Japan is home to all kinds of libraries. The episode features some unique examples across the country, including some historic structuring giving a sense of the periods in which they were built, as well as some futuristic facilities. We visit a library resembling a spaceship amongst trees. Inside is a forest of books stretching for 200m. We look at a university library shaped like the Colosseum of Rome, a place where the intellect engages in combat. Wonder at the futuristic library designed by Shigeru Ban that looks like something out of a science-fiction film. And we look at the transformation of an old spinning mill and an old primary school, the former of brick construction and the latter built entirely from cypress wood, into reading spaces.
