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- Cooking show hosted by James May, providing a unique perspective on kitchen creations for those who don't know how to cook.
- James begins his journey at Cape Soya, the northernmost tip of Japan on the remote island of Hokkaido. This snowy wilderness is the least densely populated area of the country, and James tries his hand at dog sledding across the stunning landscape with some deceptively docile-looking canine pals. A few bumps and bruises later and it's time to brush up his language and origami skills in one of the smallest restaurants he's ever seen. This is a 'Yatai', or a tiny eating and drinking shack, where you're encouraged to cram around a small communal table and break noodles knee to knee with people who, until the beer starts flowing, are total strangers. But there are more winter sports on the horizon, as a day or so later James finds himself playing 'Yukigassen' - the world's only codified and refereed team snowball fight (complete with regulation sized balls). Despite James's natural athleticism, and the stern words of encouragement from his disappointed guide Massayo, he's not a natural in the cut and thrust of a grudge match where the snowballs are solid ice and crash helmets are obligatory. To escape from the bitter cold, the director gives James a chance to warm up and indulge his passion for metalwork. He meets Korehiro Watanabe, one of Japan's last samurai swordsmiths, who allows James to be his apprentice for a day (forgoing the usual ten-year commitment). After several hours spent learning the extraordinary secrets of the sword master's forge, James takes a handmade katana for a quick spin, showing how this ancient craft still yields fear-inducing results. By now it's definitely time for some food and drink, and James brews his own beer at one of the growing number of microbreweries springing up in Sapporo, Japan's beer capital. Then he heads out into Hokkaido's bountiful icy waters to catch an octopus, and learns the art of sashimi and tempura in a quayside cook off. At least James's efforts go down better than a dessert featuring sea urchin ice cream.
- Honshu, Japan's main island, is a veritable cornucopia of different environments. While the main tourist draws - including Tokyo - lie further south, it's the beautiful Northern region of Tohoku where James finds himself. And he wastes no time in shattering that tranquil beauty by getting involved in a giant robot duel with his new guide, Maki. To atone for the fallout of this epic shootout with a woman he's only just met, James seeks wisdom on a pilgrimage through the snowy woods of a holy mountain with a very friendly monk. After the monk introduces James to the benefits of naked bathing in natural hot pools, it's time to trade spiritual reverence for an altogether more modern type of worship: screaming pop fandom, courtesy of a trip to watch the Zenryoku Boys, Sendai city's newest J-pop sensation. Although James is confident in his status as a global style icon, the boys insist on giving him a post-gig makeover, complete with a hip new wardrobe and trendy hairdo. This region is home to Matsushima, a stunning bay of pine-covered islands and one of Japan's historical 'Great Views'. Here James is moved to write a haiku, before committing it to paper with a valiant attempt at traditional Japanese calligraphy. But the beauty of the area hides the fact that it was these shores that bore the brunt of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. Eight years later many of the towns and villages in nearby Fukushima province remain uninhabited. James meets one of the pioneers who's recently moved back to the deserted town of Namie after the area was finally declared safe by the government. Next stop: Tokyo, and James decides to arrive in style on the Shiki-Shima, the world's most luxurious train. Of course, the train's on time, so what could possibly go wrong?
- In an attempt to say sensei, James accidentally misspeaks to his Japanese teacher and calls him deodorant. James visits a penis festival in Kawasaki and the gadget district in Akihabara.
