Tokyo to Sendai
Michael heads north from Tokyo to Honshu’s Tohoku region, known as the rice granary of Japan. In the city of Sendai, he learns about 2011's disastrous earthquake and tsunami.
Boarding the superfast Shinkansen bullet train, Michael heads north from Tokyo to Honshu’s Tohoku region, known as the rice granary of Japan. He visits a fifth-generation rice farm to discover how the crop is cultivated and processed, and takes a turn around the field on a combine harvester.
Continuing his route north, Michael’s next stop is the city of Sendai. He learns how disaster struck in March 2011, when the coast was hit by a powerful earthquake and a devastating tsunami. On the roof of a primary school in the neighbourhood of Arahama, which overlooks the beach, the former principal shares his powerful memories of the fateful day and his plan to save his pupils.
Further up the coast at the fishing port of Shiogama, Michael attends the daily tuna auction and watches as bidders compete for the prized fish, with the largest fetching almost £1,900. The town boasts more sushi restaurants per capita than anywhere in the country, and Michael enjoys a tasting with a master chef.
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