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♪                               

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  Mena: Some days you're off to 
   grab sushi and you wind up   

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   in an art exhibit straight   
  out of Yayoi Kusama or Hayao  

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   Miyazaki's frontal cortex.   

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 That is Tokyo.                 

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  And this, this is Team Labs,  
   a standing art installation  

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that makes you feel like        
 you're in a live action        

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anime with floating grids       
 of plants and flowers.         

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   Right, plants, I knew there  
was a reason I was here.        

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♪                               

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   This is the largest          
 megalopolis on the planet, and 

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  yet there are no garbage cans 
on the streets of Tokyo.        

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   Everything is clean          
 and systematic.                

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  It's organized chaos.         

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Nearly 40 million people        
   calmly rocking their daily   

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   business in silent queues.   

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   Maybe everyone's chill cuz   
the food's so damn good.        

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♪                               

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Whether you're in the city core,
 the temples, or an art exhibit,

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  the culinary magic of         
 this place is you can't        

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get a bad meal in Tokyo.        

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Today, the typical Tokyo        
 diet's meat heavy, but         

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 Japan was originally a         
   super veg forward country.   

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   Geographically, they didn't  
 have enough farmland to        

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   raise animals en masse, so   
eating meat was basically       

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  banned for over 1,000 years.  

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And the population didn't       
really start eating a lot       

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 of meat till the 1950s.        

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 We're meeting the chefs        
that are turning back the       

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page to the pre-war era,        
   rediscovering the country's  

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 vegetarian heritage in         
  hyper creative ways.          

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 Just wait till you hear        
  about the concept of mitate.  

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 So strap in for a ride         
 through the traditional        

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   futuristic megacity          
 that is Tokyo.                 

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♪                               

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I'm Mina Masoud.                

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 I'm traveling across the world 
and eating my way through       

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   some of the coolest cities   
to show you how beautiful       

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 meals, talented chefs,         
and restaurant tours are        

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making plant-based living       
delicious and attainable.       

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  So join me as I show you how  
  the world is evolving vegan.  

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♪                               

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   The iconic Shibuya Scramble  
  Crossing sees over 2 million  

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  people stream through         
 it every day in endless        

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clock-like synchronicity.       

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  Just one stop to the          
 south, a young chef is         

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   trying to disrupt the flow.  

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  It's impossible to tour Japan 
 without dreaming of sushi, yet 

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it's hard to find               
   many vegan options.          

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  So we searched out an up and  
coming plant-based sushi        

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 chef, Chef Ko Tanimizu,        
 to demonstrate how the         

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  art is transforming.          

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   His ghost kitchen's          
   located in Ebisu, where he   

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preps for private events.       

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  And here, he's going          
 to teach me the way of         

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 making nigiri and maki.        

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  Chef Ko, thank you so         
much for having me here.        

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 I'm very excited to be         
   making vegan sushi.          

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How long does it take to        
   become a master sushi chef?  

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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Mena: He's being modest.        

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 Chef Ko's been studying        
   sushi for 14 years,          

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 learning the trade from        
 non-vegan sushi masters        

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 before stepping out to         
   veganize his craft.          

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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   All right, let's get to it.  

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  First up, a koi fish          
inspired nigiri.                

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  Chef says today's koi         
fish, nera, the topping,        

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   is actually pickled radish   
 with black and white potatoes. 

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 It's striking how much         
  attention is paid to          

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the visual presentation.        

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Chef goes out of his way        
 to imitate the original        

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 with dyes and textures.        

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  Mena:                         
 Wow, you do it so fast.        

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00:04:18,825 --> 00:04:22,395
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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 Wow, that's incredible,        
and that's fresh wasabi.        

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  My rice ball is big.          

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  A little bit.                 

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   We shape the nigiri          
with a series of deft and       

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 not so deft on my part,        
   pinches and twists.          

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  Cool.                         

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Awesome.                        

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  Good.                         

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  Mena:                         
Really, thank you, chef.        

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   And the finishing touch to   
   our koi imitation, a set of  

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painted on charcoal eyes.       

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00:05:06,739 --> 00:05:08,941
   Next, we're making           
  the dragon roll maki,         

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00:05:09,042 --> 00:05:11,311
 which is typically made        
   with tempura shrimp          

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00:05:11,411 --> 00:05:12,845
and topped with avocado.        

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:05:15,448 --> 00:05:17,250
 Wow, that's very thin.         

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I understand why it takes       
you years to master this.       

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  Mine looks--                  

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  Good.                         

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   It's good?                   

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00:05:32,265 --> 00:05:34,600
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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   We set the avocado           
 aside and start rolling        

101
00:05:36,803 --> 00:05:39,038
  out the rice on nori,         
which is trickier               

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 than it sounds.                

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  This may be the hardest thing 
   I've ever done in my life.   

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  Here.                         

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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 All the way down there?        

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  How? It's not                 
  enough rice.                  

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00:05:49,482 --> 00:05:51,050
   (Laughing)                   

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  With my rice                  
  passively flattened,          

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  time to fill our dragon maki  
   with cucumber and broccoli.  

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  Okay.                         

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  Good.                         

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  Mena:                         
  And plating.                  

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  Our maki masterpieces         
get a dose of soy sauce,        

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  soy milk ricotta, and         
  a dusting of paprika.         

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  Okay.                         

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  With a few moderately         
successful maki,                

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   chef pulls out the           
 reserves and creates a         

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   spectacular looking plate.   

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 This looks like a work of art. 

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 This is absolutely phenomenal. 

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  Do you get a lot of pushback  
  from your community,          

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   from the Japanese culture,   
  that you're veganizing sushi? 

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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I can't wait to dig into        
 the maki here.                 

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 There's just a                 
   finesse about this.          

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 The creaminess from the        
 ricotta and the avocado        

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  just play beautifully         
   with that broccoli.          

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 So as a first bite, I couldn't 
 ask for anything more.         

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   (Speaking Japanese)          

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  Thank you very much.          

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 Mena: Next, Chef Ko's creation,
   the minagi beetroot ohagi.   

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  A bed of green onion sprouts  
  topped with mashed potato and 

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   pickled radish dyed          
  red with beet juice.          

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Gorgeous.                       

