Trails to Tsukiji

Over 80 types of citrus fruits are produced in Japan. Among them, yuzu holds a special place within Japanese cuisine. Since yuzu is quite sour, the fruit is not eaten, instead, the skin and juice is used in cooking. The vivid yellow peel and the fresh strong aroma is essential in spicing up Japanese food. Recently, yuzu has drawn interest from France as well. Beautiful Japanese dishes and ingenious French cuisine will be introduced.

Today, we focus on the Japanese radish, daikon, Japan's most consumed vegetable and an essential part of the country's cuisine. Daikon is used as a main ingredient in salads and stews, as well as to spice up tempura, grilled fish, sashimi and more. We visit a daikon farm to see how it's grown and witness a top Japanese chef use advanced techniques to prepare delectable daikon dishes. Join us as we bite into this satisfyingly crunchy Japanese treat.

Hakusai, also known as Chinese cabbage, is a large vegetable that can weigh up to 3kg. Rich with glutamic acid, hakusai is a winter specialty and a must for hot pot dishes, including a special stew eaten by sumo wrestlers. Hakusai has a light taste that makes it perfect for Japanese, Chinese and even western cuisine. Join us to find out how farmers protect hakusai in the cold winter months and a special technique for pickling this special winter vegetable.

Nanohana, closely related to rapeseed, is the flower that signals the arrival of spring in Japan. But nanohana is not just beautiful: it's also edible. Not only can the flower's nutritious buds and leaves be eaten, its seeds can be turned into oil, making it an incredibly versatile plant. It's no wonder nanohana has been beloved in Japan for centuries. Join us in discovering this beautiful and delicious springtime flower

Gobo, or burdock root, may look like a piece of wood, but it has been treasured in Japan for centuries. With a dense, rich aroma similar to truffles, gobo can be used in a large variety of dishes. Rich in dietary fiber, it is also said to improve health and appearance. We visit a gobo farm, a wholesaler, and a chef who uses gobo in his inventive recipes in order to discover the secret behind this strange-looking but delicious root.

Our focus today is spinach, of which Japan is the third-largest producer in the world. While spinach is a vegetable found around the world, the Japanese have put their own unique spin on it, making it a common ingredient in traditional Japanese cuisine. The most popular varieties are exceptionally flavorful and have surprisingly sweet roots. Join reporter Shari as she visits farmers and specialists to find out how the Japanese have made this ubiquitous vegetable their own.

Hirame, Japanese flatfish, is a winter specialty known as the "king of sushi". There are over 100 types of flatfish, so why is the Japanese variety so expensive? How is it fished and cooked? And just why are both of its eyes on one side of its body? Dive into the deep world of the strange-looking but delicious fish known as hirame.

Oysters: the Japanese have been eating these mollusks for 4,000 years and have discovered many unique ways to both cook and cultivate them. Our reporter visits Sanriku in northern Japan to learn about a unique cultivation method that employs Japan's plankton-rich seas to create rich, delicious oysters, and discovers how the locals fry, grill and otherwise prepare these fresh delights. Join us as we crack open the world of oysters in Japan!

Japan has over 20 types of edible seaweed, but wakame is by far the most frequently eaten. Packed with vitamins and minerals and easily preserved, wakame is both healthy and handy. Our reporter visits an area where wakame is cultivated, discovering how farmers are battling climate change, and eats some delicious wakame-based dishes. Discover why this edible seaweed has been called a "miracle vegetable from the sea".

Kinmedai, a type of Japanese sea bream, is a deep-sea fish with a bright red body and glittering golden eyes. Thanks to its strong umami flavor and rich, high-quality fat, kinmedai is extremely popular in Japan, and is eaten as sashimi, simmered and even deep-fried. Join us as we visit Japan's largest kinmedai fishing port and discover how this mysterious fish, which can live at over 400 meters below sea level, is fished and cooked.

Sansai are wild vegetables which sprout in the mountains in spring. With a hint of bitterness, the taste of sansai is known as the taste of spring in Japan. Our reporter goes on-site to experience the sansai harvest and learns about mountain dangers like bears and avalanches. Plus, we discover how specialists pick and prepare this bitter but delicious spring specialty. Finally, look at how sansai can be used both in traditional Japanese cooking and even French cuisine.

Sakura-ebi is a tiny shrimp found only in Suruga Bay at the foot of Mt. Fuji. The shrimp, which has been called "the ruby of the sea", is just 4 centimeters long but packed with umami and a sweet fragrance, and is a spring treat in Japan. Join us and discover how fishermen and conservationists work to fish sakura-ebi sustainably, and how it is eaten in a variety of delicious springtime recipes.

