0:00:02 > 0:00:05We've packed our passports.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07And bought our phrase books.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09HE SPEAKS FALTERING JAPANESE
0:00:09 > 0:00:14Because we're off on our biggest, craziest adventure yet.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19ALL: Delicious, delicious, miaow miaow beeeeee!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23HE YODELS LIKE TARZAN
0:00:23 > 0:00:27We're travelling further than we've ever done before.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31To uncover the authentic roots of Britain's favourite takeaway foods.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35I've always wanted to know how to make proper sweet and sour sauce.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Going off the beaten track
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and being welcomed into some of Asia's hidden worlds.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43How marvellous is this?!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48From the high rises and hot woks of Hong Kong...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The heat on this is really, really intense.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53But listen, it's like a jet engine!
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I love it!
0:00:55 > 0:00:58To the sweltering tropics of Thailand...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59We love a Tuk-Tuk!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..where they say it's impossible to eat badly.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Thai food's arrived in Britain,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07but by crikey, it's only the tip of the iceberg.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12And we fulfil a lifelong ambition, to explore Japan.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15- That is perfect.- Wow, look at that.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16I've just had a sushi-gasm!
0:01:17 > 0:01:19We finish up in South Korea,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23where the spicy cuisine is sensational.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This is will go down a bomb down the local.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30So leather up and take to the road.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33For one extremely hairy...
0:01:33 > 0:01:36BOTH: Asian adventure!
0:01:53 > 0:01:56We're on a journey of discovery through Japan.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59There's so much more to Japanese cuisine than sushi.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03It's our all-time favourite food in the world.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07We're taking the old road to the iconic Mount Fuji,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10before finishing our trip in the ancient capital of Kyoto.
0:02:13 > 0:02:14And what a road it is!
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Japan's a biker's paradise,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and home to four of the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturers.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27I tell you what, these work on a nice, dry road, don't they? Whoa!
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And actually motorcycling around Mount Fuji,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33- it don't get much better, does it? - No.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38'Sunday's the day for biking in Japan and this is the place to come:
0:02:38 > 0:02:40'Mount Fuji National Park.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43'Home to one of the country's three holy mountains
0:02:43 > 0:02:45'and its spiritual heart.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50'This is the most visited park in the country and I can see why.'
0:02:52 > 0:02:54There's a serenity to the lake,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56- it's beautiful, isn't it? - Oh, it's gorgeous.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Do you know, Si, it reminds me of the Great Lakes in Italy,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01like Maggiore and Como.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Yes. I know exactly what you mean.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08You know what, we're lucky to even be here, Kingy.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Until 150 years ago,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Japan was completely cut off from the outside world.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16No-one was allowed in and anyone trying to leave
0:03:16 > 0:03:18faced the death penalty!
0:03:19 > 0:03:23That explains why traditional Japanese food hasn't really changed.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29'And there's no better place to see the old ways in action
0:03:29 > 0:03:31'than this little town in the shadow of the mountain.'
0:03:31 > 0:03:38- We made it, mate. Fujiyoshida. - Home of Japan's finest udon noodles.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42And we're going to be taught how to make noodles by a noodle master.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Along with rice, noodles are at the heart of virtually every meal here.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Well, it's like potatoes are to us.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Udon noodles are traditionally eaten before you climb Mount Fuji
0:03:56 > 0:03:59to help purify you for your pilgrimage.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01They're the big fat white ones that look like worms.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04But don't let that put you off... they're delicious!
0:04:04 > 0:04:09This is the oldest noodle restaurant in Fujiyoshida.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14This place has not changed its recipe for 123 years.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16And it's made with spring water from Mount Fuji.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18It's essentially very simple,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20but if you're going to get a right noodle,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23this is one has got to be the best.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28The restaurant's run by fourth generation noodle maker Mr Osawo,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31who likes to be called Oji San, which means Grandpa.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37- Hello, hello, hello.- How long has Oji San been making noodles?
0:04:37 > 0:04:39HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:04:40 > 0:04:44- 63 years. Now.- That's a lot of very happy tummies.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47So how old is Oji San?
0:04:49 > 0:04:54- 80 years old.- 80? - Noodles keep you young!- Yeah!
