In June 2011, the structures and artifacts of Hiraizumi, a town in earthquake-devastated Iwate Prefecture, were collectively declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The jewel in this crown is the Buddhist temple Chusonji. Its gleaming, golden Konjikido worship hall is one of Japan's first official National Treasures. The temple complex encompasses many buildings and examples of art and craft from nearly 1,000 years ago. These precious cultural treasures have been carefully preserved with the help of occasional restorations by Japan's foremost artisans. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is the Buddhist temple Chusonji. We explore the treasures that have recently earned Chusonji recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and meet the people who preserve the temple's long-standing traditions.

For centuries, charcoal was a key resource in everyday Japanese life, and it is still used in a great variety of ways today. For Japanese cuisine, which uses simple preparation methods to get the most out of ingredients' original tastes, charcoal is essential. Charcoal makers still ply their trade using traditional methods. In the 8th century, an emperor embarked on a construction project that would become the largest-scale use of charcoal in Japanese history. In the old days, charcoal was widely used as a household fuel. The advent of electricity and gas has brought an end to that, but charcoal is still used in homes to regulate moisture, by farmers to help their soil, and in tea ceremonies as a source of beauty. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is charcoal. We examine its many uses in Japan over the centuries.