0:00:03 > 0:00:07We've packed our passports and bought our phrase books...
0:00:07 > 0:00:09HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:00:09 > 0:00:14..because we're off on our biggest, craziest adventure yet.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Delicious.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Delicious. Meow, meow, bn-eeep!
0:00:20 > 0:00:23TARZAN-LIKE CRY
0:00:23 > 0:00:26We're travelling further than we've ever done before
0:00:26 > 0:00:31to uncover the authentic roots of Britain's favourite takeaway foods...
0:00:31 > 0:00:36I've always wanted to know how to make proper sweet-and-sour sauce.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38..going off the beaten track
0:00:38 > 0:00:42and being welcomed into some of Asia's hidden worlds.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44How marvellous is this!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48From the high-rises and hot woks of Hong Kong...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51The hit on this is really, really intense but listen,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54it's like a jet engine.
0:00:54 > 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 > 0:01:03..where they say it's impossible to eat badly.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Thai food's arrived in Britain but, by crikey,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08it's only the tip of the iceberg.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12And we fulfil a lifelong ambition to explore Japan.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17- That is perfect.- Wow! Look at that. - I've just had a sushi-gasm!
0:01:17 > 0:01:23We finish up in South Korea where the spicy cuisine is sensational.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28This will go down a bomb down the local.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31So leather-up and take to the road
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- for one extremely hairy - Asian adventure!
0:01:57 > 0:01:59We've got a trip of a lifetime ahead of us.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Two weeks travelling all over Japan to unlock
0:02:03 > 0:02:07the secrets of Japanese food and there's only one place to start.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13I can't believe it, mate. We're here in Tokyo.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Oh, we've been dying to come here for years. Land of the Rising Sun.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22- Sashimi, Sushi, noodles and neon. - What are we waiting for?- Sugoi!
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Tokyo is the world's largest metropolis.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34And it's the gastronomic capital of the world.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It is home to over 13 million people
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and has more Michelin stars than Paris.
0:02:41 > 0:02:47- Do you know what, Si?- What?- I think we're going to love this place.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Japanese is Dave and I's all-time favourite food.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54And it seems we're not alone.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Sushi now outsells some of our most popular
0:02:58 > 0:03:01sandwiches in supermarkets across the UK,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05making Japanese one of our best-loved lunchtime takeaways.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Now, since our diet, we've both been watching what we eat.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The Japanese have the lowest obesity rates in the world and
0:03:13 > 0:03:16we want to find out how they do it.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19We want to discover the secrets of sushi.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22We want to get under the skin of the national obsession with the noodle.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24We want to find out what people are eating in restaurants.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- And in their homes.- Oh, enough blathering, Kingy. I'm starving.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Let's eat.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Armed with a good Japanese phrase book and a voracious appetite...
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- A potent combination, there's no time to waste, David.- Yowzah.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42But first, we've got to navigate through this monster of a mega city,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46which is bigger than the whole of West Yorkshire.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Tokyo is an urban area made up of 23 districts,
0:03:51 > 0:03:5526 cities and five towns, each with their own identity.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00Our first port of call is Akihabara, or Electric Town,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and it's THE place to go and see Tokyo by night.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- Can't believe we're here.- Can you?
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- It's a sea of neon, isn't it? It's great.- Yeah.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26It's the most surreal environment, isn't it?
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Everywhere you look, there's stimulation.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Choosing a bite to eat is just as mind-boggling as the city itself.
0:04:37 > 0:04:44They have robot restaurants, vampire restaurants and even kitten cafes.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45Meow!
0:04:47 > 0:04:49But some restaurants have capitalised on the Japanese
0:04:49 > 0:04:52obsession - and I mean obsession - with manga,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Japanese comics popular with children and adults alike.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Manga is a £1.5 billion industry in Japan
0:04:59 > 0:05:03and the more lovable characters of the comic strips have spawned
0:05:03 > 0:05:07whole chains of restaurants based on innocence and cuteness,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09like the Maid Cafes.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15- Hello.- Hello. Konichiwa.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19The first Maid Cafe opened here in Electric Town in 1999.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Now there are over 200 in Tokyo alone.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Can I have a number one, with curry rice?
0:05:36 > 0:05:40- In our culture, this is very different.- It's very eccentric.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42How did this start?
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- Like manga?- Yeah, manga.- Yeah, OK.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It is. It is. It is like Disneyland.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01It's like a mad kindergarten but for everybody.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06The Japanese call this culture kawaii.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09You might not realise it, but you're already familiar with
0:06:09 > 0:06:13kawaii from cartoon characters like Hello Kitty and Pokemon.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17But here's the crazy thing -
0:06:17 > 0:06:19kawaii began as a rebellion in the 1970s,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24when teenagers refused to conform to the strict Japanese rules of how
0:06:24 > 0:06:29to behave as adults, with the long working hours and rigid home lives.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33In the same way British teenagers rebelled and became punks,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36the Japanese simply refused to grow up.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39They created a fantasy world to escape in
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and the cutesy kawaii culture took off.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Ooh, Hello Kitty! We're getting in the swing of it!
0:06:45 > 0:06:48If she puts them on me I am going to...
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- Meow meow!- Meow meow!- Meow meow!
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Like all good fairy tales, I wish I could say I was sitting comfortably.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01But for a British bloke, this is all a bit bizarre
0:07:01 > 0:07:04so let's hope the food is good, at least.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- Oh!- Oh.- OK. Thank you.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Oh, it's a heart.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13To give the food even more cutesy appeal,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17they decorate it with cartoon animals
0:07:17 > 0:07:20using ketchup and brown sauce.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Aw! Oh, it's a cat with a parting.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31- Thank you.- Three, two, one. - Delicious. Delicious.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Meow, meow, bl-eeen!
0:07:38 > 0:07:40- Please enjoy your meals. - Thank you. What is it?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Well, it's an omelette in some sort of sauce
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- with rice underneath, I think. - Go on, have a dig in.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- I just want to see what's in it. It's curry rice.- Curry rice?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52- What's yours? - Oh, mine's a bear katsu.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57# If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise. #
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Meow meow!
0:07:59 > 0:08:03# Here's a little train coming in the tunnel. #
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Choo-choo-choo-choo-choo....
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I think it's getting to me, this place, Kingy!
0:08:10 > 0:08:15- Meow, meow!- If you do that again, I'm going to stab you with my fork.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17- Ah!- Oh, God!
0:08:17 > 0:08:21You know, mate, even if you find the whole cute thing a bit too cute,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24you've got to admire how much effort goes into the presentation
0:08:24 > 0:08:26of what is essentially fast food.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30I'm starting to get a sense that the Japanese don't do things by half.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Yeah, right! I can't wait to find out what else they've got in store.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44But first, I reckon it's time for a spot of cooking, David.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50- Oh, cowabunga! - Thanks very much.- Selling tonkatsu!