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♪                               

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00:08:02,748 --> 00:08:03,716
  Mmm!                          

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00:08:03,816 --> 00:08:06,853
The textures here               
   are so satisfying.           

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The spice from the menegi       
 leafy green counteracts        

142
00:08:10,756 --> 00:08:13,493
  beautifully with the          
  potato and the rice.          

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 Again, fantastic, Chef.        

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  And finally,                  
 our koi nigiri.                

145
00:08:18,431 --> 00:08:21,801
  What is the symbolic          
 importance of koi fish         

146
00:08:21,901 --> 00:08:23,369
  in Japanese culture?          

147
00:08:23,469 --> 00:08:31,344
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:08:39,185 --> 00:08:43,923
♪                               

149
00:08:44,023 --> 00:08:45,758
   Mena: Wow!                   

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I love how you've               
 pickled the radish and         

151
00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,497
then you have that bite that you
  typically get from a radish.  

152
00:08:51,597 --> 00:08:54,433
  Just a fantastic nigiri here. 

153
00:08:54,534 --> 00:09:01,641
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:09:01,741 --> 00:09:03,843
  Mena:                         
  That perfect texture,         

155
00:09:03,943 --> 00:09:05,878
balance, and the                
   occasional dye job           

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00:09:05,978 --> 00:09:10,449
  make for unforgettable nigiri 
in the kitchens of Tokyo.       

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00:09:10,550 --> 00:09:15,855
♪                               

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00:09:15,955 --> 00:09:18,991
 Beauty is everywhere in Tokyo. 

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00:09:19,091 --> 00:09:21,027
   On even the tiniest          
  streets, you wind up          

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00:09:21,127 --> 00:09:24,196
walking past enchanting,        
   whispering little shrines.   

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00:09:24,297 --> 00:09:27,633
  The only problem is you never 
 get to your destination on time

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00:09:27,733 --> 00:09:30,803
  'cause you pass some mystical 
   place you gotta check out,   

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00:09:30,903 --> 00:09:32,405
 like Fruits and Season,        

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00:09:32,505 --> 00:09:36,075
 Japan's first all-vegan        
  fruit sandwich store.         

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   This is all vegan?           
   Woman: Yes.                  

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00:09:38,244 --> 00:09:39,845
   All vegan, amazing.          

167
00:09:39,946 --> 00:09:41,781
  Pineapple, pineapple.         

168
00:09:41,881 --> 00:09:43,683
Pineapple.                      
  Pineapple.                    

169
00:09:43,783 --> 00:09:45,851
  See, I know a little          
 bit, just a little bit.        

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00:09:45,952 --> 00:09:48,154
 Here, they take                
  freshly sliced fruit,         

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 layered on top                 
  of silky soft bread,          

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   and slather it with          
   fluffy vegan whipped cream.  

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00:09:54,060 --> 00:09:55,361
   Trust me, you gotta try it.  

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00:09:55,461 --> 00:09:58,731
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:09:58,831 --> 00:10:03,936
♪                               

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00:10:04,036 --> 00:10:06,238
 Mm! Mm!                        

177
00:10:06,339 --> 00:10:07,340
 Magic.                         

178
00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:08,874
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:10:08,975 --> 00:10:10,176
   Delicious.                   

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00:10:10,276 --> 00:10:12,645
♪                               

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00:10:12,745 --> 00:10:15,615
 (Dynamic music)                

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00:10:15,715 --> 00:10:18,884
♪                               

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00:10:18,985 --> 00:10:21,954
   I'm heading to the           
Jindaiji Temple in Chofu,       

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00:10:22,054 --> 00:10:24,023
   a western suburb of Tokyo.   

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00:10:24,123 --> 00:10:26,559
   Built over 1,200 years ago,  

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00:10:26,659 --> 00:10:29,195
 it's one of the oldest         
 Buddhist temples in the region.

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00:10:29,295 --> 00:10:31,397
 This is soba territory.        

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00:10:31,497 --> 00:10:34,467
   Joining me                   
   is Ryoya Takashima,          

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00:10:34,567 --> 00:10:37,003
  aka YouTuber                  
Peaceful Cuisine,               

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 who built his following        
 veganizing traditional         

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00:10:39,372 --> 00:10:41,040
Japanese dishes.                

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00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:44,777
Ryoya's introducing me to master
  chef Jiichi Mihayashi         

193
00:10:44,877 --> 00:10:48,414
   for a lesson in the ancient  
   art of making soba.          

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00:10:48,514 --> 00:10:50,483
  Chef Jiichi,                  
  it's gonna get messy.         

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00:10:50,583 --> 00:10:52,051
We're gonna make                
  soba noodles.                 

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00:10:52,151 --> 00:10:54,520
  Hi.                           
Hi, yes.                        

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00:10:54,620 --> 00:10:55,921
   What kind of flour is this?  

198
00:10:56,022 --> 00:11:04,263
   (Speaking Japanese)          

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00:11:04,363 --> 00:11:07,099
   Mena: I can add it for you,  
chef, just tell me when.        

200
00:11:10,403 --> 00:11:12,104
 Okay, okay.                    
   Mena: Okay.                  

201
00:11:13,105 --> 00:11:14,040
   Almost messed it up there.   

202
00:11:14,140 --> 00:11:17,877
   And you can see it           
  start to form there.          

203
00:11:25,217 --> 00:11:26,719
 All right, there we go.        

204
00:11:26,819 --> 00:11:28,120
   (Chuckling)                  

205
00:11:28,220 --> 00:11:31,090
Chef Jiichi takes a break       
 and graciously lets me         

206
00:11:31,190 --> 00:11:32,992
 try rolling out                
some soba dough.                

207
00:11:37,463 --> 00:11:38,464
   Like this?                   

208
00:11:40,299 --> 00:11:43,703
   Okay, so basically forming   

209
00:11:43,803 --> 00:11:46,906
   a big ball                   
 of dough here.                 

210
00:11:48,307 --> 00:11:50,342
 Yeah, it's good, right?        
It's good, yes.                 

211
00:11:50,443 --> 00:11:53,012
That's instinct.                
That's instinct.                

212
00:11:53,112 --> 00:11:54,080
I didn't know to do that.       

