By Matthew Allard

Japan has always been at the forefront of cutting edge robotics. Its modern-day roots can be traced back 200 to 300 years to the Edo period when skilled craftsmen created automata (self-operating machines).

Using pulleys and weights they were able to make the Karakuri (Japanese automata) perform amazing tasks without the use of electronics or power.

Hideki Higashino is one of the few remaining craftsmen who is determined to keep these incredible creations, the history and the tradition of Japanese Karakuri alive.