JOURNEY ACROSS JAPAN | Day 5 | I Caught My Own Dinner (Sort of)🍱

Back on the road and joined by a tyrannical new guest! Journey Across Japan: Non-Stop North continues!

Last episode we revisited the Fukushima Nuclear Exclusion Zone and explored some of the great work going on. Honestly, it made me wish we had longer to spend there but I’m glad we were able to visit at all. Thanks for all the kind words though guys - it’s fantastic to hear you enjoyed the episode.

For tonight’s episode we hit the road once more, heading to Koriyama, Fukushima’s second-largest city and Aizu Wakamatsu (again). Any residual feelings of positivity will be immediately erased as Ryotaro makes his long awaited re-appearance on Abroad in Japan, since we tried to eat every sushi known to man earlier in the year. (And of course Natsuki’s failed assassination).

Whilst the coveted title of ‘Chess Boxing Champion’ has been bestowed upon me, you guys know I’m no Bear Grylls, so today’s challenge, ‘Forage for your own food’, was quite the quest.

Thankfully Ryotaro immediately started working his way through his extensive phonebook and managed to track down a small restaurant - Unagi Kabayaki - through an acquaintance, where customers can catch their own dinner. Turns out he does have some use after all!

The only catch - other than the fish - was that we had to essentially go back on ourselves to Aizu Wakamatsu, which wasn’t ideal given we’ve barely begun our journey.

Turns out trying to catch a slippery eel isn’t so easy, even when they’re essentially presented before you in a bucket. Even the master chef who’d worked at the restaurant for 40+ years, admitted it was no easy task to grab an eel. The fact he had a plaster on his finger wasn’t overly encouraging either, as I plunged my hand into the bucket.

Saying ‘eel’ will cause most Brits to immediately recoil. Images of jellied eel, a UK ‘dish’ simply unfit for ingestion will spring to mind. Here though, eel is cooked to perfection.

Unagi is a prized delicacy, up there with wagyu in terms of price and rarity. At around $30-$40 for a good Unagi meal, most folks in Japan typically eat it a handful of times a year.

With its meaty taste, and sweet, sticky tare sauce, Unagi is a bloody delicious dish and well worth a try if you find yourself in Japan.

Seeing as we ended up in Aizu Wakamatsu, Ryotaro called up an old friend Koji, who offered to take us out for the night around town. Our adventure into the dimly lit underbelly of Aizu took us to a snack bar (a more reasonably priced and laid back form of hostess club), where we got to rub shoulders with Fuyuka, a real life local Geisha.

Fuyuka filled us in on life as a Geisha and even gave us an impressively choreographed dance, which was the highlight of the day. And fortunately, we managed to flee the bar, before Ryotaro got hold of the karaoke microphone.

After an afternoon of extensive ‘fishing’, and an evening exploring the nightlife we relax in the Ookawaso Hotel in Aizawakamatsu.

With its traditional ryokan style, a local shamisen player serenades guests for 2 whole hours every night in the ridiculously elaborate lobby. Visitors can also choose to unwind in either onsen as this place has not one, but TWO onsen hot springs. Much needed therapy after a long day with Ryotaro.

That being said, I hate to admit it, but it’s been fun to have Ryotaro join us and he’s sticking around for the next episode tomorrow as we take a peak inside his house, check out his exceptional reading materials, and fill our stomachs with a dish that’s truly out of this world! (Well, sort of).

Thanks for watching guys and more to follow tomorrow!

Chris