213
00:11:54,180 --> 00:11:55,247
   (Chuckling)                  

214
00:11:55,347 --> 00:11:57,550
 I feel like I'm                
almost impressing               

215
00:11:57,650 --> 00:11:59,919
   Chef Jiichi with my          
 dough making technique.        

216
00:12:00,019 --> 00:12:02,822
 I've got it shaped into        
a nice tight cannonball.        

217
00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:05,791
Yeah, it's good.                

218
00:12:05,891 --> 00:12:07,493
Clapping is good                
in any language.                

219
00:12:07,593 --> 00:12:10,362
 Next, carefully                
  flattening the dough.         

220
00:12:10,463 --> 00:12:13,899
   It has to be done gently to  
   avoid cracking the surface.  

221
00:12:20,005 --> 00:12:23,743
It's okay, I've got, got        
   good muscles, Chef.          

222
00:12:23,843 --> 00:12:24,744
   (Laughing)                   

223
00:12:24,844 --> 00:12:27,346
We're supposed to               
gingerly roll out               

224
00:12:27,446 --> 00:12:29,682
 the dough to a                 
   precise thickness.           

225
00:12:29,782 --> 00:12:33,285
 I'm gonna get Ryoya to do this 
 part because I'm getting tired.

226
00:12:33,385 --> 00:12:34,887
You can get in here, man.       

227
00:12:34,987 --> 00:12:36,322
  Where's your muscle?          

228
00:12:36,422 --> 00:12:37,623
 You brought me,                
  you brought me here.          

229
00:12:37,723 --> 00:12:39,425
You're making me                
do all the work.                

230
00:12:39,525 --> 00:12:41,627
 Chef, how many                 
times do you make               

231
00:12:41,727 --> 00:12:43,195
  soba noodles a week?          

232
00:12:43,295 --> 00:12:44,196
   Every day.                   

233
00:12:44,296 --> 00:12:45,331
   Every day.                   

234
00:12:45,431 --> 00:12:46,332
  Jiichi: Five.                 

235
00:12:46,432 --> 00:12:48,167
Mena: Five times a day.         
  Yes.                          

236
00:12:48,267 --> 00:12:50,035
  You make soba                 
   noodles five times.          

237
00:12:50,136 --> 00:12:51,804
   Jiichi: Every day.           
Mena: Oh, wow!                  

238
00:12:55,441 --> 00:12:57,076
50 years.                       

239
00:12:58,077 --> 00:12:59,845
Amazing.                        
And do you think                

240
00:12:59,945 --> 00:13:02,982
 this is a dying                
 art form here in Japan?        

241
00:13:10,322 --> 00:13:11,357
   Fantastic.                   

242
00:13:11,457 --> 00:13:13,492
 Once the dough                 
is paper thin and               

243
00:13:13,592 --> 00:13:15,995
  Chef Jiichi's happy,          
   it's cutting time.           

244
00:13:16,095 --> 00:13:18,030
♪                               

245
00:13:18,130 --> 00:13:19,231
  Wow.                          

246
00:13:19,331 --> 00:13:20,866
♪                               

247
00:13:20,966 --> 00:13:23,836
   After watching the master,   
I have to give it a shot.       

248
00:13:23,936 --> 00:13:28,741
♪                               

249
00:13:35,481 --> 00:13:37,216
   All right.                   

250
00:13:40,452 --> 00:13:41,353
  Yes.                          

251
00:13:41,453 --> 00:13:44,456
 After finishing                
the soba noodles,               

252
00:13:44,557 --> 00:13:47,092
   Chef prepares us a           
traditional Buddhist meal       

253
00:13:47,193 --> 00:13:49,328
called the shojin ryori.        

254
00:13:49,428 --> 00:13:52,031
   It's naturally plant-based,  
   simple in flavour,           

255
00:13:52,131 --> 00:13:54,767
 and features a flotilla        
of small dishes.                

256
00:13:54,867 --> 00:13:58,237
  Potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, 
   lotus root, and of course,   

257
00:13:58,337 --> 00:14:00,139
  our handcrafted soba.         

258
00:14:00,239 --> 00:14:03,542
♪                               

259
00:14:03,642 --> 00:14:05,411
All right, well,                
shall we dig in?                

260
00:14:05,511 --> 00:14:07,246
  Maybe we should start         
  with the soba noodles         

261
00:14:07,346 --> 00:14:08,714
  that we made before.          

262
00:14:08,814 --> 00:14:10,549
  Mena:                         
  Yes. Yes, good idea.          

263
00:14:10,649 --> 00:14:13,085
Dip them in here.               
   Ryoya: In this sauce.        

264
00:14:13,185 --> 00:14:18,791
♪                               

265
00:14:18,891 --> 00:14:23,062
 Can you feel the subtle        
aroma from soba noodles?        

266
00:14:23,162 --> 00:14:26,732
 Yes, yes, and the soba,        
 it's cooked perfectly.         

267
00:14:26,832 --> 00:14:29,568
   It's still got some          
 texture to it.                 

268
00:14:29,668 --> 00:14:32,805
 It's not mushy, and it doesn't 
  just dissolve in your mouth.  

269
00:14:32,905 --> 00:14:34,139
   That's really good.          

270
00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,308
The typical shojin ryori        
 meal is centred around         

271
00:14:36,408 --> 00:14:38,777
   soy-based foods like tofu,   

272
00:14:38,878 --> 00:14:41,580
   along with a table           
  load of veg.                  

273
00:14:42,581 --> 00:14:44,950
  Plus, steamed                 
daikon radishes with kelp       

274
00:14:45,050 --> 00:14:47,419
  and persimmon                 
 sauteed in sesame oil.         

275
00:14:47,519 --> 00:14:48,520
  Mmm!                          

276
00:14:48,621 --> 00:14:51,156
  And always a personal         
favourite, yuba.                

277
00:14:51,257 --> 00:14:52,491
♪                               

278
00:14:52,591 --> 00:14:54,960
 That's probably                
the creamiest...                

279
00:14:55,060 --> 00:14:57,062
 yuba I've ever tasted.         
   Oh, yeah.                    

280
00:14:57,162 --> 00:15:00,099
  I think it's sitting          
 in some soy milk there.        

281
00:15:00,199 --> 00:15:01,734
Japan was a very                
   vegetarian country.          