0:08:50 > 0:08:56We've picked up one of these traditional Japanese mobile food stalls called a yatai,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58which means a cart with roof.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00We're doing pork tonkatsu,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04a breaded and fried cutlet served with shredded cabbage
0:09:04 > 0:09:07and a tasty home-made brown sauce.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12We're going to kick off our recipe with the katsu sauce which is
0:09:12 > 0:09:15based on good old tomato ketchup.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19And then we're going to fire it up with some grated ginger and garlic.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22You can buy tonkatsu sauce as well in supermarkets here
0:09:22 > 0:09:26but honestly, it's not as good as home-made.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Next, another familiar ingredient.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32This is Japanese Worcester sauce from that famous
0:09:32 > 0:09:35county of Worcestershire, about 6,000 miles north of Kyoto.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39You can use British Worcester sauce. Look at that. Bulldog.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- That's a commute, I tell you.- Oh, yes.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46But don't worry, we'll give it a proper taste of Japan with
0:09:46 > 0:09:49a couple of spoonfuls of mirin and soy sauce.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55And now we have one teaspoon of Japanese mustard.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Japanese mustard is like a mixture of English mustard... Hello!
0:10:00 > 0:10:02..English mustard and Dijon mustard.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It's a clever little sauce, this, isn't it?
0:10:05 > 0:10:10- Oh, it's lovely. - And lastly, a tablespoon of sugar.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- It's fluffy sugar here, isn't it?- It is fluffy.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20Now, you put that on the heat for about five minutes just so those
0:10:20 > 0:10:25flavours amalgamate and then we take it off and strain it and that's it.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Now, I've got two pork cutlets and I'm going to painier them.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32That's just a posh French word for "covering in breadcrumbs".
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Now in this bowl, I put some flour.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And whether you're making pork tonkatsu or fish fingers,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44the routine is the same. Flour, egg and breadcrumbs.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48These are panko breadcrumbs, a Japanese super-crispy breadcrumbs.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52You get the mineral supermarkets and honestly, I use these loads.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- Great on fishcakes, aren't they?- Absolutely epic.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Fried chicken, fry anything.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Panko are made from a crustless loaf and they are lighter
0:11:01 > 0:11:05and crispier than regular breadcrumbs.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08This is the secret to perfect breaded dishes.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The flour helps the egg and breadcrumbs stick,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13so the coating doesn't come off in the pan.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Actually, it makes a small amount of meat go a long way.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21You could, if you were skint, you could beat this out thin
0:11:21 > 0:11:26and make it go twice as far. Now more egg and then more crumbs.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And don't be afraid to just slightly put some
0:11:29 > 0:11:31pressure on to push the crumbs into that egg,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34so it stays nice and firm and you get a lovely crust.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36That's Si's way of telling me,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39you're not pressing it down long enough to keep the crumbs in.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41- Thank you.- You're welcome.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Now, while Dave's doing that, all I'm going to do is,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49I'm going to strain off this sauce through...
0:11:49 > 0:11:53a little sieve here into our bowl.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57- Have you finished? Do you want me to get your pan up?- Yeah.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00I'll get my pan up. Hold on.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- I don't want to peak early. - Don't peak early, for God's sake.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07You know, pork tonkatsu, it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, isn't it?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10You know how we have, like, fish on a Friday,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12or a nice steak on a Friday at home, well,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14tonkatsu was the equivalent of that.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It was the Friday working man's treat.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20You get the temperature right, you get the pork cooked just
0:12:20 > 0:12:21so it's juicy. Heavenly.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Which gives me six minutes to get all the trimmings ready.
0:12:25 > 0:12:31Take cabbage. Chinese cabbage, Japanese cabbage, could be Savoy.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Shredded raw green cabbage is delicious.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Finer than a hummingbird's toenail clippings. That fine.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42This calls for a tangy accompaniment - like these pickles.
0:12:43 > 0:12:44Nice, Dave. Nice.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49So your pork goes for about three minutes per side,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53because what you want to do is you want to keep it lovely
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- and moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside.- Righto, Si.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00- I think we're kind of... We're just about ready to combine.- OK, mate.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Look at these tiny, tiny spring onions.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05They be nice chopped on the top.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- Look. Oh, man! They are perfect. Minters! Aren't they?- Lush!
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Eh, God!
0:13:11 > 0:13:17So, what we do on an angle, you want five slices.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Because remember, you've got chopsticks.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23You don't want to give somebody a blooming great chop at table!
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Honestly, cabbage is one of the main events.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Nice, Dave. We put that on there like that.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37But then, you bring it to life with your tonkatsu sauce.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41- Should I, or do you? - I think you should.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I mean, that's pork tonkatsu how you get it in Tokyo.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48How brilliant is that?
0:13:48 > 0:13:51How quick is that? How comforting is that?
0:13:51 > 0:13:56And how Japanese and Tokyo is that?
0:13:56 > 0:14:04Loads of places in the UK sell chicken katsu but if you see pork tonkatsu, give it a go.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06And if we can knock it up in a barrow,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08it's going to be easy to do in a kitchen.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Giddy-up, dude. Got an early start tomorrow, you know.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Morning, Kingy! Or should I say, ohayou gozaimasu!
0:14:20 > 0:14:25Now I reckon today's the day to hunt out more traditional Japanese food.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Tradition here equals seafood which equals sushi,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- which equals...- Tokyo fish market.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34It is the engine room that drives Japanese food.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37It's the biggest, best fish market in the world.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41We've dreamt of visiting the Tsukiji fish market for 20 years
0:14:41 > 0:14:43but it means an early start.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48- 4.30 in the morning. Is it worth it?- Yes! It is.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51This is the lodestone for sushi lovers.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01As a nation, The Japanese eat three times the amount of fish
0:15:01 > 0:15:05we do in the UK, which is believed to be part of the reason why
0:15:05 > 0:15:08they have the highest life expectancy in the world.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15The Tsukiji fish market in central Tokyo is a living, breathing
0:15:15 > 0:15:20example of just how important fish is to Japanese cuisine.
0:15:20 > 0:15:242,000 tonnes of seafood arrive here every day by ship,
0:15:24 > 0:15:30truck and plane from all six continents of the world.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34There is every variety of fish you could possibly think about.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37You can buy anything, from penny-apiece sardines,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- to £500 a pound sea slug caviar. - Oh, wow! Look at this.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Look at the size of those tuna.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46We're here to taste the freshest sushi known to man
0:15:46 > 0:15:49at a traditional sushi bar near the market.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52People start queueing before dawn.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55We're meeting local sushi fiend Marina.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- Marina.- Hi.- How are you?
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- I'm Si.- Hi. Marina. Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you, Marina.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05- Sorry, watch out. Hey, it's quick here, isn't it?- Yes.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09I'm so looking forward to this. I mean, we're both sushi hounds.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11We love sushi. We love Japanese food.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13She's going to give us
0:16:13 > 0:16:17an insight into how sushi here differs from sushi back home.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Now before we start, you can take your little plate here. Yeah.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25And you've got the soy sauce in there so you can put a little bit.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31- Just soy?- Yes. Don't make it a bath. - Don't make it a bath! Say when?