- This time James is travelling from the megacity of Tokyo, to the ancient capital of Kyoto. And what better way to do this than on a motorbike, one of Japan's greatest contributions to the modern world. James joins a Japanese biker gang for a quick spin around the iconic Mount Fuji. The importance of this mountain to the people of Japan is hard to overstate; it's often described as the heart and soul of the country - but how can a lump of rock mean so much to the inhabitants? To discover its true meaning, James receives a lesson in philosophy and painting from an obsessive artist who's painted it every day for the past fifty years. But these lofty ambitions are brought swiftly back down to earth when a nearby tourist bus causes James - and the crew - to question the very nature of what they are doing. Next stop: Hamamatsu, home to the world's biggest grand piano factory. With its combination of exquisite craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology, this place typifies modern Japanese manufacturing. As a keen pianist and amateur engineer, James generously helps out with the construction process. But will he live up to their exacting standards? Spoiler alert: no, he won't. Kyoto beckons, and it's time for something a little more old-fashioned. James is entertained by a Geisha, a woman who follows a centuries-old vocation that is one of the defining symbols of a city rich in history. She treats him to a traditional tea ceremony, a dance, and a lesson in playing the shamisen - an instrument made from old pets. To add a modern twist to this ancient city, James hires a precocious robot guide to show him around Kyoto's famous temples and shrines, resulting in total cyber confusion. Returning to more familiar ground, James dips a toe back into modern Japan by taking a tiny car for a spin around a big track - Suzuka's Formula 1 circuit - before having his butt kicked by a woman half his size in an introduction to the martial art Aikido.
- James arrives by speedboat in Osaka, Japan's de facto second city and a port with a reputation for great nightlife and delicious street food. With his manhole-obsessed local guide Hacchan, he has a go at Japan's national (and slightly shady) pastime, Pachinko, a sort of pinball fruit machine. In a land where gambling is frowned upon, James discovers the tricks the Japanese use to get their hands on their winnings- and then promptly blows all his money on Osaka's famous octopus balls and Japan's infamously expensive Kobe beef. Osaka is also the centre of Japanese stand-up comedy, a genre notorious for getting lost in translation. Since he started his journey, James seems to have provoked great mirth from the locals, so he calls on his trusty Tokyo guide, Yujiro, for a dangerous comedy experiment. To see if comedy can travel, they'll perform translated British jokes to a notoriously hard-bitten Osakan comedy audience. After that bruising encounter, James is in need of some light relief, but Yujiro takes James to a sumo wrestling stable... where Yujiro risks both his dignity and his nether regions by taking on the largest wrestler in the room. He leaves with neither intact. Time for something a bit more zen: meditation. In the Kōraku-en, arguably Japan's most famous ornamental garden, the duo seek guidance from a Buddhist sensei on how to achieve enlightenment. The concept is interesting, but James struggles to shake some harrowing memories from his mind. It does succeed, however, in putting him in a more reflective mood - something that seems pertinent as he arrives in the city of Hiroshima. This thriving, thoroughly modern metropolis will perhaps forever be known as the place where atomic warfare came of age. James visits the museum and meets a Japanese-American historian, to shed more light on this controversial legacy. Last but certainly not least, James visits the Itsukushima Shrine famous for its orange (or possibly red) Tori gate, and its ravenous deer.
- James begins the final leg of his journey on the island of Shikoku, battling his fear of heights as he cycles 70km across the longest series of suspension bridges in the world. After demonstrating that even five episodes in he can't correctly identify the items in a Japanese hotel room, James is sent to try his hand at zen archery, a very formal process where actually firing the arrows seems a bit of an afterthought. Nonetheless, he works up enough of an appetite to make the region's famous Udon noodles, where his earlier haiku about them causing 'wind' turns out to be oddly prescient. In a spooky twist to their journey, James and Yujiro visit a deserted village whose deceased and departed inhabitants have been replaced by lifelike scarecrows. James meets his scarecrow doppelganger, ensuring part of his soul will remain forever on Shikoku. The real James can't hang around though, so him and a nervous Yujiro make the journey to the stunning neighbouring island of Kyushu via seaplane. They land in Beppu, the hot spring capital of the South, where they cook vegetables in the fires of hell and get buried alive in the naturally hot sand. It's not just beach life that thrives down here. Kyushu is also home to Honda's Kumamoto Motorcycle factory. After a thorough de-dusting and a quick stretch, he gets his chance to work a shift... which he immediately ruins by screwing things up. Literally. Next, James takes a chaotic rowing trip to visit a mythical gorge in a quest to commune with a Shinto goddess. Then back on dry land, he becomes a Bunraku puppet master for an eager audience who are unaware that he's only had fifteen minutes to master the basics and come up with his own short play. After his epic 7000km journey, James arrives at the Southern tip of Japan and the active volcano of Sakurajima. Looking out over the ocean, it's time to distil everything he's learnt about Japan, its people and his epic journey in to a single haiku.