282
00:15:01,834 --> 00:15:03,535
Yes, yes.                       

283
00:15:03,636 --> 00:15:06,472
   Do you think it's circling   
 back in that direction?        

284
00:15:06,572 --> 00:15:09,341
   Nowadays, a lot of           
 big restaurant                 

285
00:15:09,441 --> 00:15:12,111
 and cafe offers                
plant-based food.               

286
00:15:12,211 --> 00:15:16,615
   Compared to when I became a  
 vegan, like over 15 years ago, 

287
00:15:16,715 --> 00:15:18,817
now I can eat everywhere.       

288
00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:21,487
 So you think it's, it's        
becoming more and more friendly.

289
00:15:21,587 --> 00:15:22,755
  Yes.                          

290
00:15:22,855 --> 00:15:25,190
   And here is another          
   kind of tofu that we have.   

291
00:15:25,291 --> 00:15:29,161
  Yes, but this is not          
   made of soy beans.           

292
00:15:29,261 --> 00:15:30,629
It's not?                       
 Not.                           

293
00:15:30,729 --> 00:15:32,298
What is it made out of?         
  Kuzu.                         

294
00:15:32,398 --> 00:15:33,532
 Kuzu?                          
  Yes.                          

295
00:15:33,632 --> 00:15:34,667
  What's that?                  

296
00:15:34,767 --> 00:15:36,702
   It's a starch of arrowroot.  

297
00:15:36,802 --> 00:15:38,637
Mena: Arrowroot starch?         
  Yes.                          

298
00:15:38,737 --> 00:15:39,772
   Mena: Wow.                   

299
00:15:43,275 --> 00:15:45,344
It's so different               
 from the tofu.                 

300
00:15:45,444 --> 00:15:46,545
  Mena: Mm-hm.                  

301
00:15:46,645 --> 00:15:48,447
  It almost tastes like         
   peanut butter a little bit.  

302
00:15:48,547 --> 00:15:49,648
  Tahini paste.                 

303
00:15:49,748 --> 00:15:51,050
 That would make                
 a lot of sense.                

304
00:15:51,150 --> 00:15:52,851
   I will say, out of           
all these foods,                

305
00:15:52,952 --> 00:15:54,820
   I think my                   
  favourite little bite         

306
00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:56,889
  was the soba noodle.          

307
00:15:56,989 --> 00:16:01,160
I mean, it's just simply        
   amazing that it's handmade.  

308
00:16:04,063 --> 00:16:07,933
♪                               

309
00:16:08,033 --> 00:16:09,902
  After trying                  
 Jindaiji soba,                 

310
00:16:10,002 --> 00:16:11,403
   I'm delving further          

311
00:16:11,503 --> 00:16:13,706
into the culinary               
traditions of the temple.       

312
00:16:13,806 --> 00:16:15,941
 I'm meeting tea master         
  Shota Yamada                  

313
00:16:16,041 --> 00:16:18,811
  to take part                  
   in a Japanese tea ceremony,  

314
00:16:18,911 --> 00:16:20,446
 set to counter                 
  the high pace                 

315
00:16:20,546 --> 00:16:22,247
 of everyday Tokyo life         

316
00:16:22,348 --> 00:16:24,416
 with a Zen-like                
   simplicity.                  

317
00:16:24,516 --> 00:16:28,320
 Joining me is our local        
producer, Naomi Funayama.       

318
00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:30,556
   (Speaking Japanese)          

319
00:16:51,777 --> 00:16:54,113
  Mena: Shota begins by mixing  
   the matcha powder,           

320
00:16:54,213 --> 00:16:56,181
  made of fine, ground          
green tea leaves,               

321
00:16:56,281 --> 00:16:57,916
 with hot water.                

322
00:16:58,017 --> 00:16:59,118
(Tapping)                       

323
00:16:59,218 --> 00:17:01,520
   (Trickling)                  

324
00:17:13,732 --> 00:17:16,335
 Naomi: He will explain         
how to drink the tea now.       

325
00:17:17,503 --> 00:17:20,105
   (Speaking Japanese)          

326
00:17:20,205 --> 00:17:21,473
  Take it with                  
 your right hand                

327
00:17:21,573 --> 00:17:23,942
and place it on the palm        
   of your left hand.           

328
00:17:33,052 --> 00:17:34,386
 Naomi:                         
Now you drink it.               

329
00:17:38,690 --> 00:17:40,192
Perfectly well balanced.        

330
00:17:40,292 --> 00:17:42,094
  It almost tastes like         
   there's milk in it.          

331
00:17:42,194 --> 00:17:43,662
 But, of course, I know         
   there isn't                  

332
00:17:43,762 --> 00:17:44,963
 because I just                 
  watched you make it.          

333
00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:46,932
Yeah, thank you.                
   It's amazing.                

334
00:17:53,772 --> 00:17:55,841
   Mena: The cleansing          
ends the ritual.                

335
00:17:55,941 --> 00:17:59,211
  After that, you turn          
the cup counterclockwise.       

336
00:17:59,311 --> 00:18:00,579
   Now you may                  
  set it down.                  

337
00:18:02,281 --> 00:18:05,150
Why was it important for        
  you to carry on the tradition 

338
00:18:05,250 --> 00:18:06,885
  of tea making                 
 here in Japan?                 

339
00:18:30,175 --> 00:18:31,743
  Both:                         
  Arigato gozaimashita.         

340
00:18:31,844 --> 00:18:35,981
♪                               

341
00:18:37,416 --> 00:18:42,588
♪                               

342
00:18:42,688 --> 00:18:44,957
 Mena: In Tokyo,                
 top flight restaurants         

343
00:18:45,057 --> 00:18:47,926
 are tucked into                
   all kinds of hidden nooks.   

344
00:18:48,026 --> 00:18:51,063
So, it's no surprise that       
  off the path of a back alley  

345
00:18:51,163 --> 00:18:53,432
  called the SAC is one         
  of the highest-rated          

346
00:18:53,532 --> 00:18:56,635
vegan restaurants               
  in the world, Saito.          

347
00:18:56,735 --> 00:18:59,771
   It's run by                  
 Chef Katsumi Kusumoto,         

348
00:18:59,872 --> 00:19:03,442
  the one cat in Tokyo          
  I just couldn't wait to meet. 