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Oji San is training his grandson Yasuhiro
0:04:59 > 0:05:02in the dark art of noodle making.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05First of all, put the udon dough on the plate.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- What's the dough made from? - Flour.- Yep.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- Salt.- Yeah. Water.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13- Very simple, very pure.- That's it.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15'They might be cut by hand, Kingy,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18'but the process starts with a bit of fancy footwork.'
0:05:18 > 0:05:20"STRICTLY COME DANCING" THEME PLAYS
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'And I'm just the man for the job!'
0:05:28 > 0:05:30- Gentle, gentle.- Slowly.- Slow.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34The finest noodles in the world under a Cumbrian's feet.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36It's quite awesome, really.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41'Once the dough has been pounded into submission, it's rolled and sliced.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46'That's sliced, Kingy, not sawed!'
0:05:49 > 0:05:51So it's just one cut, is it, just one?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- Ahhh!- I didn't cut through! Ohh!
0:05:58 > 0:06:01We'll just gloss over that bit, that's what he's saying, I think.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06This is not noodles. This is going to be garbage.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08ALL LAUGH
0:06:09 > 0:06:15- It's tough love, Si.- Once you know the tricks, then you can be better.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17OJI SAN SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:06:17 > 0:06:20How long did you have to put up with this for
0:06:20 > 0:06:21before you worked in the shop?
0:06:21 > 0:06:24HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:06:26 > 0:06:28He cut every day for 15 years.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Most doctorates and degrees and PhDs
0:06:31 > 0:06:33don't even last as long as 15 years,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37in terms of your, you know, in terms of your apprenticeship
0:06:37 > 0:06:40to cutting noodles, I mean, that's quite remarkable.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'The noodles cook for seven minutes exactly in boiling water.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:48No, no, no.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53You have to practise much more, more.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Ahhh!
0:06:57 > 0:06:59He's worn a notch out of his stick!
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Just by the...
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'The portions are measured out by the bowlful
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'but even this takes years of training.'
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It's too much.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Ah, no, no, no. It's wrong.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:07:16 > 0:07:20I give up! It's never going to happen.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Some things I think are best left
0:07:22 > 0:07:24as one of life's little mysteries, don't you?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31'The Japanese are obsessed with noodles
0:07:31 > 0:07:35'and they've perfected the art of noodle diversification.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37'There are hundreds of variations on the theme
0:07:37 > 0:07:40'but one of the most popular is ramen.'
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Ramen noodles are thinner and longer than udon
0:07:45 > 0:07:47and are served in a hearty soup.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50They became popular in Japan after the Second World War,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and today these comforting noodles
0:07:52 > 0:07:56are a favourite fast food choice in the UK as well,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58thanks to chains of noodle bars.
0:08:00 > 0:08:01When you've had enough purity,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04when you've got bored with the seasonality,
0:08:04 > 0:08:09when you want a mucky noodle, a filthy noodle, you want ramen!
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Yes! The happy face noodle. Look at that.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17'And in the foothills of Mount Fuji,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'we're going to make our own ramen soup
0:08:20 > 0:08:23'with pork broth and marinated soft boiled eggs.'
0:08:23 > 0:08:26They're full of thick, sticky, fatty, porky broth.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28You've got belly pork on the top.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30You've got tamago eggs which are like
0:08:30 > 0:08:33the best kind of semi hard-boiled egg in the world.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37It's kind of, new food, it was born in the 1950s,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39it's food to free the shackles of oppression.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43These boys are ramen rock-and-roll noodles.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46But ramen, it's all about the stock.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49That's what people are going bonkers for in the ramen shops.
0:08:49 > 0:08:50And people who own ramen shops,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53they closely guard the secret of their stock,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56but they'll have pork bones going for two days,
0:08:56 > 0:09:01three days, just this intense, fatty, meaty, tasty broth.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05And it clings to the noodle, like a climber on a rock face.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07You know, the great thing about ramen, it's sticky when you eat it.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10It sticks to your lips, and all that fat content. Ohh!
