Documentary Outreach Japan.

Nara was Japan's first true capital, founded in 710 CE. The city hasn't quite let go of that era. Wild sacred deer, believed for over a thousand years to be messengers of the gods, wander freely through the streets and temple grounds, brushing past commuters and schoolchildren on their way to work. Some of the world's oldest wooden buildings still stand here, alongside a living, working city that is figuring out, in real time, what it means to preserve things that have thrived beyond expectation under local protection.

The city is home to a range of locally-led organizations working through exactly that kind of tension. Groups here work on animal conservation and the difficult policy questions that come after decades of protections have succeeded, on saving centuries-old machiya townhouses from demolition, on employment support for people with disabilities, and on keeping alive hand-crafts like sumi ink-making that have been passed down, artisan to artisan, since the 8th century. Our crews partner directly with organizations like these, spending real time learning their world and their work before turning a camera on it.

Just 45 minutes by train from both Kyoto and Osaka, a free weekend can mean a day among Kyoto's temples or Osaka's food stalls without losing your footing in Nara itself. Over four weeks you will get to know the city with its routes and trails, the region with its cities and attractions, and most of all, the local people whose story you will tell in your film.