Japan’s Pompeii: The Medieval City Behind Modern Traditions 'I SLICE HISTORY | FULL DOCUMENTARY

West of Tokyo, the archaeological site of Ichijōdani has revealed one of the most extraordinary time capsules in Japanese history. Destroyed in the 16th century and buried for centuries beneath fields and rice paddies, this lost city preserves the remains of a lord’s palace, tea pavilions, gardens, streets, homes, and everyday objects from the end of medieval Japan.

Through these excavations, archaeologists have been able to trace the roots of traditions that still define Japan today, from the tea ceremony and garden aesthetics to urban planning, tatami interiors, and domestic architecture.