0:09:10 > 0:09:13And when you slurp ramen, it's messy, it gets on your glasses,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16in your hair, in your head but it's part of the gig.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Now, the broth, it's quite specific.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24In here, I've got a pan, with two and a half litres of water.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Yes, it does happen to be spa water from Mount Fuji,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29but you know, tap will do.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32So this is a piece of combu seaweed, and it's been soaking in that
0:09:32 > 0:09:35two and a half litres of water for about half an hour.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40You can buy combu seaweed in Asian supermarkets back home.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Now, what we do is we cut this into three strips.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47You've got to be careful.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49You put this in here, and we bring this to the boil.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53As soon as it's on the boil, we take the combu out and discard it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55If you boil it with the combu in,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58it's going to taste like a fisherman's wellington
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and that's not the effect we're after.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03There we are. That's just coming to a nice poach.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Remove the combu and add some sake, dried shitake mushrooms,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12an onion, ginger and some tuna flakes,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15which you can buy in Asian supermarkets or online.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18I love these big chopsticks. I feel proper.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21This dish has regional variations
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and round here they love pork ramen.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28So what I'm doing is I'm just rinsing the grease off it.
0:10:28 > 0:10:29What we want to do is,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32we don't want any of that to go into our stock.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37- No, we want the pure flavours, you know.- There you are, dear fellow.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38And in they go!
0:10:39 > 0:10:40Cover that up.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43The stock needs to bubble away for three hours.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46While it's doing its stuff, I'm going to show you something
0:10:46 > 0:10:50that'll make your ramen look and taste like the real deal.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51It's a hard-boiled egg garnish.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53But, like everything Japanese,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55it is the most perfect hard-boiled egg you've ever had.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57It's runny in the middle,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59and it's marinated for 12 hours in Japanese spices.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03'And of course the Japanese have a gadget for everything.'
0:11:03 > 0:11:07This is something you won't find at home. This is a tamago egg mould.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12You can have shaped eggs. You can have heart-shaped soft boiled eggs.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16- Star-shaped soft boiled eggs. - It's genius.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Pop a soft-boiled egg that's been cooked for exactly six minutes
0:11:19 > 0:11:21into the mould and immerse the whole thing
0:11:21 > 0:11:24in a marinade of soy, mirin and sake.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It's just like pickled eggs in pubs. I like pickled eggs.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31After 12 hours - yes, I know, 12 hours -
0:11:31 > 0:11:34you'll have the perfect garnish for your ramen.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35Simples.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- Oh!- Now, that's the lovely broth. That's what we're after.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43And then add even more flavour. Fresh shitake mushrooms,
0:11:43 > 0:11:48ginger and garlic, and these gorgeous shimegi mushrooms
0:11:48 > 0:11:52which are perfect in soup or stir fries. That's it. Job done!
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Now, we are nearly at the end of the noodle path at the top of Mount Fuji.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The time has come to achieve enlightenment perfection
0:12:00 > 0:12:01in the way of the ramen.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Fresh noodles like these only need a couple of minutes to blanche.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Then, right at the end, you add your meat.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11We're using some slow-cooked char sui pork
0:12:11 > 0:12:14but leftovers from a roast would do just as well.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Layer up the ramen noodles, slices of pork, spring onions
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and enoki mushrooms.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22And now the broth, lots of broth.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28Nice.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Top with more pork, some spring onions
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and the piece de resistance - the egg!
0:12:34 > 0:12:36It looks like a builder's bum, not a heart!
0:12:38 > 0:12:41You too, Japanese builder's butt-crack eggs.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- Oh, that's what you're after. - Yeah, look.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48That will sit on top of the noodles.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53'Finish off with a flourish of tuna flakes.'
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Look at that, dude, I love how they move.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58As the Japanese say, when you want ramen, there's only ramen'll do.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02It's true. It's comfort food for Japan.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10Well, this is the first time, mate. We've made ramen in Japan.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14On the shores of a lake in the foothills of Mount Fuji.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17THEY SLURP LOUDLY
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Mmmm!
