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.