Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Wgbh Boston
• VHS Release Date: January 9, 2001
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000053V74
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,911 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

As night falls, a spectacular drama unfolds—ethereal-looking dragonflies grow wings before your eyes; monstrous male stag beetles lock horns in a battle for supremacy; water scorpions pounce on unwitting young catfish; and giant waterbugs prowl their domain for unsuspecting prey. It’s not an outrageous ‘60s sci-fi film–it’s a hidden world found in the immaculately terraced rice fields of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake.

Forged from centuries of man’s cultivation and nature’s adaptation, the rice fields are delicately balanced ecosystems which remain equally vital to both the people who farm them and the remarkable creatures which come to it in the thousands each growing season.

Written and narrated by David Attenborough, and filmed in vivid high definition video, this spectacular film chronicles one eventful year in the life cycle of a rice field. With breathtaking detail, you’ll see how this unique habitat springs to life and thrives in unexpected ways. Japan’s Secret Garden is a stunning glimpse at the abundant life and diverse creatures of a rarely seen world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOVA: Japan's Secret Garden, January 30, 2008

By 

Jason Harris - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nova: Japan's Secret Garden [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Like almost everything done by NOVA and everything done be David Attenborough, who wrote and narrates this episode, this film is an excellent and interesting look at a "year in the life" of the rice fields of Japan. The video explores both the wildlife and human culture that surrounds the rice fields.
This video needs to be released on DVD, not just VHS tape which it is currently limited to.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Episode, September 26, 2011

By 

kditty "www.kditty.com" (Miamisburg, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nova: Japan's Secret Garden [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was really baked and had never seen an episode of nova before, I stopped on PBS to get something to drink, came back to the couch, and I found my self suddenly stunned at this little circle of life the Japanese people had created. I wouldn't have givin this a single second of my time but I was wide open being baked like I was. This really blew my mind and I agree that this needs to be DVD.