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- That's it. Yeah.- Oh! Is that it?- Yeah. The good...
0:16:35 > 0:16:39The proper Japanese only put a little bit of soy sauce on the plate.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Now do we put our wasabi in that and squidge it around?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45It's going to be wasabi in each sushi,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47so you don't need to add it yourself.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Because that's what everybody does in the UK.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53You get the soy sauce, a bucketful of it, you take a bowl of wasabi
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- mix it with that and then dunk the whole piece in.- Really?
0:16:56 > 0:17:01- No, use it to flavour it.- Including us.- Yeah, OK. Yeah, all right.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04These bars specialise in just two types of sushi - nigiri,
0:17:04 > 0:17:10which is rice with fish on top and maki, little rolls with fish inside.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15But there are over 20 different varieties of seafood.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Sushi in Britain tends to revolve around salmon and tuna
0:17:19 > 0:17:22but here, there's mackerel, sea urchin and fish roe.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24We're starting with cuttlefish
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and the sushi equivalent of a sirloin steak, fatty tuna belly.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32THEY SPEAK JAPANESE
0:17:32 > 0:17:36So when you put it in your mouth, put it sideways.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- Ginger on top?- Mmm!
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Sideways. Shall we?
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Mixed with the rice and the fish, goes around the mouth a bit better.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Lovely.- Wasn't it?- Mmm! I've just had a sushi-gasm!
0:17:53 > 0:17:57In Japan, people use their fingers instead of chopsticks to eat sushi
0:17:57 > 0:18:02and the ginger is just a palette-cleanser.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04It's interesting looking at the nigiri here.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07It's a big piece of fish and a small piece of rice.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11At home, it's teensy-tiny piece of fish and loads of rice.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15How often during the day do the Japanese people eat sushi?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Not so often. Once a week, once a month,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20if you have a family gathering.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23So is sushi still seen as being celebratory or expensive
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- to the Japanese?- Mm. It is, it is.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29- Now, back in the days, it was a snack, it was a street snack.- Yeah.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34So it's very different but nowadays, yes, it became a specialty food.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I'm not surprised it's a special meal. It's not cheap.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44Eight pieces of nigiri will set you back about £22, three times what you
0:18:44 > 0:18:47pay back home, but the fish is fresh,
0:18:47 > 0:18:52the nigiri are huge and it's all prepared by a sushi master,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55the Japanese equivalent of a master baker.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I'd love just to go behind the sushi counter
0:18:57 > 0:19:02and make one piece of nigiri properly at the hands of the master.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Do you think he'd allow me? - Shall we ask?
0:19:05 > 0:19:10THEY SPEAK JAPANESE
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Wow! He says OK.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18- Good luck!- Thank you.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22This is my mate's complete lifetime ambition.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26It can take up to ten years to become a sushi master
0:19:26 > 0:19:29with at least three spent learning to perfect rice
0:19:29 > 0:19:32before you're even let loose on a fish.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Let the knife do the work. Yeah.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39All right. Beautiful. Whoa!
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Dangerous, dangerous!
0:19:40 > 0:19:41Yeah, yeah.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45The sushi master's knife is said to be sacred
0:19:45 > 0:19:49like the sword was to the Samurai.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Season it. Season it.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08Taste very good.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- Ah, first time? First time? - Um, first time properly.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- First time correctly. Yes. - Best sushi. Best sushi.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Thank you so much. You're so kind. Thank you.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Better quit while I'm ahead!
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Look, it's holding together. I take it sideways.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- It's not bad, you know.- I admit, it looked brilliant.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Well, mate. That was a genuine moment for me
0:20:39 > 0:20:43- watching my mate do one of his dream things.- Oh, aye.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- Brilliant.- I did feel a bit like I was a pub pianist
0:20:47 > 0:20:49playing at the Festival Hall, d'you know what I mean?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52And now of course, I've learned at the hands of the master...
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Well, that's it, isn't it?- Yes. Oh, I mean, by the time I get home,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58that one nigiri would've been a plethora of... You know.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02- He's going to be unbearable.- Aye!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Sushi bar number one.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14It may take years to become a sushi master, Kingy,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18but I know a delicious recipe that we can all master in minutes.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22We're in the middle of Tokyo in Kiyosumi gardens.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25The buildings of Tokyo are encroaching on it,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28but here there are is an aura of peace.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32And we're standing in the most beautiful teahouse you've ever seen.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34What we are going to do here is show you ways of making
0:21:34 > 0:21:38great sushi that bridges that gap between East and West
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and gives you something lovely to make for your tea.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45I am going to do you a kaisen don which fundamentally is a bowl of rice
0:21:45 > 0:21:47with a load of sashimi on the top.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49I am going to be making a California roll,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51which is nothing to do with Japan,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54it's got more to do with what you get in the supermarket,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57but when it's made properly it's really delicious.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It all starts with rice, doesn't it?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Everything. Everything starts with rice.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05This is Japanese sushi rice - you can get it in all the supermarkets -
0:22:05 > 0:22:07it's not soft-grained pudding rice.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11It's kind of... It's gets slightly sticky, but just enough.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Now, obviously, we are in a wooden teahouse of extreme beauty
0:22:14 > 0:22:17in the middle of Tokyo, and it's took a lot of trouble to get here.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21We can't light a fire or boil stuff, so we've had to make the rice first.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26Our system does work, it's a really, really acceptable sushi rice.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30You wash it three times, you leave it to stand for 15 minutes,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32after that you simmer it for 10 minutes with a lid on,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36leave it for 20 minutes with the lid on and no heat,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38then you have a bowl of hot rice.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Tip the rice into a dish
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and season with rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt
0:22:43 > 0:22:47and leave it to cool, stirring occasionally.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50And they will be pearlised, like they are.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Pearlised means they glisten and shine.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55They have just enough stickiness to stick together
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but not so much that you're like a Labrador chewing a caramel!
0:22:58 > 0:23:00And you end up with rice like that.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- Now you can start to make your sushi.- He's good, isn't he?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Put half a sheet of nori seaweed
0:23:06 > 0:23:09on a bamboo rolling mat covered in clingfilm.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12You can buy both the seaweed and the mat in large supermarkets.
0:23:14 > 0:23:21Take the rice and cover that entire sheet of seaweed with the rice.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Then, for colour, taste and texture, add black and white sesame seeds.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Remember, this is the OUTSIDE of the California roll.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37So now you pick this up carefully - the rice will stick to it -
0:23:37 > 0:23:39and turn it over and press it down.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Now the filling... where to the Japanese people,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44it all goes a bit off-piste!
0:23:44 > 0:23:46So, we take some crab sticks.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52As its name suggests, the California roll doesn't come from Japan.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55The man who invented the California roll,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59was a gentleman called Ichiro Mashita at the Tokyo Kaikan hotel
0:23:59 > 0:24:02in Los Angeles, and he found, in the 1970s,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06that many Americans couldn't face eating fatty tuna - the fools -
0:24:06 > 0:24:09so he found the texture of avocado was similar
0:24:09 > 0:24:12so he got away with avocado. And it was cheaper.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Also, the reason for the inside-out roll -
0:24:14 > 0:24:17the Americans didn't like the seaweed on the outside.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19"Ew, seaweed! We can't do that!"