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- It's rich.- It's sweet, savoury.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26All those flavours that you expect from Japanese cuisine.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29And all the textural differences as well.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31We can't thank Japan enough
0:13:31 > 0:13:34for giving the world the ultimate comfort food.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Mind, it's a clean shirt.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51That's it, Dave, Fuji's right behind those clouds now.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56I can sense it, Kingy, I can sense it. The spirit is nearly upon me.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00But the visuals are sadly lacking at the minute.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'Mount Fuji is the most climbed mountain in the world.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06'But the summit's only visible for about 100 days a year,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09'and it's sod's law that today isn't one of them.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Kingy, there's like a cutout Mount Fuji sign on the traffic lights.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16I tell you what, mate, at this rate,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18the cutout is about as much as we'll see.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27It's about your spiritual imagination
0:14:27 > 0:14:29rather than the physical entity, dude.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33- Yeah, but it's enigmatic, because we know it's there.- Exactly.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35It's shrouded in a veil of mystery.
0:14:54 > 0:14:55This is Mount Fuji.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02The sacred mountain, the giver of water for the noodles.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05- It's kind of otherworldly, isn't it?- It is.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08I think making the noodles was kind of slightly ethereal.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12- The attention to detail, the madness of the noodle.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15And then, you know, it's all beginning to make sense.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19- It's just incredible. What a privilege.- Oh, yeah.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Look at that, man.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23If we've got off to a start like this,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25imagine what Kyoto has got to offer us.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- Oh, man, it's just going to be amazing.- It makes you giggle! - It does.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- Hey, we're lucky.- We are that, mate.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35'Tranquil and purified, we're ready for Kyoto,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37'Japan's ancient capital.'
0:15:48 > 0:15:51It definitely feels like the ancient capital of Japan.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- Beautiful, isn't it? - Fabulous. It's like a film set.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55It does, doesn't it?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58'Japan was a vegetarian country for over a thousand years
0:15:58 > 0:16:01'and has some of the best vegetarian cuisine in the world.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05'The very best is found not in Kyoto's swanky restaurants
0:16:05 > 0:16:07'but in the Buddhist temples.'
0:16:08 > 0:16:10'We're lucky enough to have been invited to break our journey
0:16:10 > 0:16:12'and stay the night at the temple.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16'We've arrived late but the monks have left the key under the mat,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18'so we can let ourselves in.'
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Kyoto is home to 1,600 temples.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Buddhism has been part of the country's culture
0:16:26 > 0:16:28since the 6th century
0:16:28 > 0:16:32and Shinto philosophy is at the heart of Japan's day-to-day life.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40'The monks' day starts at sunrise with meditation,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44'but head priest Reverend Daiko has taken pity on our tired bones
0:16:44 > 0:16:48'and let us sleep in, waking us up in time for breakfast.'
0:16:48 > 0:16:51- Morning.- Good morning. - So, it's 6.30.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- Is it?- Yeah. So, you're supposed to make your breakfast.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- OK.- So we have to move.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59'Come on, mate!
0:16:59 > 0:17:01'The chef who cooks the monks' food
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'also works at a Michelin-starred restaurant, no less.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07'And we're going to help him make breakfast. Up and at 'em!'
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Forget cereal and toast!
0:17:14 > 0:17:17We're making two types of soup and five side dishes.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- Shiba-san.- Nice to see you.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- Thank you.- Great to see you. Thank you.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32'Chef Shiba tasks us with making tofu dumplings.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'I think this is penance for oversleeping this morning.'
0:17:36 > 0:17:43- So, you're mashing the tofu to make it smoother.- Yeah.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- It's a lot of work.- Yeah. - It's a lot of discipline.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- Which is part of being a monk!- Yes.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53This type of cooking has a special name in Japan - Shojin Ryori.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The pursuit of enlightenment through cooking.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- And presumably, this cuisine purifies your body as well?- Yes.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16'For the Zen Buddhist, cooking is considered a type of meditation.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19'The aim is to banish worldly thoughts, focus on the food
0:18:19 > 0:18:21'and aim for limitless perfection.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24'We could learn a lot from these monks, Kingy.'
0:18:24 > 0:18:27There is a feeling of wanting to get it right, isn't there?
0:18:27 > 0:18:31'The dumplings are stuffed with edamame beans, potato
0:18:31 > 0:18:36'and gingko nuts, which some people believe help with mood and memory.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41'The attention to detail in plating up is everything you'd expect
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'from a Michelin-starred chef, but with added value.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49'Buddhist philosophy dictates every meal should include five colours,
0:18:49 > 0:18:54'white, red, black, yellow and green.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55'As well as looking lovely,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59'it also helps make sure you're getting all your vitamins.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04'With food like this on offer every day, no wonder there's been
0:19:04 > 0:19:07'a sharp rise in the number of Buddhist monks in recent years!