Think of the word "sardine", and your first association is likely an unappetizing can of preserved fish. But in Japan, the sardine is eaten fresh and used in a variety of delicious sashimi and sushi dishes. In this episode of Trails to Tsukiji, we'll discover how the sardine is enjoyed in both local fishing towns and upscale Japanese restaurants. Plus, we'll hop on a ship and take a first-hand look at the dynamic process of sardine fishing.

This time, we put the spotlight on the Japanese spice sansho. The intense spiciness of sansho is enough to numb one's tongue, but unlike normal pepper, it actually comes from a citrus fruit. The refreshing aroma of the spice has made it a popular ingredient for desserts in recent years. Join us as we learn the best ways to incorporate this unique Japanese spice into a meal directly from sansho producers.

Garlic became a part of the Japanese diet just 50 years ago—but it's quickly become one of the country's favorite ingredients. Join us and discover the unique ways garlic is cultivated in Japan to give it a rich, aromatic flavor, and how Japanese garlic farmers and chefs employ it in a variety of dishes.

Sushi is, without doubt, Japan's most beloved food worldwide. But what makes sushi, Japan's unique bite-sized delicacy, so good? From fish like tuna to wasabi, nori seaweed and the all-important Japanese rice, we take a look at the ingredients that make sushi so special -- and meet the farmers, fishermen, wholesalers and chefs who make it all possible.

Hamo is an essential Kyoto summer delicacy. Behind the intimidating, dinosaur-like face is a fish with subtle and delicate flavors. Known for its vitality, hamo is also said to be a great source of energy, helping people overcome the hot and humid summer season in Kyoto. On this episode, we visit a small island to do some night hamo fishing and partake in some delicious hamo dishes, from classical Kyoto cuisine to cutting edge Italian.

Japanese peaches are known for being large, sweet and juicy. On this episode of Trails to Tsukiji, we see the hard work that goes into cultivating this delicate, easily-damaged fruit that's been praised as an edible work of art. Plus, we discover new and surprising ways to enjoy peaches unique to their cultivation areas, how one Japanese chef incorporates them into innovative Italian dishes and more.

Our focus this time is on the pepper manganji togarashi, a traditional Japanese vegetable that originates in Kyoto. Manganji togarashi may look spicy, but it's actually sweet, and is so well regarded it's even used in gift exchanges. We visit a group of farmers preserving this local specialty and a chef of Italian cuisine who uses it in a variety of exciting dishes.

Pumpkins are known around the world, but Japan's are known for their strong, sticky-sweet flavor, and are eaten throughout the year in many ways, such as boiled and fried as tempura. Japan's over 30 types of traditional pumpkins, which originated in Portugal, took on many unique forms thanks to Japan's varied climate, and all have their own interesting shapes and textures. Join us to discover where they are grown and the simple ways in which they are cooked to retain their delicious flavor.

With a plump, appetizing shape and striking red-purple color, the Japanese herb myoga adds a refreshing flavor and aroma to dishes and enhances the appetite. The herb's unique taste also helps give Japanese cuisine richer flavors and brings out the true character of the main ingredients with which it is paired. Join us as we explore a farm in the middle of Tokyo that helped revive the traditional myoga, and see it used in surprising ways in Italian cuisine.

Among its over 100 types of edible mushrooms, Japan's matsutake is said to be the king, particularly in autumn. One of these mushrooms, which grow only in the wild, can go for up to 100 dollars. On this episode, we visit the mountains where matsutake grows and discover how the fragrant mushrooms, beloved in Japan since ancient times, are used in a variety of Japanese and Western dishes.

A fish known for its glittering pink body, tender meat and rich umami flavor, amadai is one of the stars of Kyoto cuisine. We take a journey to the coast near Kyoto to learn how amadai is caught, then to a traditional Japanese restaurant to see it prepared in ways that utilize every part of the fish. Dive in and learn all about amadai and the magic touch that makes it even more delicious.

Japan boasts over 100 types of apples, which are known for being exceptionally round, sweet and shiny. This time, we visit the northern prefecture of Aomori, Japan's top production site, where 60% of the country's apples are produced. There, we discover the high-end, time-intensive cultivation and quality control methods that make Japan's apples so great. Plus, we visit a restaurant where Japanese apples are used in Italian cuisine.