0:24:19 > 0:24:22So he puts the seaweed on the inside - an inside-out roll -
0:24:22 > 0:24:25so he hid it in the middle.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Now, some mayonnaise.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29It's wrong, but it's right.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Some more of those lovely sesame seeds down the middle.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35One item that is authentic,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38is this grated Japanese horseradish, or wasabi.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41Fresh wasabi, Kingy.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Have you ever tasted it?
0:24:43 > 0:24:45No, I haven't, actually.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47It's really mild.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Here you are.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51You just take a big bit...
0:24:52 > 0:24:54You know, it's very gentle.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11You...toad!
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- It's natural, isn't it? - Natural, all right!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- It'd blow your toupee flamin' off. - We'll add a little bit of that.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21So it's seasoned,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23now you take your mat, roll it up...
0:25:25 > 0:25:29..and then just deftly, with confidence, turn it over.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Squidge squidge...
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Roll...
0:25:39 > 0:25:40And there we have...
0:25:42 > 0:25:44..perfect California roll.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48So, that's the sushi done.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Now, I'm starting on the sashimi,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53which is essentially thinly sliced raw fish.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I'm using sea bream, tuna and salmon.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Make sure you check with your fishmonger
0:25:59 > 0:26:01that the fish is sushi grade,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05which means it's been pre-frozen, so it's safe to eat raw.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Freezing fish kills any harmful parasites that might be present.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14The one fish you don't have to worry about is salmon farmed in the EU
0:26:14 > 0:26:17which prides itself on being parasite-fee.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19One cut.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21You don't stop, it's one.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26That bit's waste, in't it?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29You are a flaming seal, you! Since you've been here.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31That is so good!
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Look at that. How beautiful is that?
0:26:38 > 0:26:42If you don't mind, Si, I'll pinch a few slivers so I can transform
0:26:42 > 0:26:44my Californian roll into a rainbow roll!
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Lay pieces of fish and avocado at an angle,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53along your California roll to create a rainbow effect
0:26:53 > 0:26:59wrap it in clingfilm and give it a good squeeze so it sticks together.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03If you cut straight through the clingfilm, it keeps the fish on top.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Remember to take the clingfilm off, however!
0:27:06 > 0:27:08There you are, mate. Your rainbow roll.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It's proper East meets West fusion.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Every piece of sushi has kind of got a different vibe to it.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Now, I need to assemble my sashimi masterpiece.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21On the cooked rice I am adding Japanese shiso leaves,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24but any salad leaves will do.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Lay the raw fish on top with some tuna tartare for texture,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29and drizzle with a dressing made from
0:27:29 > 0:27:33citrus seasoning called yuzu, sashimi pepper and soy sauce.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- That looks absolutely lovely! - Yeah.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Finish off with black seaweed, salmon roe and wasabi,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46which can be found in any good Oriental supermarket.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I love that, and I think we've created
0:28:01 > 0:28:03a true culinary souvenir that we can take home.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07That will remind me of Tokyo every time I do it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11- How nice is that going to be? - Yeah.- And it's not that hard!
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Come on, give it a go!
0:28:17 > 0:28:19ENGINES START UP
0:28:19 > 0:28:21ENGINES REV
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I'm beginning to realise just how healthy
0:28:35 > 0:28:37the traditional Japanese diet really is -
0:28:37 > 0:28:41rice, fish and pickled vegetables are the cornerstones of their cuisine.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45It's ridiculously low in fat!
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Do you know, Kingy, the average Japanese man only weighs 9.5 stone,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51but there's one group of gentlemen,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53who weigh at least three times that!
0:28:55 > 0:28:57You know who they are?
0:28:57 > 0:28:59TOGETHER: Sumo!
0:28:59 > 0:29:02We're heading across town to the Ryogoku district
0:29:02 > 0:29:05which has been the centre of the sumo world for over 200 years.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11If the traditional Japanese diet is so healthy,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15we want to find out how these guys manage to get so big!
0:29:17 > 0:29:21A communal sumo training stable is called a heya.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25This is one of only 43 in the whole of the country.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27Sumo is as old as Japan itself.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31It's the national sport,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33and has millions of fans.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Being allowed in the ring, is a true honour.
0:29:42 > 0:29:43- Konnichiwa.- Konnichiwa.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46A bout of sumo rarely lasts for more than a minute.
0:29:49 > 0:29:50The rules are simple -
0:29:50 > 0:29:52the wrestler who first exits the ring
0:29:52 > 0:29:55or touches the ground with any part of his body
0:29:55 > 0:29:57besides the soles of his feet, loses.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Do you know, I've seen sumo on the telly.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07It's... It's... It's big, isn't it?
0:30:08 > 0:30:11(Don't say that.)
0:30:11 > 0:30:14I'd just try and give him a massive wedgy and toss him over.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17It's more complicated than that.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22The daily routine here is very strict.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26They train from dawn on an empty stomach...
0:30:29 > 0:30:32and don't sit down for breakfast until 11.30.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35The more junior wrestlers are in charge of cooking breakfast.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Today that means us and wrestler Ray.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Is there anything we can do to help?
0:30:42 > 0:30:45We might not be good at wrestling, but we're good at cooking.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47OK, maybe you can cut some chicken.
0:30:47 > 0:30:48Yes, certainly.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Yeah, no problem.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52I bet you look forward to this after fighting?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Yes, everybody is so hungry.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57How old were you, Ray, when you decided to be a sumo?
0:30:57 > 0:31:01- I have taken sumo for about almost four years.- Right.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05But many of these guys are doing sumo for more than 10 years.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09Some people is even 15 years. Long time.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11What does your mother think?
0:31:11 > 0:31:15She like sumo very much.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17So she is proud of me.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21I have noticed that it doesn't matter what size sumo you are,
0:31:21 > 0:31:23if you are 250kg or 120kg,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26- you will both fight together.- Yes.
0:31:27 > 0:31:33- Isn't that a bit unfair?- Oh, that's why everybody try to get big.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37You eat and drink hard, because there's no weight limit.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41- There is no weight limit? - No weight limit.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43In order to pile on the pounds,
0:31:43 > 0:31:48sumo wrestlers all have to eat the same 10,000 calorie breakfast each day.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52The centrepiece is a traditional hot pot called chankonabe,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55but this is the super-sized version.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- So, is that the chanko pot? - Yes, this is.- OK.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04- So, would you like to try put it in? - Yeah. All of it in?
0:32:04 > 0:32:07The hot pot is packed with meat and tofu for protein
0:32:07 > 0:32:09and fistfuls of traditional veg.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11It all looks pretty healthy,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14but the wrestlers put on weight by eating huge quantities of it,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17along with copious portions of rice and a fry-up on the side!
