For this two-part series, we were on the road in Japan for over nine months. We came back from the “Land of the Rising Sun” with atmospheric pictures and stories never before told. Japan is a country of contrasts: In the north, brown bears fishing for salmons and snow monkeys bathing in hot springs, in the south, tropical islands with bizarre animals. Megacities like Tokyo on the one hand and remote mountain valleys with (for us) strange-looking traditions on the other. Rarely are the differences within a country as great as in Japan, which stretches over 3,000 kilometres from north to south. Come with us on a fascinating journey through the “Wild Japan”, watch giant sea eagles, rare giant salamanders, brown bears, snow monkeys and other interesting inhabitants of the Far East. Side-by-side we will experience spectacular volcanic eruptions, sumo for bulls and of course hanami – the magnificent cherry blossom festival.