The Art of Japanese Life is a three-part BBC documentary series exploring how aesthetics, philosophy, and artistic sensibility have shaped Japanese society from the Edo period to contemporary Tokyo. Blending cultural history with immersive visual storytelling, the series examines how art in Japan is not confined to galleries but embedded in cities, homes, and landscapes.

I contributed aerial cinematography to the production, while my company (DERYL Group K.K.) provided full logistical coordination and on-the-ground support for the British crew during filming across multiple locations in Japan.

The series is presented by Dr. James Fox, an art historian and Fellow of Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge, where he teaches the history of art. Known for bringing complex artistic and cultural narratives to broad international audiences, Fox has become one of the leading contemporary voices in television art history. With his presence, clarity, and narrative authority reminiscent of David Attenborough, James combines intellectual rigor with warmth and accessibility. His natural passion for the subject matter significantly enhances the production value and global resonance of the series, making uniquely Japanese philosophical and aesthetic concepts feel immediate and universally relevant.

In the first episode "Nature" James investigates the deep and enduring connection between Japanese culture and the natural world. He travels from mountainous forests to iconic zen gardens, encountering centuries-old bonsai, sacred landscapes, and artistic traditions rooted in reverence for the land. The episode explores how Shinto and Buddhism have shaped a uniquely Japanese creative response to nature — one that values harmony, impermanence, and spirituality rather than domination. Through encounters with traditional practitioners and contemporary artists, it also reflects on how modern Japan continues to redefine its relationship with the environment in art and everyday life.

Second episode "Cities" examines how the artistic life of three of Japan’s great urban centres — Kyoto, Edo (historic Tokyo), and modern Tokyo — has helped forge the nation’s cultural identity. In Kyoto James traces the flowering of classical Japanese culture and artistic achievement, including literary treasures such as The Tale of Genji. In Edo, he explores the world of ukiyo-e woodblock prints that captured the “floating world” of urban life. And in Tokyo, he considers how contemporary artistic expression reveals the complexities of rapid urbanisation and modern society. Across these episodes, Fox engages with artisans, historians, and creative practitioners to reveal how cities themselves become living works of art.

In the final episode "Home", the focus shifts to the aesthetics and philosophy behind Japanese domestic life. James explores how the clean minimalism that has influenced global design — from architecture to lifestyle brands like Muji — has its roots in spiritual and philosophical values going back centuries. The episode visits traditional wooden villages, historic villa architecture, and living craftspeople whose work embodies the principles of space, material, and function. Along the way Fox uncovers how domestic arts such as joinery, calligraphy, and spatial design reflect deeper attitudes toward simplicity, purpose, and the meaning of home in Japanese culture.