- After a de rigueur opening tease giving away all the best bits from the series, James starts his culinary journey by taking on the food of Asia. As the publishers of his new recipe book are in attendance, he immediately starts with a glass of wine. The first dish of the day is a Thai noodle soup, a staple of Southeast Asian cuisine. It's a delicate balance of flavours that the literary folks, thankfully, seem to enjoy. James also whips up a quick rice and seaweed breakfast made with Nori, the sheets of seaweed you get when you buy sushi. Then it's time for some proper fusion: Spamen, ramen made with Spam and a pot-noodle. If you are flicking through Amazon Prime thinking, 'where can I find a show that combines Western wartime rationing with the flavours of Japan?', you've come to the right place. Last but certainly not least James dusts off his trusty wok to cook salmon, served on a bed of stir fried vegetables.
- The pub is a British institution, once a bastion of warm ale and smelly carpets, many are now known for their excellent food. James decides to kick off the show with the most classic of pub grub: the pie. However, this particular pie has been given a modern makeover. As a growing number of us now choose to eat less meat, James has designed a half meat, half vegetarian pie to keep everyone satisfied. The two halves are separated by an unbreachable wall of pasty that would make Donald Trump proud. The difficult part is remembering which half is which. James then moves on to pan-frying a sirloin steak, which he serves with sweet potato wedges in a thinly veiled attempt to prove his modernity and relevance. Another pub stalwart, the fish pie, follows next. In 2007 James beat Gordon Ramsay in a fish pie head-to-head, so this is a dish with pedigree. To round off the whole meal, it's time for an English trifle made easy, using a recipe full of clever shortcuts.
- Coeliacs take cover, it's pasta time. And what better way to start than with a lasagne double header: one beef, one vegetarian. Key to the latter are aubergines and lentils - perhaps not traditional, but certainly delicious. This recipe also gives James the opportunity to wax lyrical about his rotary parmesan grater, a gadget he's lovingly maintained since he was a student. Next, James tackles the perennial problem of what to do with leftover spaghetti. After being attacked with a pair of herb scissors, and with the addition of a few extra ingredients, they can be fried into rosti, great for a quick lunch. Another tasty snack follows, combining the unusual holy trinity of white toast, pesto, and tinned spaghetti hoops. Perhaps misguidedly, James then decides to open the pandora's box that is a British person cooking the Roman staple, Carbonara. In an attempt to mitigate the diplomatic fallout, he decides to make two, one with cream, and one without. To share the burden of responsibility he recruits Nikki for a quick taste test. By way of revenge, she creates a pasta based jelly monstrosity.
- Making a curry from scratch is often seen as more hassle than it's worth, particularly when you want it with all the obligatory accoutrements: fluffy rice, dal, chapatis, chutney, and raita. But that's exactly what James is setting out to make, only occasionally calling on the help home economist Nikki. Lamb keema is the first thing to get going, beginning with a fragrant base of fried onions, garlic, and ginger. Spice and flavour comes courtesy of shop bought curry powder, added along with the lamb mince and fresh tomatoes. With the curry simmering away, James moves on to dal - the original street food. This version uses coconut milk to make it extra creamy, while a fiery green chili adds heat. Up next, chapatis, a simple mixture of wholemeal and plain flour, combined with vegetable oil, water, and salt. You can cook them in a pan or on an aluminium diecasting machine, whatever you have handy. A quick lesson in rice cooking followed by a simple tomato and onion chutney, leads James to his store cupboard saviour. Here a handful of exciting spices are added to shop bought rice pudding to give it an Indian twist. It's not a resounding success, but the curry feast that James then serves up is a triumph.