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Sumo breakfast is very interesting.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29We've had rice, ham and eggs, we've had fried dumplings...
0:32:29 > 0:32:32And there's octopus, and then there's the broth.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34It certainly beats a Weetabix!
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Could you ask the gentleman,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39when they first arrived at the stable,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41how heavy they were?
0:32:41 > 0:32:43And how heavy they hope to be.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47First time he came, he weighed about 120kg.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49He gained about 20kg.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52And what about this gentleman?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00So, he said at first he was 215kg,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03now he weighs about 220kg.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07He was already big man.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Now 220kg is almost 35 stone.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14You know, during the course of your careers,
0:33:14 > 0:33:18do many of the sumo leave the stable and get married and have a family?
0:33:18 > 0:33:22How does your domestic life, your family life, fit in with the stable?
0:33:22 > 0:33:25If we become top sumo wrestlers, like makuuchi,
0:33:25 > 0:33:31then we can leave stable and have own apartment.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Right.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37And get married. Able to get married.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Sumo first, then marriage then family.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42- Yes.- OK.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45- That's dedication, Ray.- Yes.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Now, after breakfast, the lads take a nap in their dorm,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54before another round of fighting and a 10,000 calorie tea.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56What's interesting, is sumo...
0:33:56 > 0:33:59You live together, you play together, you fight together
0:33:59 > 0:34:00and you eat together.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Yes, like we all family.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Yes.- Like brother.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08I can sense that. It's interesting.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12The stable, it is a very masculine environment, where people fight,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16but there is a gentleness to it, there is a camaraderie.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20And it's a nice place to be, isn't it?
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Now it is time for us to show the boys what we're made of.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29You could've warned us!
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Do you ever suffer from chafing?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34We're supposed to be sumo and butch, don't talk about chafing!
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Have you done your bikini line?
0:34:36 > 0:34:38You have, haven't you?
0:34:38 > 0:34:40A quick whizz with the clippers.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41You girl!
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Wrestlers wear the traditional mawashi,
0:34:46 > 0:34:48so they've got something to grip onto.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- It's slipped at the back. - Shurrup!
0:34:52 > 0:34:53See, I told you.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56LAUGHTER
0:34:56 > 0:35:00But if it slips during a fight, it's instant disqualification.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05So they have to be fitted really, really tightly.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08Can you low yourself? Like he did?
0:35:08 > 0:35:09OK, thank you.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11- OK, that's good. - Is that enough?
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- Yes.- Thank God for that.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21And you lot at home can shut your faces!
0:35:23 > 0:35:26We'll start with a practice called shiko.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30Now, if you want to join in at home, do feel free, you know.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40It's not as easy as it looks.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43It's about balance, coordination, and fluid movement.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- Neither of which, Mr Myers and I possess.- No.
0:35:45 > 0:35:51OK, I think you guys are warmed up, now I will show you a small partner.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52OK?
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Come in.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Haha. I think it might be your go first, Kingy!
0:36:17 > 0:36:20THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:36:24 > 0:36:27OK, he's saying let's try hard...
0:36:27 > 0:36:30and push on to the edge.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34- I was trying!- OK.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40This is a clear demonstration of why being bigger is sometimes better.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47PUSH! PUSH!
0:36:54 > 0:36:56It's like pushing against a tree.
0:36:56 > 0:36:57And the tree is pushing back.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Thank you so much, Ray, for showing us this side of a sport
0:37:02 > 0:37:06that we didn't understand and appreciate and now we do.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10The food, the camaraderie, the people, the sumo - it's fantastic.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14It's been an enormous privilege. Thank you.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21- Oh!- You can tell we've done a bit!
0:37:21 > 0:37:25I tell you what - sumo stable - has to be the ultimate boys club!
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Do you know, I love it here. I could live here.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37It's just so delightful - motorcycles, raw fish and pickles.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Enough dreaming we've got work to do.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Time to get to grips with one of the ingredients
0:37:45 > 0:37:47that defines Japanese cuisine.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Oh, yes! Now we're getting off the beaten track, dude!
0:37:53 > 0:37:55We are heading for the quiet backstreets
0:37:55 > 0:37:57of Tokyo's Chiyoda district
0:37:57 > 0:38:00where we'll be joining a group of local ladies
0:38:00 > 0:38:05who are taking a masterclass in how to make miso, run by teacher Maki.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12- First day at school, Kingy. - That's it, dude!
0:38:12 > 0:38:14- I'm really looking forward to this. - I am, too.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16The mystery of miso explained, eh?
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Miso is a paste made from fermented soya beans,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24and it's used in everything from soups and stews to sweets.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Making your own miso is enjoying a big comeback
0:38:27 > 0:38:29and in vogue again with career women in Tokyo,
0:38:29 > 0:38:34in the same way that baking has become so popular in Britain recently.
0:38:35 > 0:38:41OK, from now, we will make rice miso together.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43CHEERS
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Come on, Maki!
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Miso comes in different varieties,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50but we're making classical rice miso.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52Wow, that is incredible.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56It's... You want to say salty, but it is not.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59The rice miso is so alive with flavour.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02It is made from an enzyme-rich rice called koji,
0:39:02 > 0:39:04salt and boiled soya beans.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09- Oh, they're warm! - Yes, boiled.- Oh, yeah.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12So, that's the three basic ingredients. It's all we need.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Yes.
0:39:14 > 0:39:19So, please mash the soya beans by your hand on the plastic bag.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21You need your weight.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23BAG POPS
0:39:23 > 0:39:26WOMEN LAUGH
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Erm... Could I have another bag please?
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Trust you, Myers!
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Shooting soya beans everywhere!
0:39:35 > 0:39:37I'm too strong.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Sumo!
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Sumo!
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Miso is a superfood packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,
0:39:46 > 0:39:51that means it does wonders for your digestive and general well-being.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Miso soup is an integral part of the Japanese diet,
0:39:57 > 0:40:01A miso soup a day, keeps the doctor away, they say.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02Oh, wow!
0:40:03 > 0:40:05Like machine!
0:40:05 > 0:40:06Miso machine!
0:40:08 > 0:40:11THEY ALL LAUGH
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Studies show miso may reduce the risks of some cancers,
0:40:14 > 0:40:19and some people even believe it increases protection against radiation.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24A topic on everyone's lips here in Tokyo.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29- At home in Britain we heard such a lot about the disaster at Fukushima.- Yes.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Do you think that's made the Japanese
0:40:31 > 0:40:33more conscious about food and what you eat?
0:40:33 > 0:40:35We want to know where the food is from,
0:40:35 > 0:40:40so, like, more and more people try to find out the source of the food.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45Some people really go back to like, the old-fashioned ways,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48but it's really difficult in this kind of society,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51so, you know, I'm trying to go moderate,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54but trying to find out where the food is from,
0:40:54 > 0:40:55and that kind of stuff.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00OK, so once the beans are smooth,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03make a ring of paste on the table.
0:41:04 > 0:41:11- It's OK. Now, yes. OK, next step, mix the salt and koji.- Together?
