James May: Our Man in Japan (Jan 3, 2020)
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James May has always been intrigued and seduced by the idea of Japan, yet this nation and its culture remains a complete mystery to him. Now he's on a one-man mission to immerse himself in its society, places, and people in a bid to unlock its extraordinary secrets. By taking on an epic journey across all of Japan from north to south, James is determined to gain a genuine understanding into why this unique land and its people are the way they are, what drives their whole culture, and what their approach to life can teach the rest of us. So far so good, but it won't be easy. He can't speak the language, he's clueless about Japanese etiquette but at least he knows there's a small tree called a banzai... Not only that, but Japan is one of the most contradictory and confusing places on earth. Here, classical art forms and haiku poetry rub shoulders with Godzilla, Cosplay, and some of the strangest obsessions on the planet, while stunning, peaceful vistas of gently falling cherry blossom give way to neon lights, J-Pop, and frenetic urban environments. Fifteen years since he first visited as a baffled tourist, James is now ready to leap into the unknown and embark on a quest to reconcile these contradictions and to truly understand what makes Japan tick.