349
00:19:03,542 --> 00:19:06,812
  The visionary French-trained  
  Japanese chef                 

350
00:19:06,912 --> 00:19:09,815
  elevating plant-based cooking 
 to a whole other realm.        

351
00:19:09,915 --> 00:19:12,584
  He's a flat-out mad scientist 
 in the kitchen.                

352
00:19:12,684 --> 00:19:16,522
  He greets us with some of his 
 most stunning standout dishes. 

353
00:19:16,622 --> 00:19:18,056
 Tell me about the word         
"Saito."                        

354
00:19:18,157 --> 00:19:19,091
   What does it mean?           

355
00:19:19,191 --> 00:19:21,293
   (Speaking Japanese)          

356
00:19:35,207 --> 00:19:36,608
Chef's first dish               

357
00:19:36,708 --> 00:19:39,611
 highlights his                 
   entire approach to cooking.  

358
00:19:39,711 --> 00:19:41,980
It's mostly just carrots.       

359
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,550
   Specifically, rare,          
 sweet, reddish,                

360
00:19:44,650 --> 00:19:46,818
 roasted                        
kintoki carrots,                

361
00:19:46,919 --> 00:19:49,454
  topped with a                 
  wasabi balsamic glaze         

362
00:19:49,555 --> 00:19:51,323
   and burdock root fritters.   

363
00:19:51,423 --> 00:19:56,628
♪                               

364
00:19:56,728 --> 00:19:59,431
   Mm.                          

365
00:19:59,531 --> 00:20:00,432
   Mm!                          

366
00:20:00,532 --> 00:20:02,601
 (Laugh)                        

367
00:20:02,701 --> 00:20:04,836
   Mena: I can tell you've put  
   a lot of thought into this.  

368
00:20:04,937 --> 00:20:06,872
  It just comes out so          
 beautifully like that.         

369
00:20:06,972 --> 00:20:08,140
   Look at that colour there.   

370
00:20:09,942 --> 00:20:11,843
I wanna talk to you a little bit
 about your background.         

371
00:20:11,944 --> 00:20:14,880
 Shortly after you trained here,
  you opened up                 

372
00:20:14,980 --> 00:20:17,049
   a members-only restaurant.   

373
00:20:17,149 --> 00:20:19,985
So, naturally, your introduction
   to the vegan world           

374
00:20:20,085 --> 00:20:24,189
  was a little bit more         
  refined or elevated.          

375
00:20:24,289 --> 00:20:25,457
  Is that fair to say?          

376
00:20:40,739 --> 00:20:43,675
  Mena: Chef's next showstopper 
 is his plant-based take        

377
00:20:43,775 --> 00:20:46,712
on the ubiquitous               
   unagi dish.                  

378
00:20:46,812 --> 00:20:48,647
   Standing in for eel          
  with a blend                  

379
00:20:48,747 --> 00:20:51,850
  of tofu and root veg          
   is near impossible.          

380
00:20:51,950 --> 00:20:53,885
   But Chef pulls off           
   the sleight of hand          

381
00:20:53,986 --> 00:20:57,089
  with elegance                 
  and a smoky panache.          

382
00:20:58,257 --> 00:20:59,925
  Wow.                          

383
00:21:00,025 --> 00:21:01,994
 This smells incredible.        

384
00:21:02,094 --> 00:21:04,062
 I'm so excited to try.         

385
00:21:04,162 --> 00:21:07,399
  You've said it's tofu         
on a bed of rice.               

386
00:21:07,499 --> 00:21:09,434
The tofu,                       
 is it just tofu                

387
00:21:09,534 --> 00:21:11,837
 or have you mixed it in        
  with something else?          

388
00:21:24,650 --> 00:21:26,485
   Fantastic.                   
   I've never had eel before,   

389
00:21:26,585 --> 00:21:28,420
 so this is the closest         
 I'm gonna get,                 

390
00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:29,655
 I think, to it.                

391
00:21:29,755 --> 00:21:31,123
 So thank you for that.         

392
00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:36,528
   Mm.                          

393
00:21:36,628 --> 00:21:37,663
 Mm.                            

394
00:21:37,763 --> 00:21:39,264
  Both:                         
 Mm! Mm!                        

395
00:21:43,235 --> 00:21:46,171
That's very good.               
The texture is fantastic.       

396
00:21:46,271 --> 00:21:48,674
 You definitely get that        
seaweed flavour as well.        

397
00:21:48,774 --> 00:21:52,411
  The rice adds a nice          
 vessel to go with all of this. 

398
00:21:52,511 --> 00:21:54,913
  Why was it important          
 to you to take                 

399
00:21:55,013 --> 00:21:58,884
  traditional Japanese dishes,  
  like this unagi here,         

400
00:21:58,984 --> 00:22:00,752
  and make them                 
  plant-based?                  

401
00:22:24,009 --> 00:22:25,977
And that's called               
 mitate.                        

402
00:22:26,078 --> 00:22:27,913
  Yes.                          
(Laughs)                        

403
00:22:28,013 --> 00:22:30,515
 I'm excited for                
our next course.                

404
00:22:35,253 --> 00:22:36,521
 Another mitate?                

405
00:22:36,621 --> 00:22:38,990
  Yes.                          
(Laughs)                        

406
00:22:39,091 --> 00:22:42,194
  Mena: Chef's play on          
 a potted plant                 

407
00:22:42,294 --> 00:22:44,229
 is filled with                 
raspberry mousse,               

408
00:22:44,329 --> 00:22:46,631
 crunchy almond                 
and cocoa stones                

409
00:22:46,732 --> 00:22:49,234
with a sprouting                
   matcha sponge cake.          

410
00:22:49,334 --> 00:22:52,838
  Finally, savoury bitter gourd 
and juniper berry gelato        

411
00:22:52,938 --> 00:22:55,774
  layered onto                  
   dehydrated tomatoes          

412
00:22:55,874 --> 00:22:59,378
and curried beans covered       
in dried fruits and veg.        

413
00:22:59,478 --> 00:23:01,747
   It can only                  
 be described as                

414
00:23:01,847 --> 00:23:03,548
a Saito original.               