- From crumbles and cakes to sticky toffee and bread and butter, puddings are undoubtedly the gastronomic calling card of the UK. James kicks off this sugary half hour with Spotted Dick, an amusingly-named culinary relic that deserves a bit of a revamp. James leaves his Dick to steam for two whole hours and starts work on a Victoria Sponge. A favourite snack of the former monarch, it's been a tea-time staple for over a century. And while it looks deceptively simple, James and Nikki demonstrate the tricks needed to make it perfect every time. Or at the very least this time. After a detour into a speedy Apple Crumble the cake finally emerges from the oven. It's time to whip up the cream and spread the jam for that signature look. As the Spotted Dick nears completion, James cracks on with the homemade custard that will accompany it. The ultimate comfort food.
- Breakfast is back in vogue and more varied than ever. Bloody Mary in hand, James begins by making kedgeree. This lightly curried dish of flaked, smoked fish in rice was a favourite of the British Raj. James tops it with a poached egg, cooked with the help of an ingenious gadget. A potato and black pudding hash follows next and it's not completely smooth sailing. After chopping the potatoes with another new gadget, James gives them a quick blanche before frying them with onion and chili. The introduction of the black pudding yields a less than ideal result, both visually and in terms of flavour, but Nikki's kind words bring James out of his funk. It's time for Shakshuka, the Middle Eastern classic that's become a favourite in the West. Onions, garlic, and tomatoes are all fried before little wells are made in the mixture and the eggs added to gently poach. It's a resounding success that James follows up with a very modern take on eggs and soldiers. The egg remains the same: soft boiled and oozing, while the toast batons are replaced with avocado fingers wrapped in prosciutto. Take that Hackney.
- The Sunday Roast is a challenge of technique and timings, often involving tips and tricks passed down generations. James sets out early to slay a sacred cow: he's going to make Yorkshire puddings with roast chicken, the batter for which is the first thing to be prepared. There then follows a scene of James massaging herby butter into a dead animal. It's fowl, but necessary to get crispy skin and moist flesh. With the bird in the oven, roast potatoes and cauliflower cheese are up next, along with preparing the carrots and sprouts. The Yorkshire pudding batter is finally poured into the boiling hot moulds and begins to rise. As everything starts coming together via Nikki's clever warming drawer, James starts work on the all-important gravy. A good gravy knits the whole meal together, as does a glass of wine and good company. When the time comes to dig into to the finished meal, Nikki and James toast a successful day's cooking and the crew finally get something worth eating.
- James explores the sunny shores of Sicily where cultures collide under Mount Etna's shadow. He experiences timeless pleasures - chopping statue bits, canoe polo, bagpipes.
- In the beautiful, rural south of the mainland, James is forced to confront a vision of hell courtesy of Dante's Inferno - and a goat that urgently needs milking. The Amalfi Coast offers some much-needed respite before he dives headfirst into the breathless, chaotic, sea of humanity that is the city of Naples.
- All roads lead to Rome, so it was inevitable James would end up in Italy's magnificent capital. But it's not just Romans and ruins, James also goes on a bus, meets another version of himself, and looks at something too small to see.
- 2020–202451m7.8 (180)TV EpisodeJames tests his Renaissance man credentials with a spot of art, science, and alchemy in Florence. Emilia-Romagna see the worlds of fast-moving cars and slow-aging cheese, before James ends up in a town that feels strangely familiar.
- Size matters, as James visits the vast marble quarries of Carrara and the massive Genoa port. Then it's to the elusive, as James searches for a semblance of peace in the face of killer robots, and a decent cup of tea in Turin.
- In Milan, James submits to a wardrobe update, tries his hand at some exquisite craftsmanship - and bids goodbye to an old friend. Next stop: Venice, by land, air, and lagoon, while in the Dolomites James finds the darker side of Christmas.