简介：TheBBChasdecidedtoacquireNHK'sSatoyamaseriesofdocumentaries.ItwillacquireSatoyama:Japan'sSecretGarden(1999)andSatoyama:Japan'sSecretWatergarden(2004)andcombinethemintooneprogramforbroadcast,narratedbySirDavidAttenborough. TheSatoyamaseries,whichhasjustwontheGrandPrixatthe28thInternationalWildlifeFilmFestival2005,isproducedbyNHKanddistributedbyMICO.ItpoeticallyportraysthecloserelationshipbetweenpeopleandnatureintraditionalruralenvironmentsinJapan.Thefirstprogram,whichfocusesontheagriculturalcycleofricepaddiesonhillsidesinJapan,hasbeendistributedtoover80countriesworldwide.Thesecondprogramtakesalookatatraditionalwater-supplysystemcalleda"kabata",whichnotonlyprovideswatertovillagehouseholdsbutalsonurturesavastdiversityoffish,insects,birds,andothercreatures.Bothprogramsofferinsightsintoenvironmentallysustainableliving. ShinMurata,theoriginatorandExecutiveProducerofthetwoprograms,commented: "I'mdelightedthatSatoyamawillbeairingintheBBC's'NaturalWorld'strand.TheBBC'sendorsementofSatoyamaisparticularlygratifyingbecauseoneofmybiggestinspirationsfortheprogramswasaBBCproductiontitled'RestlessYear'whichfollowedtheseasonsinoneofEngland'sruralareas". NeilNightingale,HeadoftheBBC'sNaturalHistoryUnit,commented:"WedecidedtoacquireSatoyambecauseitisauniqueandbeautifulportraitofruralJapanandtherelationshipbetweenpeopleandnature.ItrevealsanaspectofJapanthatIamsurewillbecompletelynewtoBritishviewers,anddoesitinawonderfullylyricalstylewhichIamsurewillbepopularwithour'NaturalWorld'audience."…