Magical Japanese
Explore the richness and depth of the Japanese language and discover how words and expressions reflect history, culture and the natural world.


This episode introduces words related to the color blue. Its many shades were used skillfully by Japanese ukiyo-e artists who significantly influenced famous painters worldwide. The Japanese word for blue covers a wide range of colors and has produced an equal variety of expressions. From his home in Kyoto Prefecture, poet and literary translator Peter MacMillan guides us through these words and the culture behind them.