0:41:11 > 0:41:16- Together, yes. Like this. Yes, yes, like this.- Then in a bag?
0:41:16 > 0:41:21- Please mix them completely.- Aha! Koji is a bit like yeast.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25As it ferments, it breaks the beans down, turning them into miso.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29- Shake these. Shake, shake, shake. - The process is fun.
0:41:29 > 0:41:35- It's tactile, it's interesting. - And it's Japanese!- It is.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Shall we do it in unison? Right, ready? So, everybody one way.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41# Ah dooo doo doo!
0:41:41 > 0:41:44# Doo doo de doo doo de doo!
0:41:46 > 0:41:49# We're all making miso!
0:41:49 > 0:41:51# It is for beginners!
0:41:51 > 0:41:54# Miso for your dinner! #
0:41:54 > 0:41:56THEY LAUGH
0:41:56 > 0:42:03- Ah!- Add the mixture into the leaves, bit by bit.- Uh-huh.- About one-fifth.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09The beans and the koji get kneaded together and shaped into balls.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14- OK. Oh, good balls.- Thanks.- Thanks!
0:42:14 > 0:42:16THEY LAUGH
0:42:16 > 0:42:22- And then please throw the balls into the pot.- Throw?- Throw?- Throw!- Whee!
0:42:22 > 0:42:29- Wow!- Ho! Sorry.- So, you need to remove the air completely.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33- That's gone.- Well, he's removed the air, all right! He's welded the ball!
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Hey!
0:42:37 > 0:42:39SLAPPING
0:42:39 > 0:42:41You could see why you would want to do this at home.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45There's something just basic about it. It's like making bread, isn't it?
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Yeah. Or it's like making your preserves,
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- your pickles for the winter.- Yeah.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Making strawberry jam when it's in season.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53You put the effort in, you have a good time,
0:42:53 > 0:42:57and you have something really tasty at the end of it.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Fabulous! Come here a minute, would you?
0:43:00 > 0:43:02You've got it all over your glasses again.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04THEY GIGGLE
0:43:04 > 0:43:05It's dried on, I cannae get it off!
0:43:07 > 0:43:10The miso is sprayed with alcohol so it doesn't go mouldy,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13and left to ferment for up to a year.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16Do you know, we'd love to use some of your miso
0:43:16 > 0:43:18and cook a dish for the ladies.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21If we cook for you, would you come and join us and have a taste?
0:43:21 > 0:43:25- See what you think?- Yes.- Brilliant. - Now, this is a challenge!- Yes!
0:43:25 > 0:43:26THEY LAUGH
0:43:26 > 0:43:28- We've done it again, haven't we?! - We have!
0:43:28 > 0:43:31We could have made it easy and just ate it ourselves.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34- But now we have ladies who know... - About miso.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38- And, clearly, very good food. - Yes.- Smashing!
0:43:42 > 0:43:44One, two, three, four...
0:43:44 > 0:43:45# I think I'm going Japanese
0:43:45 > 0:43:46# I think I'm going Japanese
0:43:46 > 0:43:47# I really think so!
0:43:47 > 0:43:50TINKLES GLASS
0:43:50 > 0:43:54- Well, this is a challenge!- I know. - That miso's so fine, and look at it.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57- It's the caviar of the miso world! - It's fabulous, isn't it?
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Now, we're cooking something very Japanese,
0:44:01 > 0:44:03in a bid to win over the ladies.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05Black cod marinated in white miso,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08served with oriental green vegetables.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12Anyway, this is black cod.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15It's a cold water fish from the Northern Pacific.
0:44:15 > 0:44:16Black cod isn't really cod.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20It's sablefish, and it's especially rich in omega 3 oils,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24which helps prevent heart disease. It's a bit pricy, mind.
0:44:24 > 0:44:29But miso has such a strong flavour, it will enhance any white fish.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31It'll make cheaper fish like pollock
0:44:31 > 0:44:35and other such things which aren't quite so tasty, really delicious.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39In fact, if you smeared your shoes in miso, you could suck 'em
0:44:39 > 0:44:40and achieve satisfaction!
0:44:40 > 0:44:44The first process is to marinade this lovely, lovely fish in all
0:44:44 > 0:44:48manner of wonderful ingredients from the Orient.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51We've kind of used lots of nice Japanese bits that you can
0:44:51 > 0:44:52get in supermarkets at home.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55Or you can get something that's roughly equivalent.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58To make the marinade, mix the miso up with some Sake,
0:44:58 > 0:45:01some freshly-grated ginger, and some sugar.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05We want this fish to be sweet and tasty.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07And possibly the best fish you've ever tasted.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11Then finish off with a splash of Japanese rice wine vinegar.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15- Right, mate, that's it.- That's it.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19Just put your little pinkie in there, just for a minute. Oh, this...
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Keep the skin on, because we want the fish to hold together.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29- And liberally slather it.- It's a great word, "slather", isn't it?
0:45:29 > 0:45:35- Slather!- Slather it! - Immerse it, smother it, love it.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Where's the clingfilm gone, Horatio?
0:45:38 > 0:45:40I will furnish you with said clingfilm!
0:45:40 > 0:45:44While the fish marinates, there's time to make the sesame dressing.
0:45:44 > 0:45:51Now, there's a key about toasting sesame seeds. You see this here?
0:45:51 > 0:45:54Look. I just want to show you a top tip when you're toasting.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58What happens is, you'll see a sheen on the top of the sesame seed.
0:45:58 > 0:45:59And that means that the oil's coming out
0:45:59 > 0:46:02and that's starting to toast, nice and gently.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05- It's gone a sheen on it like a sumo's buttock!- Hasn't it? Look.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08At that point, what you have to do is make sure that you keep
0:46:08 > 0:46:11a close eye on it, because they go like that.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14The seeds aren't just a sprinkling over the top of the veg.
0:46:14 > 0:46:19They're going to juj up a dressing that should be like Japan in a bowl!
0:46:21 > 0:46:24We're starting with Dashi, which is a Japanese fish stock,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27citrus juice, and a sprinkling of sugar and pepper.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31Grind the seeds, not too finely.
0:46:32 > 0:46:37You want a bit of a rough paste, you know, not "paste" paste. See?
0:46:37 > 0:46:39You want a bit of a texture on your greens, don't you?
0:46:39 > 0:46:41You do, mate, you do that.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45Just stir them into the dressing, and we're ready to cook.
0:46:45 > 0:46:46A splash of vegetable oil.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49I want quite a lot of heat in this, so no olive oil.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Nothing that's going to flavour it or burn.
0:46:51 > 0:46:57Now, take your fish, skin side down. And sizzle it off.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00And we cook it until we've got a little crust on it.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Oh, the smell of it is epic!
0:47:04 > 0:47:06I think I'm there now, Si.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09It's beginning to colour through just a little bit at the bottom.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12And the marinade is just kind of starting to caramelise.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14So I'm going to cover this.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18Turn the heat down, so it just steams for about four minutes
0:47:18 > 0:47:20and cooks through in its own "vapeur".
