The virtuoso percussionist, Stomu Yamash'ta, sits down with Studs Terkel and discusses from his heart how he creates the sound of his music. Sound is created in your head and heart. The ocean creates a different sound by day and night. Yamash'ta writes down his thoughts on the sounds he hears and creates the music. For the Akira Kurasawa film "YoJimbo" where he did solo musical work, he analyzed the character and what type of sound was in his mind and thought how to create it and convey that to his audience musically. Technology is not the answer to the development of sound.

"Waves at Genji's Door: Japan Through Its Cinema," includes Joan Mellen's study of Japanese film, Japanese history and Japanese culture. Some of Mellen's topics include Akira Kurosawa's films, Samurais and the ritual suicide of Seppuku.