James May: Our Man in... plot
Fifteen years after James May first visited Japan as a bewildered tourist, he embarks on a quest to understand the unique, extraordinary and complex country. The birthplace of the haiku and classical art forms driven by the principles of Wabi (beauty), Sabi (natural inspiration) and Yugen (grace and subtlety). Japan is also the place that has given us Godzilla, Hello Kitty, cosplay, and some of the strangest obsessions on Earth. James sets out on an epic journey across Japan from north to south, determined to understand why this unique country and its people are the way they are, what drives their entire culture, and what their approach to life can teach the rest of us. James can't speak the language, he has no idea about Japanese etiquette, but at least he knows there is a small tree called a banzai...