WAO RYU! ONLY in JAPAN

Japan is home to a lot of martial arts, many of which John can not physically do. However, there's one he can ... SPOCHAN! It uses air swords and doesn't require a big financial investment. Basically, that means not only will you survive a blow from a sword, you can dish them out without being arrested.

Japanese Vending Machines combine technology with convenience. Now, let's take that to the next level ... THE VENDING MACHINE RESTAURANT

In this episode, John travels from Tokyo to Sapporo and spends a couple of days exploring the attractions at Odori Park and Susukino, Sapporo's entertainment district. We feature Sapporo TVs Attack on Titan snow sculpture and light show as well as tour the Dragon Ball , Macau's Ruins of St. Paul and The Hokkaido Shinkansen snow sculptures.

Forget the selfie! It's time to discover the Japanese Purikura Photo Sticker Booths. It's hard to compete with the almighty smart phone these days, but the purikura “print club” booths have evolved into a US$50M a year industry and a place were one can be beamed into the professional model fantasy world ... if only for 10 minutes. Girls love them. Guys? Not so much, but hey ... purikura are ONLY in JAPAN and it's certainly something everyone should try when visiting.

Every now and then something very bizarre from Japan pops up in the news. This time, it happens to be bright pink and carried around the streets of a town near Tokyo. The Kanamara Matsuri / Festival is definitely unusual but there is much more to this story including a strong historical backbone and religious significance.

VOLCANIC SAND BATH? YES!! Welcome to Ibusuki, Kagoshima! In this episode, John travels to Kagoshima prefecture on the bottom of Kyushu to visit this unique style of onsen. It's call suna mushi onsen in Japan. This style of Volcanic Sand Bath is only in Ibusuki, Kagoshima.

RAMEN!! When you come to Japan, you know this is a meal not to be missed and Sapporo is home to some of Japan's best ramen restaurants. One place in particular has a long history of serving hungry customers. SAPPORO RAMAE ALLEY or Ganso Sapporo Ramen Yokocho in Japanese is located in Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district and provides bowls from 11:00 to past midnight. Miso Ramen is the specialty ... the toppings? It can get quite creative!

I was in the basement supermarket in Shibuya and -- THERE IT WAS! THE WHITE STRAWBERRY! I could smell it a few meters away. Was it real? (Yes, it was.) One white strawberry cost 1080 Yen (US$10.00) so I decided to learn more about the Japanese white strawberry and unbox it for you in this video ... and that is what this episode is all about.

Greetings from Ueno Park in Tokyo! It's John and I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported the show since it started. This month, I will create a special show to look back on the first 50 episodes and answer your questions.

Who needs a bartender when you can replace him with a vending machine! Japan is loaded with amazing vending machines -- and in this episode, John travels with a JR Tokyo Wide Rail Pass from Tokyo to Echigo Yuzawa to sample a lot of Niigata's best sakes from the SAKE TASTING VENDING MACHINE!!

Tokyo is loaded with museums, hundreds of them from art to science. If normal museums are a bore to you or you want to try something new, let me tell you about this place! The TOKYO MUSEUM OF SEWAGE! Here, you'll spend the day learning about Tokyo's sewer system, how it works and even get a chance to go inside the main sewer pipe suspending on a platform over the free flowing raw crap. Perfect for families -- or maybe for the second or third date with someone special :) either way, Kodaira city is a really relaxing place to hang out, a few really cool cafes and restaurants near the station.

There are some places in this world we have to visit before we die. Places that are so unbelievably beautiful that we need to see it with our own eyes to believe it. This Japanese National Park in Hitachi is one of those places. Between April 15 to May 10, it becomes a place where the ground meets the sky – the Nemophilia flowers, also known as Baby Blue Eyes, bloom making a fantastic landscape that can't be compared to anything else on earth.

John Daub heads to Shibamata in the Northeast part of the city for some amazing Japanese cuisine on a stick! Angela joins in for the fun. This part of Tokyo retains its Showa period charm, laid-back and easy to get around.

Zentsuji in Kagawa Prefecture is the home to Japan's SQUARE WATERMELONS and I travel to Shikoku Island to the very spot where they've been producing them for decades. In this Man vs. Nature battle, mankind seems to have won -- but at the expensive costs to produce square watermelons, a luxury fruit, does anyone actually want one?

Yes, Japan has a desert compete with camels, sane dunes and ... a world class art museum with sand sculptures! This time, John heads to this barren wasteland devoid of vending machines for a taste of the Sahara – in Japan. 100,000 years ago, this area turned into a desert because sand flew in from the sea accumulating over many millennia. The result is a 16 km by 2 km wide desert that was growing until about 50 years ago when the city residents decided enough was enough.

(Almost) Everything you want to know about John and ONLY In JAPAN. This episode was made for you. John takes you to several places around the city: Shibuya, Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Harajuku, Omotesando, Yoyogi Park, Odaiba in VR 360 video!

The world is full of amazing street parties, music festivals and carnivals! In Japan, there's this the AWA ODORI. It's held annually in Tokushima and it's historically -- a big drunken dance party in the streets! That's right, Samurai were even banned from joining in 1671 because they were continually disgracing themselves. (It was for their own protection.) Tokushima is known for its love of dance and drinking, the jolliest place in Japan!

Don't be frightened! In Japan, bath houses are everywhere, but none are as mystical as Dogo Onsen. Sure, it's a place where you get naked with a bunch of strangers to clean yourself and relax in therapeutic waters, but what makes this public onsen special is that it's also open to everyone including those with tattoos, a rarity in Japan. You can't stay the night here, but you can take in the magical environment that places you in what seems like a totally different world.

UDON!! A hot bowl of noddles in Tokyo always hits the spot on a cold day. Instead of ramen, let's go for UDON, which is both healthier (don't eat too much tempura!) and more fun to eat. In this episode, John travels from Tokyo to Kagawa Prefecture and the Sakuki region for handmade bowls of udon noodles and soup. Let's explore the kitchen, watch them cook and serve like pros -- and of course EAT, EAT and EAT!

One of Tokyo's most famous food alleys is at Shinjuku's West gate where loads of yakitori and motsunabe restaurants date back to the late 1940s. It's a street food paradise where you can see and smell the grilling and frying -- hungry, you will be! In this episode, John and Shingo visit OMOIDE YOKOCHO (思い出横丁) or ""Memory Lane"". Have a look around the alley and shops in 360 VR!

Japan is a country with some of the best food in the world, certainly not exclusive to Tokyo or Osaka! I hope you're hungry because I'm traveling 550 km north to Iwate Prefecture in the Japanese countryside to stuff my mouth with as much good food as I can!

In this episode, John travels to Seki city in Gifu prefecture to check out the CUTLERY FESTIVAL known as the HAMONO MATSURI in Japan. Now only will you find over 43 knife makers selling their best at discounted prices, you'll see the most unique knives anywhere as well as Chanbara performances (Samurai Sword Fight Acting). The most unique part of the Hamono Festuval is an authentic demonstration of traditional sword forging using Tamahagane Steel.

Christmas shopping can be stressful ... but not today! I've found a Japanese Vending Machine that is perfect, making it easy for you to shop and save time -- and save money! There are over 650 of these King's Treasure Box vending machines around Tokyo ー and what's inside may surprise you! I spoke with the creator and CEO of these special vending machines who gave me an inside look at the machine -- and all that treasure!