First Aired: April 7th, 1980

Status: Ended

Genre: Documentary

Network: NHK

Summary: For thousands of years, the fabled Silk Road, as travelled by Marco Polo, was the link between the people of Europe and the vast riches of mysterious China. Spanning the deserts, grasslands, and seas between Istanbul and the major cities of China, the Silk Road witnessed an ongoing parade of goods and traders, carrying with them their art, religion, and culture. The impact of the Silk Road is immeasurable - giants such as Alexander the Great and tyrants such as Genghis Khan created our world's history while striding along its path! Now, the Silk Road comes alive, in all its glorious colours, sounds, and historical drama, in an unparalleled documentary achievement. The first co-production of China Central TV and the outside world, this series was ten years in the making, and produced at a cost exceeding 50 million. The entrancing soundtrack made the composer/performer Kitaro a worldwide star, and has sold millions of records to date. Silk Road has been aired to huge critical acclaim in over 25 countries, and remains to this day the highest rated documentary series in Japan's television history.