415
00:23:03,648 --> 00:23:07,252
 Wow, that is...                
gorgeous.                       

416
00:23:09,588 --> 00:23:11,356
This presentation               
is sugoi.                       

417
00:23:11,456 --> 00:23:12,824
   Katsumi: Arigato gozaimasu.  
   Thank you.                   

418
00:23:12,924 --> 00:23:14,126
  Wow.                          

419
00:23:18,630 --> 00:23:20,499
  Look at that.                 

420
00:23:30,542 --> 00:23:33,979
  I don't think I've quite ever 
   tasted anything like that.   

421
00:23:34,079 --> 00:23:37,382
 You have struck                
a phenomenal balance here       

422
00:23:37,482 --> 00:23:38,717
   with the ice cream.          

423
00:23:38,817 --> 00:23:40,185
   It's just a hint of          
   sweetness,                   

424
00:23:40,285 --> 00:23:42,020
 but it's so refreshing         

425
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,289
  because of the citrus element 
in there.                       

426
00:23:44,389 --> 00:23:46,191
  And your play                 
   on textures                  

427
00:23:46,291 --> 00:23:48,360
is beyond words.                

428
00:23:48,460 --> 00:23:50,028
 It just works.                 

429
00:23:57,836 --> 00:24:00,038
I've never tasted               
anything quite like this.       

430
00:24:00,138 --> 00:24:02,941
   This is...                   
this is special.                

431
00:24:03,041 --> 00:24:04,309
Thank you, Chef.                

432
00:24:05,377 --> 00:24:08,880
All right, I want to dig        
 my way into this dish.         

433
00:24:08,980 --> 00:24:10,449
  See what I did there?         

434
00:24:10,549 --> 00:24:12,884
 Because there's                
a little shovel.                

435
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:16,455
  Wow.                          

436
00:24:16,555 --> 00:24:21,626
♪                               

437
00:24:21,726 --> 00:24:22,994
   Mm.                          

438
00:24:23,094 --> 00:24:31,703
♪                               

439
00:24:31,803 --> 00:24:34,906
   (Laughter)                   

440
00:24:35,006 --> 00:24:37,776
 You're playing                 
  with textures                 

441
00:24:37,876 --> 00:24:41,012
in such an elevated way,        

442
00:24:41,112 --> 00:24:42,781
   and got the                  
crunch from the almonds.        

443
00:24:42,881 --> 00:24:45,517
 And, of course,                
  that beautiful, soft          

444
00:24:45,617 --> 00:24:48,220
 raspberry cream                
 on the bottom.                 

445
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,222
  It all comes together         
so well.                        

446
00:25:10,509 --> 00:25:12,110
   I want to thank you          
  for giving me                 

447
00:25:12,210 --> 00:25:14,446
a very special experience       
 here in Japan.                 

448
00:25:14,546 --> 00:25:16,448
 And I'll definitely be         
back here                       

449
00:25:16,548 --> 00:25:18,617
because I'm so incredibly       
 excited                        

450
00:25:18,717 --> 00:25:21,786
  to see what you keep creating 
 here at Saito.                 

451
00:25:21,887 --> 00:25:23,321
Thank you, Chef.                

452
00:25:23,421 --> 00:25:24,789
    Arigato.                    
Arigato.                        

453
00:25:27,859 --> 00:25:30,529
♪                               

454
00:25:30,629 --> 00:25:32,497
  Mena: Tokyo lives in          
  constant awe                  

455
00:25:32,597 --> 00:25:35,333
 of the volcano                 
  rising to the south.          

456
00:25:35,433 --> 00:25:38,436
   Iconic, oft painted          
and photographed,               

457
00:25:38,537 --> 00:25:40,906
 it's a hologram                
  burnt into the psyche         

458
00:25:41,006 --> 00:25:44,142
   of the Tokyo city dweller:   
   Mount Fuji,                  

459
00:25:44,242 --> 00:25:47,479
   and its pastoral neighbour,  
 Mount Ashigara.                

460
00:25:47,579 --> 00:25:50,081
 I've stepped out of the        
   city to visit the mountains  

461
00:25:50,181 --> 00:25:52,017
 and surrounding                
   rice farms                   

462
00:25:52,117 --> 00:25:54,052
   after hearing about          
   a family preserving          

463
00:25:54,152 --> 00:25:56,054
  a cultural tradition          
 that dates back                

464
00:25:56,154 --> 00:25:58,089
   more than a thousand years,  

465
00:25:58,189 --> 00:26:01,092
  making mochi,                 
  a Japanese rice cake.         

466
00:26:02,961 --> 00:26:05,063
Mayumi and Shinji Kasama        

467
00:26:05,163 --> 00:26:07,198
 teach Japanese                 
   and tourists alike           

468
00:26:07,299 --> 00:26:09,768
   how to pound mochi.          

469
00:26:09,868 --> 00:26:13,371
 How long have you lived        
here and made mochi for?        

470
00:26:13,471 --> 00:26:16,474
   (Speaking Japanese)          

471
00:26:32,190 --> 00:26:33,925
 Wow, five generations.         

472
00:26:34,025 --> 00:26:35,427
Yes, yes.                       

473
00:26:35,527 --> 00:26:37,262
Wow, that is incredible.        

474
00:26:37,362 --> 00:26:40,865
 Mayumi and Shinji farm         
 two types of rice here:        

475
00:26:40,966 --> 00:26:42,867
 regular uruchimai rice         

476
00:26:42,968 --> 00:26:44,936
  and a sticky                  
 glutinous rice                 

477
00:26:45,036 --> 00:26:46,838
  known for its                 
  high starch content,          

478
00:26:46,938 --> 00:26:48,873
best used to make mochi.        

479
00:27:11,930 --> 00:27:14,766
  Mena: Shinji puts me          
  on hot water detail.          

480
00:27:14,866 --> 00:27:17,969
  We gotta keep the stamp mill  
and the pestle piping hot       

481
00:27:18,069 --> 00:27:20,972
   to help the steamed sticky   
 rice break down faster.        

482
00:27:21,072 --> 00:27:22,607
  Wow.                          

483
00:27:28,279 --> 00:27:29,414
  Wow.                          

484
00:27:32,117 --> 00:27:33,284
 Getting right in there.        