0:47:20 > 0:47:23While the fish cooks, steam the greens.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27We're using choi sum, but you can use pak choi or even spinach.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30What's great about it, when you steam them for a minute and a half,
0:47:30 > 0:47:32you get this lovely textural difference.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Because the leaf wilts and it goes very soft.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38And the stems, you've still got an integrity and a crunch to it.
0:47:38 > 0:47:39Fabulous.
0:47:41 > 0:47:46- Hello!- Hi. - Hi. Are you OK? Are you ready?
0:47:46 > 0:47:50- Yes, we're slightly nervous. Two minutes.- Two minutes? I'm so hungry!
0:47:50 > 0:47:53- I know. Don't you worry, you won't be disappointed, I promise.- OK.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55Thank you. I'm waiting!
0:47:56 > 0:48:01OK, Kingy, skates on! Finish the fish with a sizzle.
0:48:01 > 0:48:06It's there, Kingy. Good grief! This is like Miso MasterChef!
0:48:06 > 0:48:07Time to plate up!
0:48:09 > 0:48:12- Wow!- Oh, I hope it's as good as it looks!- Wow!
0:48:12 > 0:48:14You don't have to be nice, but it would help!
0:48:14 > 0:48:15THEY LAUGH
0:48:19 > 0:48:27- Mmmm!- Is it good?- Fantastic!- Oh, yes!- Get in! Get in!- Excellent.- Mmmm!
0:48:29 > 0:48:36- Tasty!- Good?- Mmm!- Fermented Japanese food, it's fabulous.- Wow!
0:48:36 > 0:48:38THEY LAUGH
0:48:38 > 0:48:42- Oh, that's worth it!- It's very soft with that white miso, isn't it?
0:48:42 > 0:48:47- What do you think? - Tastes very Japanese!- Yes!
0:48:47 > 0:48:49THEY CHEER
0:48:49 > 0:48:54What can we say?! Yes! Oh, what a compliment indeed! Thank you.
0:48:54 > 0:48:58- We're doing our best to learn. - Yes, we are. We are.- Thank you.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:49:05 > 0:49:07And as the sun sets on our miso triumph,
0:49:07 > 0:49:11like the rest of Tokyo, we've got that Friday feeling!
0:49:12 > 0:49:14# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:49:14 > 0:49:16# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:49:16 > 0:49:17# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:49:17 > 0:49:20# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo!
0:49:20 > 0:49:22# Wooh hoo, ooh hoo hoo! #
0:49:22 > 0:49:25There's one group of residents who have a very good reason to party.
0:49:25 > 0:49:29And that's Tokyo's army of office workers, known as "salary men".
0:49:29 > 0:49:32Friday marks the end of a long working week that involves
0:49:32 > 0:49:37commuting on the most crowded public transport system in the world.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39# Woo hoo, ooh hoo hoo! #
0:49:39 > 0:49:42THEY GREET EACH OTHER
0:49:45 > 0:49:50- Friday night!- Right-oh, lads, Friday night, a few beers?- Of course!
0:49:50 > 0:49:55- Friday night!- Right, lead on!- Yes, that one there!- Let's go there!
0:49:55 > 0:49:57- We're going to go! - We're having kebabs!
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Tonight, we're guests of Taku, Shuya, and Kiyohiko.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10Their favourite haunt is a narrow alley called Memory Lane,
0:50:10 > 0:50:13packed with dimly-lit bars known as Izakaya.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18These are to the salary men what our local pub is to us.
0:50:18 > 0:50:23But, unlike at home, you're still allowed to smoke tabs.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Salary men are notorious for burning the candle at both ends
0:50:26 > 0:50:30and are known for drinking into the wee small hours.
0:50:30 > 0:50:35- Cheers!- On a Friday night! Just explain to us, what do you guys do?
0:50:35 > 0:50:37What is a salary man?
0:50:37 > 0:50:40The first thing is, we are salary men, we have to make money,
0:50:40 > 0:50:45we have to work hard, probably long hours compared to British companies.
0:50:45 > 0:50:46So how many hours?
0:50:46 > 0:50:53Start nine o'clock and finish like eight, nine, ten in the evening.
0:50:53 > 0:50:5616 hours days and six days a week aren't uncommon
0:50:56 > 0:50:59and overtime is often unpaid.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03When do your families see you? Do you just see families at weekends?
0:51:03 > 0:51:07- I have a wife and, erm... - Is she OK about you...?- No, no.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10- Before, I used to go out, like, every night.- Yeah.- After working.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15- Even like 11 o'clock or 12 o'clock, I'd still go out drinking.- Yeah.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18But these days, after getting married, like my wife said,
0:51:18 > 0:51:20- "Come home early!"- Yeah.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24But sometimes I just try to grab some beers and go home like,
0:51:24 > 0:51:2710 o'clock or 11 o'clock.
0:51:27 > 0:51:28Yeah, me too!
0:51:28 > 0:51:29THEY LAUGH
0:51:29 > 0:51:32Then I say I've been working late, and it's been dreadful! Yeah.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34So what about you guys? Are you guys married?
0:51:34 > 0:51:37- Or do you want to be married, or...? - Not yet.- You are bachelor guys!
0:51:37 > 0:51:42- I'm single.- You're single?- Yes.- OK. - I'm not yet, I'm single.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46You're single too? Shuya and Kiyohiko aren't alone.
0:51:46 > 0:51:51- 61% of Japanese men aged between 18 and 34 are single.- Cheers, mate!
0:51:51 > 0:51:54THEY LAUGH
0:51:54 > 0:51:57Mr Myers is all pleased! Thank you very much.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00- Peace and longevity of Japanese drinking culture!- Yes, indeed!
0:52:00 > 0:52:03And the wife'll kill me when this goes out on telly!
0:52:03 > 0:52:06Back home, a night down the local means a few pints of lager
0:52:06 > 0:52:07and a packet of crisps.
0:52:07 > 0:52:08But for these guys,
0:52:08 > 0:52:13the food they eat at bars like these replaces the family meal.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21A salary man's staple is Yakitori, which means "grilled bird".
0:52:21 > 0:52:25Most commonly chicken, but pork skewers are popular too.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29The meat is basted with a sweet sauce of soy and mirin called tare.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31A bit like, well, teriyaki.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34So, by the way, a little bit of explanation.
0:52:34 > 0:52:39That chicken skin, some people say no skin, but we love skin.
0:52:39 > 0:52:44- Japanese people love skin. Now, what I'm eating is liver.- Liver, yeah.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48- And that gives me a lot of blood. - Yeah.- So when you're tired...- Yeah.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52- ..you're going to eat it.- Iron. - Iron, iron.- Puts zip in your pip!
0:52:52 > 0:52:55I've got the chicken, and it's like the tenderest,
0:52:55 > 0:52:56juiciest chicken thigh.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59The great thing is, it's such good beer food, isn't it?