0:19:07 > 0:19:09'Monks can also get married and have families,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'so that probably helps with the recruitment drive.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14THE MONKS CHANT
0:19:19 > 0:19:21'A monk should always eat healthily and in moderation
0:19:21 > 0:19:24'so portion sizes are small.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27'Which is something else we could learn from the monks, don't you think?'
0:19:27 > 0:19:29- So, please enjoy.- Thank you.
0:19:36 > 0:19:43- Oh!- Anybody ever says tofu is boring, they have to taste this.- Yes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45This is absolutely gorgeous.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Is it? I have to say, I have said that tofu is boring.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- It's so good.- Sesame tofu is... - Oh, wow.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- ..it's very mild.- Oh, yeah.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57'Oh, no.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59'I'm a tofu convert, dude!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02'And those are words I never thought I'd hear coming out of my mouth.'
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Before you were a monk, what did you do?
0:20:09 > 0:20:14- Did you have... You were a student? - Yes, I was a student.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Did you go to discos and ride motorcycles?- Yeah!
0:20:17 > 0:20:19So, normal life.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Normal life.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26So, um, I was a big supporter of Liverpool football club.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Hurray! Great!
0:20:29 > 0:20:33So, when I was at graduate school,
0:20:33 > 0:20:39after university, I visited Anfield stadium. Yeah, yeah.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41What was it that made you decide...
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I've seen Anfield, I'm going to be a monk?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46At first I did not want to be a priest.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Because it is, um... out of fashion, right?
0:20:50 > 0:20:54At that time, I thought it out of fashion.
0:20:54 > 0:21:00- But I felt very honoured to be wanted.- To be part of it.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04- To take over the temple and be part of it.- Yes, yes.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05So that is a bigger reason.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I think I can honestly say that that was the finest breakfast I've ever had.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- Really?- Thank you so much. - Thank you very much.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25We're back in Kyoto, the tourist capital of Japan.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Millions of people rock up here every year, mate, and no wonder.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32The city's packed with cultural delights.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35We've done the monasteries, so what's next in the guide book, Kingy?
0:21:37 > 0:21:41The Man In The Moon Irish pub! They get everywhere, don't they?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43DAVE LAUGHS
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- Oh, wow. It's a geisha?- Yeah.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I'd never know how to walk in four-inch platforms though.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55No.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Noddy Holder managed it, though.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59Yeah.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03In Kyoto, fully fledged geisha are called geiko
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and trainees are called maiko.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06The city's 200 geiko
0:22:06 > 0:22:10are committed to keeping this 300-year-old tradition alive.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14I'm going to experience something truly elegant,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17historic and beautiful.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20We're going for a night out with the maiko.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Now, these women studied the nuances of their culture,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25and the ceremonies therein,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28to make travellers like Dave and I welcome.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31The maiko will become a geiko,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33which is the geisha of Kyoto.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Now, there's been a lot of controversy over the years
0:22:37 > 0:22:40about what exactly the role of a geisha is,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42but today they're very much a legitimate part
0:22:42 > 0:22:45of the hospitality and tourist industry.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- It's great.- It's elegant, simple, wonderful.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Not many people live in traditional houses in Japan any more,
0:22:53 > 0:22:54so teahouses like this
0:22:54 > 0:22:58offer the chance to see ancient costumes and rituals in action.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Konnichiwa.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE - Good evening.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Thank you for coming.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09BOTH: Well, thank you for having us.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11'A geiko's job is to act as a hostess.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15'They serve food and drink, and entertain their clients
0:23:15 > 0:23:19'by performing traditional music, dances and games.'
0:23:19 > 0:23:22What I'm finding remarkable, as I'm sure Dave is,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26is that it's still living and breathing and it's still here
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and it's still part of Japanese culture.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- Yes, as you see.- Absolutely.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35'Tomitae is one of Kyoto's 70 maiko.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37'She's chaperoned by Reiko Tomimori,
0:23:37 > 0:23:41'a geiko mother who oversees her apprenticeship.'
