The link below will to take you to a PBS webpage featuring their three part program:

Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire

There are a few things to check out on this site, one being the interactive instrument page were you can listen to some of Japan's traditional instruments such as the shamisen and tsutsumi.

The link above also has their three part series, which gives you some insight into Japan's history, including aspects such as their samurai class and the country's seclusion. Just in case some of you have issues with playing the videos from that site, the links below will take you to the ones on youtube.

Part 1: The Way of the Samurai
Part 2: The Will of the Shogun
Part 3: The Return of the Barbarians