0:52:59 > 0:53:01- Definitely, yeah. - It's savoury, it's tangy.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04And of course, it's like tapas, you can order more.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08The smell in here's lovely, isn't it?
0:53:08 > 0:53:10Cos it's like the barbecued food.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12There's a little bit of tobacco, which is
0:53:12 > 0:53:16reminiscent of pubs in the old days in the UK. And it's...
0:53:16 > 0:53:20- it's just lovely and convivial. I love it here!- It's good, isn't it?
0:53:20 > 0:53:24- Cor, look at them!- Wow!- Wow! - Now, these are good beer snacks.
0:53:24 > 0:53:25THEY APPLAUD
0:53:25 > 0:53:29- Excellent!- Yeah, this is perfect food for a salary man.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32That's why a salary man can work hard, because the outside is
0:53:32 > 0:53:37vitamins from the pepper and the inside is the meat, protein.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39It's a high protein diet,
0:53:39 > 0:53:44no carbohydrate apart from the several pints! It's empty calories!
0:53:44 > 0:53:48You know, you are just drinking with samurais. Three samurais.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50Salary men, just like samurai,
0:53:50 > 0:53:53we need protein and we have to drink beer!
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Are you three having a laugh?!
0:53:55 > 0:53:56THEY LAUGH
0:53:56 > 0:53:59- Well, the beer has always given us delusions of grandeur!- Cheers!
0:53:59 > 0:54:03- Cheers!- God bless Friday!
0:54:03 > 0:54:05Learning to cook Yakitori can take years
0:54:05 > 0:54:08and a good chef will never reveal his sauce recipe.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13- Oh, nice to meet you!- Hello, chef. - You're bikers?- Bikers!
0:54:13 > 0:54:16- Bikers, that's what we are. - What's the secret of good Yakitori?
0:54:16 > 0:54:18HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:54:21 > 0:54:22Love!
0:54:23 > 0:54:25THEY LAUGH
0:54:25 > 0:54:28- How long have you been a chef, Chef?- Sorry?
0:54:28 > 0:54:32- How long have you been cooking? - Cooking?- Yeah, how long?
0:54:32 > 0:54:38- A long time. My father, me, 65 years.- 65 years?- Yeah.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43- My father, me. - Together 65 years?- Yes.
0:54:43 > 0:54:48- Chef, could I have a go at cooking? - Cooking, yes.- Yeah?
0:54:48 > 0:54:49Could me come round there?
0:54:49 > 0:54:56- No! No, no, no!- No?- You...- I don't think he's going to let me in!
0:54:56 > 0:55:02- Could I cook from this side?- No! - Could I cook from this side?- You?
0:55:02 > 0:55:04Yeah!
0:55:04 > 0:55:05HE LAUGHS
0:55:05 > 0:55:08I am very well known in the United Kingdom for my cooking,
0:55:08 > 0:55:09as is my compatriot!
0:55:09 > 0:55:11HE LAUGHS
0:55:11 > 0:55:14- He's not impressed, dude. - Most kitchens would welcome me in.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16You deluded loon!
0:55:16 > 0:55:17HE LAUGHS
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Got to light the pipe.
0:55:21 > 0:55:29- Belly pork. Goes on fire.- No, pork! - Pork!- OK, tongue.- Tongue, thank you.
0:55:37 > 0:55:38HE SPEAKS JAPANESE
0:55:41 > 0:55:43- Slowlio!- Slowlio!- Slow!
0:55:44 > 0:55:48Yakitori is traditionally cooked over special white charcoal
0:55:48 > 0:55:49called Binchotan.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52Prized by chefs for its burning temperature of over
0:55:52 > 0:55:57- 1,000 degrees Celsius.- OK.- That's beautiful.- Beautiful, thank you.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01Hold on, he cooked it, not you! That one there!
0:56:03 > 0:56:10- So, Si, taste that Yakitori and tell me it's not great.- Thank you.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12- Arigato.- Arigato.
0:56:12 > 0:56:13There you are, Kingy,
0:56:13 > 0:56:17knock yourself out on the kebabs that I didn't cook. But I did try.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20- You did, mate, you did. - I wanted to be there.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22It was a sterling effort.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27- Mmm.- I don't know what he does, but it's from the heart.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34The eating part of the evening is done.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38But the night is yet still young, Mr King.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40And, if you're a salary man in Tokyo,
0:56:40 > 0:56:43there's only one way to push through until the dawn!
0:56:45 > 0:56:46Hello, Tokyo!
0:56:46 > 0:56:48Karaoke!
0:56:48 > 0:56:50Here I am! Come on, now!
0:56:50 > 0:56:52THEY SING
0:56:54 > 0:56:56It's the national pastime,
0:56:56 > 0:56:59adored by roughly 50 million people across the country.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Who sing along badly to backing tracks in booths and bars,
0:57:02 > 0:57:07hotels and hostess clubs, in just about every corner of Japan.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09# Rocking like a hurricane! #
0:57:11 > 0:57:14The Japanese aren't the only nation of karaoke lovers.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18The industry's estimated to be worth billions of pounds worldwide.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21One, two, three, four!
0:57:21 > 0:57:25# So, Sally can't wait
0:57:25 > 0:57:27# She knows it's too late
0:57:27 > 0:57:29# As she's walking on by... #
0:57:29 > 0:57:32It's probably only in Japan, though, that people are so worried
0:57:32 > 0:57:37about a bad karaoke performance, they hire coaches to help them.
0:57:37 > 0:57:39So, mate, we're so far from home,
0:57:39 > 0:57:41but I had a thoroughly good Friday night.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44Good food, good company, and a bit of a sing-song!
0:57:44 > 0:57:46- And it feels kind of familiar, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48It's like a bit of...
0:57:48 > 0:57:50there's a bit of drinking, there's a bit of kebab going on.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52It might be a slightly different environment,
0:57:52 > 0:57:55but the vibe's there, definitely. A good night, I think.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58Yes, it was a good night. So, it's a good night from me...
0:57:58 > 0:58:01- And it's a good night from him. - Good night!- Good night.
0:58:02 > 0:58:05Do you know, mate, I think whatever the Japanese do,
0:58:05 > 0:58:07they put their heart and soul into it.
0:58:07 > 0:58:10And the passion is what makes their food so incredible.
0:58:13 > 0:58:16You're right, they really appreciate and respect their food.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20Whether it's a fast-food snack or a gourmet sushi experience.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23And it's that attitude, together with the wholesomeness
0:58:23 > 0:58:27of the ingredients, that's the secret to their health.
0:58:28 > 0:58:30Well, I don't know about you, mucker,
0:58:30 > 0:58:33but I can't wait to find out what the rest of Japan has to offer.
0:58:36 > 0:58:38Next time, we head to the cultural
0:58:38 > 0:58:42and traditional heart of Japan for noodles...
0:58:43 > 0:58:45Kobi beef...
0:58:45 > 0:58:49I think that retails around about £3,000.
0:58:49 > 0:58:51And drinking games!
0:58:51 > 0:58:54Oh, this is so much better than darts!