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Why did this lady want to be a maiko?
0:23:44 > 0:23:48TOMITAE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE
0:23:53 > 0:23:55When she was little
0:23:55 > 0:23:59she loved to wear kimono
0:23:59 > 0:24:03and also she loved traditional Japanese music.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05How long is the training?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- About five years before becoming a geiko.- Five years?- Wow.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15Can it be a long career, being a geiko?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I mean, how old can you carry on working?
0:24:18 > 0:24:22SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE
0:24:22 > 0:24:24As long as she wants to.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Only one condition -
0:24:26 > 0:24:29if she wants to get married, she has to retire.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33'It costs about £2,000 a month to train a maiko.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36'While they're apprentices, they get paid pocket money,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38'but once they've graduated,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41'being a geiko can be a very lucrative career.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'We're being treated to a Japanese banquet called kaiseki.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49'It has up to 16 courses
0:24:49 > 0:24:53'and dates back to the days when Kyoto was the imperial capital.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56'This meal is more than just food -
0:24:56 > 0:24:59'the geiko turn the whole experience into theatre.'
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- I've never felt so pampered in my life.- It's marvellous, isn't it?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08THEY SPEAK IN JAPANESE
0:25:13 > 0:25:15- That is good sake.- Oh, I see, so...
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Every time you drink it,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20very kindly the ladies fill it up.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24So if we... Could we put that down here now and then start to eat?
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Yes, please! I'm sorry, I should have...
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Cos I'm going to end up very cross-eyed very quickly!
0:25:30 > 0:25:34The kaiseki banquet includes raw fish or sashimi,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38pork belly, local vegetables and tempura.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- Oh.- Mmm.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- Oh, wow. This is lovely.- It is.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Absolutely lovely.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51'While we're eating, we're treated to a traditional fan dance.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55'The term maiko translates literally as "dance child".'
0:25:55 > 0:25:57MUSIC PLAYS
0:26:05 > 0:26:07You know, Si, what this experience is like,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11it's like a good piece of classical music, classical opera.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13It's where all the arts come together
0:26:13 > 0:26:15to be something truly fantastic.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18You know, there's the food, the music,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20the theatre, the spectacle.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- Yeah.- All done with quite a lot of gravitas.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27It's just lovely, cos it's a layered art form, isn't it?
0:26:27 > 0:26:31- Yes.- That's what we're in receipt of, and that's a remarkable thing.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39THEY SING 'And when we've finished, we play parlour games,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42'which might look innocent but have a hidden agenda -
0:26:42 > 0:26:44'involving yet more sake!'
0:26:44 > 0:26:47SHE SINGS
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Ah!
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- You have to drink.- Oh.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54I lost.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56This is so much better than darts.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE
0:27:04 > 0:27:09She said you are very strong, handsome and very cool.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- That's very nice, yes.- Never mind, never mind, you'll be all right.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14That might be gilding the lily a bit.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22What do we do now?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- I tell you what I'd like you to do now.- What?
0:27:25 > 0:27:29Can you get us out of this position? I tell you what, it's murdered me.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Would you mind? I'm a bit stuck.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35'This road trip through Japan
0:27:35 > 0:27:38'has exceeded all our expectations.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:40We've waited 20 years to come to Japan.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42It's blown me mind, dude.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44It's absolutely blown me mind,
0:27:44 > 0:27:45it's been everything and more
0:27:45 > 0:27:49that I could ever have dreamt of and ever wished for. What about you?
0:27:49 > 0:27:51I thought that I knew about Japanese food,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53I've learnt a lot off the internet,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56through going to restaurants, eating loads of takeaways.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58But it's not the case.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- The Japanese food I've found here is very different.- Yes, it is.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03It's a lot purer, it's a lot more gentle,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05and it's a lot more sophisticated,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and I think at home we've got a lot more to learn.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11For me, as a cook, it's just blown the bloomin' doors off!
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Oh, it's blown my mind, dude. Absolutely amazing.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Amazing cultural experience and great food.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19A little cultural good-night sake?
0:28:19 > 0:28:21- I think so, should we? - Yes!- Let's go.