485
00:27:33,385 --> 00:27:34,619
It's like a dance               
in here.                        

486
00:27:34,719 --> 00:27:37,455
Kneading the rice allows        
 all those little pieces        

487
00:27:37,555 --> 00:27:38,990
   to start combining           
together.                       

488
00:27:39,090 --> 00:27:40,558
 You're using your hips.        

489
00:27:40,659 --> 00:27:41,660
  Hips.                         

490
00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:43,128
  Yeah, there's                 
   a hip thrust here.           

491
00:27:44,129 --> 00:27:45,397
   I gotta get                  
 the hip thrust.                

492
00:27:45,497 --> 00:27:46,498
  Try.                          

493
00:27:46,598 --> 00:27:48,633
 Yes, I'm ready,                
   I'm ready.                   

494
00:27:48,733 --> 00:27:49,968
  Hips.                         

495
00:27:50,068 --> 00:27:51,336
  Yeah, I see.                  

496
00:27:51,436 --> 00:27:52,537
Like that, right?               

497
00:27:52,637 --> 00:27:53,772
  Is this good?                 
  Is this good?                 

498
00:27:53,872 --> 00:27:54,906
   Very good.                   

499
00:27:55,006 --> 00:27:56,708
Mena: We're just getting        
  the starch out of it          

500
00:27:56,808 --> 00:27:58,443
 and really just                
   binding it?                  

501
00:27:58,543 --> 00:28:00,412
Is that the point               
  of all this?                  

502
00:28:02,947 --> 00:28:04,249
  Mena:                         
 Shinji pounds the rice         

503
00:28:04,349 --> 00:28:06,885
  in rhythm with Mayumi         
  as she folds.                 

504
00:28:06,985 --> 00:28:10,088
It makes the mochi airy,        
 almost creamy.                 

505
00:28:13,625 --> 00:28:14,626
 (Clunk)                        

506
00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:17,929
  It's my turn, Mayumi,         
 give me a shot at this.        

507
00:28:20,098 --> 00:28:21,366
 (Laugh)                        

508
00:28:21,466 --> 00:28:23,968
   That was very weak.          
  She's laughing at me.         

509
00:28:24,069 --> 00:28:25,837
   Okay, it's better, better.   

510
00:28:25,937 --> 00:28:27,172
   One, okay.                   

511
00:28:27,272 --> 00:28:28,440
 (Thud)                         

512
00:28:28,540 --> 00:28:29,607
One.                            

513
00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:32,143
(Thudding)                      

514
00:28:32,243 --> 00:28:33,812
(Laugh)                         

515
00:28:33,912 --> 00:28:36,481
Hey. Hey.                       

516
00:28:36,581 --> 00:28:39,217
This is hard work               
 for mochi, man.                

517
00:28:39,317 --> 00:28:40,785
   Good, good.                  

518
00:28:40,885 --> 00:28:42,253
   It's good,                   
   it's looking good?           

519
00:28:42,353 --> 00:28:44,022
   (Speaking Japanese)          

520
00:28:44,122 --> 00:28:45,490
  Okay,                         
   it's a taste test.           

521
00:28:45,590 --> 00:28:47,659
   Taste test.                  
 Taste.                         

522
00:28:47,759 --> 00:28:49,527
 It almost has a                
  consistency of, like,         

523
00:28:49,627 --> 00:28:51,696
   a mozzarella cheese          
   right now.                   

524
00:28:53,498 --> 00:28:54,432
 Shinji:                        
  Okay.                         

525
00:28:54,532 --> 00:28:55,500
  Mena:                         
   It's okay?                   

526
00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:56,501
  Okay.                         

527
00:28:56,601 --> 00:28:57,635
All right, great.               

528
00:28:57,736 --> 00:28:58,870
  Shinji says it's good         

529
00:28:58,970 --> 00:29:00,605
   and I'm all                  
   sledgehammered out.          

530
00:29:00,705 --> 00:29:03,775
  So, it's time                 
  to assemble and eat.          

531
00:29:03,875 --> 00:29:06,344
 Mayumi's prepped three         
  traditional toppings:         

532
00:29:06,444 --> 00:29:08,146
azuki bean paste;               

533
00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:10,248
kinako, which is                
roasted soy flour               

534
00:29:10,348 --> 00:29:12,083
   with added sugar and salt;   

535
00:29:12,183 --> 00:29:13,685
and nori.                       

536
00:29:20,558 --> 00:29:23,528
  So, this is the fresh         
mochi experience.               

537
00:29:23,628 --> 00:29:25,396
  I've never had mochi          
   like this.                   

538
00:29:25,497 --> 00:29:28,066
 Mayumi pulls apart the         
  fresh mochi,                  

539
00:29:28,166 --> 00:29:30,635
pinching it into                
 bite-sized rice cakes.         

540
00:29:30,735 --> 00:29:32,437
Then we assemble.               

541
00:29:37,242 --> 00:29:40,078
  So excited to try all         
these different flavours.       

542
00:29:44,716 --> 00:29:47,552
  Mena: The azuki beans         
  are very flavourful.          

543
00:29:47,652 --> 00:29:50,288
  They have just a hint         
  of sweetness in them.         

544
00:29:50,388 --> 00:29:51,656
 It's delicious.                
 Oishii.                        

545
00:29:54,526 --> 00:29:56,728
   I'm gonna try this           
 other savoury one here.        

546
00:29:59,430 --> 00:30:00,932
(Crunch)                        

547
00:30:04,135 --> 00:30:05,737
I really like it.               

548
00:30:05,837 --> 00:30:08,139
  I've had rice wrapped         
   in seaweed                   

549
00:30:08,239 --> 00:30:10,942
   and they usually stuff them  
with different toppings.        

550
00:30:11,042 --> 00:30:13,144
 So this is very similar        
to that.                        

551
00:30:13,244 --> 00:30:15,480
   All right,                   
 this guy here,                 

552
00:30:15,580 --> 00:30:16,648
I'm most excited                
   about this.                  

553
00:30:16,748 --> 00:30:24,489
♪                               

554
00:30:24,589 --> 00:30:25,824
   That's really good.          

555
00:30:25,924 --> 00:30:28,293
   I love the mixture           
   of sweet and salty.          

