture and traditions. This time: Ainu Houses.

The Ainu: indigenous people of northern Japan. Time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke investigates various aspects of their culture and traditions. This time: Ainu Forest.

The Jomon period dates roughly from 13,000 BC to 300 BC. We examine various aspects of Jomon society, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: Lacquer.

The Jomon period dates roughly from 13,000 BC to 300 BC. We examine various aspects of Jomon society, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: Dogu.

The Jomon period dates roughly from 13,000 BC to 300 BC. We examine various aspects of Jomon society, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: the Oyu Stone Circles.

The Jomon period dates roughly from 13,000 BC to 300 BC. We examine various aspects of Jomon society, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: the Sannai Maruyama Site.

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. We examine its past and present, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: US Influences.

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. We examine its past and present, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: The Holiest Place.

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. We examine its past and present, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: Homes.

Okinawa Prefecture is a group of subtropical islands in the far south of Japan. We examine its past and present, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time: Shuri Castle.

The Murakami Kaizoku were seafarers and fighters in the Seto Inland Sea. We explore their history and legacy, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time, Seto Inland Sea.

The Murakami Kaizoku were seafarers and fighters in the Seto Inland Sea. We explore their history and legacy, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time, the Kurushima Straits.

The Murakami Kaizoku were seafarers and fighters in the Seto Inland Sea. We explore their history and legacy, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time, Nii Oshima Island.

The Murakami Kaizoku were seafarers and fighters in the Seto Inland Sea. We explore their history and legacy, with footage from time-lapse creator Shimizu Daisuke. This time, Noshima Island.

Tanaka Isson had a unique gift for portraying Amami Oshima's nature in art. A child prodigy, his career faltered until he moved to the island. Time-lapse footage hints at scenes that inspired him.

Shimauta is the soul music of Amami Oshima. Islanders have long used it to convey feelings in good times and bad. The history of the music and of the island itself is conveyed in time-lapse footage.

Amami Oshima is a World Natural Heritage Site, with rare flora and fauna including many endemic species. Explore the biodiversity of its lush, subtropical forests in stunning time-lapse footage.

Experience the colors of Amami Oshima in beautiful time-lapse footage. Unique hues include "Amami Blue" ocean waters and the glossy black of silk thread that's painstakingly dyed using wood and mud.

A 140-year-old store sells delicate, hand-crafted Japanese confectionery. Traditional techniques present floral beauty in sweets, and the seasonal colors of Izumo are shown in time-lapse images.

Oku-Izumo is home to an ancient technique for making the steel used in Japanese swords. We meet a blacksmith who has inherited the tradition, and enjoy local scenery presented in time-lapse images.

Matsue is known as the "city of water." It is home to Lake Shinji, which is famous for its shijimi clams. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we see the lake's changing colors and expressions.

Izumo, known as the "home of the gods," fascinated Lafcadio Hearn, a writer from Ireland. With beautiful time-lapse footage, we introduce his life in Japan and the region that captured his heart.

Wakayama in southwest Kumano is a top producer of Japanese citrus, which is said to have its origins in a legendary fruit. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we show the area's rich natural bounty.

Kumano's heavy rainfall nurtures the 1,340 terraced rice paddies that make up Maruyama Senmaida. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we show the flow of Kumano's water and the work of rice farmers.

The Kii Mountains are home to dynamic landscapes formed by a volcanic eruption 14 million years ago. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we show the area's rock formations and rich ecosystem.

Shugendo, a unique spiritual tradition, dates back 1,300 years. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we show its practitioners and Kumano's sacred forests, long associated with death and rebirth.

A feudal lord admired by John F. Kennedy, Uesugi Yozan saved the Yonezawa Domain from financial ruin 250 years ago. Stunning time-lapse images show the historic sites that preserve his legacy.

As snow melts in Yonezawa, it provides water used for growing rice. Beautiful time-lapse images show how a 400-year-old brewery turns this rice into sake, using human expertise instead of machines.

A 700-year-old hot spring, Shirabu Onsen, is maintained via daily trips up the slopes of the 2,000-meter mountain where it sits. See the hot spring's guardian at work, in gorgeous time-lapse footage.

Since ancient times, safflowers grown in Yonezawa have been used to dye fabric a deep red color associated with the sun. Experience its mysterious, vivid beauty through time-lapse footage.

The world's thinnest washi (traditional paper) is just 0.03 mm thick but tough, and is used to restore cultural artifacts. See Tosa's natural landscape and washi artisans at work, in time-lapse.

A centuries-old eel catching technique. Bridges designed to be submerged in the river. Locals have found ingenious ways to coexist with the Shimanto. See this mighty river in time-lapse.

The delicious bonito Tosa is known for spoils easily, and the flavor varies greatly. Fishmongers at a local port know exactly how to spot the best ones. Watch them in action, in time-lapse.

Cape Ashizuri is marked by rugged cliffs and peculiar rocks. A strong current off its coast has been the cause of many accidents. Enjoy the scenery at the cape, a place of worship, in time-lapse.

Hagi ware has been cherished in tea ceremonies for over 400 years. Cracks in the glaze create patterns whose color evolves with time and use. Watch masterful pottery production in time-lapse.

As the samurai age ended, citrus production provided a way forward for former warriors in Hagi. Locals still love century-old sweets made using the aromatic skin. Watch them being made in time-lapse.

Locals in Hagi, on a delta facing the Sea of Japan, have lived in harmony with its waters. Beautiful time-lapse footage captures people crossing rivers by boat and canals flowing into homes.

Hagi, a World Heritage site often described as an "open-air museum," is lined with merchant and samurai houses and retains much of its 17th-century townscape. Soak in the atmosphere, in time-lapse.

Ouchi-juku, once a thriving post station in the Aizu area, still retains its thatched roofs, hearth fires, and time-honored ways. See the carefully preserved traditional townscape in time-lapse.

In Okuaizu, large temperature swings shape vivid seasons and picturesque scenes with trains running through them. Take in the region's rich, majestic nature in time-lapse.

With their warm light and bright, colorful designs, Aizu's hand-painted candles are "flowers that never fade," bringing comfort through long winters. Experience the glow in time-lapse.

Oyakuen, a garden in Aizu, teems with medicinal trees and plants. Their cultivation began with a domain lord's wish to save his people from disease. Watch the garden's beauty unfold in time-lapse.