Abroad in Japan

Himeji Castle is Japan's most famous castle; but does it live up to the hype? Ryotaro and I visit for the first time as we continue our Journey Across Japan, visiting the world's largest suspension bridge along the way.

I attempted to be a vegan for a day. It wasn't an overly fun experience, but at least I got to do it in the town they call the "Venice of Japan". And so our 2,000km Journey Across Japan continues.

The Shimanami Kaido cycle across Japan's Inland Sea is the most beautiful place in the country. The cycle route across the chain of islands that span it, is the best way to experience it. Even if it's one brutal undertaking on par with Mount Fuji.

Blowfish (Fugu) isn't a delicacy to be taken lightly, given that the poison within the fish can cause paralysis. Ryotaro and I travelled to Yamaguchi - Japan's home of Fugu - to see the dish being prepared and to taste it for the first time.

In January 2019 a single tuna was sold for a staggering $3.1m. The week before I set off for my 2,000km cycle across Japan, we set off to north Honshu, where all of Japan's most prized tuna is sourced, to watch them get caught firsthand.

Meeting strangers is half the fun of travelling. On my 2,000km Journey Across Japan, I arrive in the city of Matsuyama, where a friendly Japanese woman takes me under her wing for the day.

Hiroshima and Miyajima Island are essential places to visit on a trip to Japan. We pass through the city in search of Okonomiyaki pancakes, Itsukushima Shrine and Japan's first Pizza vending machine! Joined by awesome friend and Japan first timer Ellen!

How much Japanese can you cram into your head in the space of a day? We journey into Kyushu and learn vocabulary en route so you can test yourself at the end of the video!

Fukuoka is home to Tonkotsu Pork ramen, known as Hakata Ramen. In this episode of Journey Across Japan we spend 24 hours eating ramen, seeing Japan's biggest bronze statue and diving into the nightlife.

How does Japanese horse meat taste? This week we visit Japan's largest volcano (Mount Aso), a real life Smurf Land, see Japan's billion dollar mascot and try horse meat sashimi, all in one place: Kumamoto.

Tokyo station has a lot going on. We uncover 10 things to do around Tokyo station - one of the biggest stations on earth - as we eat, drink, shop and even exercise our way through the city. Featuring Ryotaro, Japan's foremost expert on everything.

Kagoshima is a hot spring wonderland and having arrived at our final destination, we explore a public bath house, a unique martial art and the award winning Wagyu beef as we finish Journey Across Japan. (I can't believe it either).

Love hotels are big business in Japan, worth an estimated $40bn to the economy. For the first time ever we take a look behind the scenes of a love hotel and meet the charismatic owner who's built his world around the business.

What do Japanese girls look for in a guy? After a recent study, we now know the 26 traits (personality/physical appearance) that girls looks for. Let's go and discover the secrets to success, with a real life Japanese girl. Be sure to score out of 26!

Travelling to Japan can be daunting. Make sure you go prepared with this list of tips to help you get the most out of your trip!

Japanese language schools are one of the most popular pathways into Japan. I spend a day in the classroom and try not to make a fool of myself.

The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster is unimaginable in scale. 8 years later in the midst of a $27bn decontamination effort, we explore inside the disaster zone and meet the locals to uncover the situation in Fukushima; past, present and future.

Japan's mascots are a masterclass in creativity and horror. And some are a lot more frightening than others. In this video we uncover 10 of the scariest creations found across the country.

English tongue twisters can be tough for Japanese people mastering the English language. To assist my friend Natsuki on his dream to becoming a world famous actor, we kick off his training with 5 of the most difficult tongue twisters - and one in particular proves remarkably challenging.

Tokyo Tsukiji market is home to mouthwatering street food. We wander through and uncover many of the must try dishes in the world famous market.

Travelling 2,000km across Japan was a dream come true. But it often felt like a nightmare. Finally, the full story revealed about what happened on my Journey Across Japan.

I spent an amazing week with Japanese rock legend Hyde (of L'arc en Ciel fame), getting to know the man behind the mask and helping my good friend Natsuki's dream come true.（日本語字幕はCCつけてね）