556
00:30:28,393 --> 00:30:29,561
 It's delicious.                

557
00:30:43,641 --> 00:30:45,009
  Mena:                         
 Lucky, indeed.                 

558
00:30:45,109 --> 00:30:47,846
   Fresh mochi in the           
  Japanese countryside.         

559
00:30:47,946 --> 00:30:49,647
   Somebody pinch me.           

560
00:30:49,747 --> 00:30:51,883
♪                               

561
00:30:51,983 --> 00:30:54,886
(Upbeat rockabilly music)       

562
00:30:54,986 --> 00:30:59,157
♪                               

563
00:30:59,257 --> 00:31:01,159
Posted up                       
 in Yoyogi Park,                

564
00:31:01,259 --> 00:31:03,728
   every Sunday, these          
  rockabillies,                 

565
00:31:03,828 --> 00:31:05,196
 or Roller-zuku,                

566
00:31:05,296 --> 00:31:07,765
get down in their               
'50s style denim                

567
00:31:07,866 --> 00:31:10,535
  to old-school                 
 American rock 'n roll.         

568
00:31:10,635 --> 00:31:12,704
  Why?                          
 I have no idea.                

569
00:31:12,804 --> 00:31:15,306
That's just Tokyo               
 on a Sunday afternoon.         

570
00:31:17,375 --> 00:31:18,643
Okay, I'm hungry.               

571
00:31:18,743 --> 00:31:20,812
Back to business.               

572
00:31:23,781 --> 00:31:27,518
  Some of my favourite eateries 
 in Japan are izakayas.         

573
00:31:27,619 --> 00:31:30,555
  Part pub, part resto,         
  and all vibe,                 

574
00:31:30,655 --> 00:31:32,323
they serve drinks               
and small plates                

575
00:31:32,423 --> 00:31:34,392
of Japanese bar classics.       

576
00:31:34,492 --> 00:31:37,562
  They're one of the few places 
 Japanese go to unwind,         

577
00:31:37,662 --> 00:31:39,297
unbutton a bottle               
of sake,                        

578
00:31:39,397 --> 00:31:41,466
  and get loud                  
  with friends,                 

579
00:31:41,566 --> 00:31:43,034
like my pal Alex.               

580
00:31:43,134 --> 00:31:45,904
 Fluent in Japanese and         
  five other languages,         

581
00:31:46,004 --> 00:31:47,605
  Alex                          
  is a vegan consultant         

582
00:31:47,705 --> 00:31:49,274
   who helps Tokyo restaurants  

583
00:31:49,374 --> 00:31:51,042
  get into the                  
   plant-based market.          

584
00:31:51,142 --> 00:31:54,212
   And Izakaya Masaka           
is his top reco.                

585
00:31:54,312 --> 00:31:56,581
 We're joined by                
  Mayu Suzuki,                  

586
00:31:56,681 --> 00:31:57,849
  who helps run                 
   the joint.                   

587
00:31:57,949 --> 00:31:59,684
Is there                        
   a specific meaning           

588
00:31:59,784 --> 00:32:01,319
   to the word                  
   "izakaya"?                   

589
00:32:01,419 --> 00:32:04,789
  Stay drinking place.          

590
00:32:04,889 --> 00:32:06,958
  Stay drinking place.          

591
00:32:07,058 --> 00:32:08,860
   So, quite literally          
 what a bar is.                 

592
00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,161
(Laughs)                        

593
00:32:10,261 --> 00:32:13,298
   We're starting with gyoza,   
   or fried dumplings,          

594
00:32:13,398 --> 00:32:16,000
 that are traditionally stuffed 
with minced pork or beef.       

595
00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:18,202
  Here, they're full of         
   soy meat, Chinese cabbage,   

596
00:32:18,303 --> 00:32:21,272
   and spring onions,           
   ready for dipping.           

597
00:32:21,372 --> 00:32:23,374
  Wow,                          
 these look incredible.         

598
00:32:23,474 --> 00:32:26,010
   And then chili oil           
   and black vinegar.           

599
00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:28,146
 That's amazing.                

600
00:32:28,246 --> 00:32:31,716
   Mmmm, mmm!                   

601
00:32:31,816 --> 00:32:32,951
   Oishi.                       
  Oishi!                        

602
00:32:33,051 --> 00:32:36,220
Thank you.                      

603
00:32:36,321 --> 00:32:38,856
The wrapper is very thin,       
   unlike some gyoza,           

604
00:32:38,957 --> 00:32:41,459
   and                          
the gyoza itself,               

605
00:32:41,559 --> 00:32:43,861
I mean, it's a two biter,       
   maybe a one biter,           

606
00:32:43,962 --> 00:32:45,964
 so you                         
  can just eat a lot of these.  

607
00:32:46,064 --> 00:32:48,866
 You can                        
eat, stay, place.               

608
00:32:48,967 --> 00:32:50,535
(Laughs)                        

609
00:32:50,635 --> 00:32:53,638
   Alex, you've been here now   
 how many years?                

610
00:32:53,738 --> 00:32:55,139
   For over six years.          

611
00:32:55,239 --> 00:32:57,475
How have you seen               
  the vegan scene here evolve?  

612
00:32:57,575 --> 00:32:59,544
   Because I came here          
  about five years ago,         

613
00:32:59,644 --> 00:33:02,213
  and there were plenty         
   of options,                  

614
00:33:02,313 --> 00:33:03,481
 but I feel like                
this time around                

615
00:33:03,581 --> 00:33:06,184
   there's many, many           
  more options.                 

616
00:33:06,284 --> 00:33:08,453
  It's a lot harder             
to be vegan in Japan            

617
00:33:08,553 --> 00:33:11,055
  than it is to actually        
eat vegan in Japan.             

618
00:33:11,155 --> 00:33:12,557
What do you mean                
by that?                        

619
00:33:12,657 --> 00:33:14,225
  Well, just because of         
the pressures to conform,       

620
00:33:14,325 --> 00:33:17,362
   especially                   
  as a Japanese person,         

621
00:33:17,462 --> 00:33:20,231
it's a lot harder               
 to be individualistic,         

622
00:33:20,331 --> 00:33:22,934
to be different,                
   to be doing your own thing,  

623
00:33:23,034 --> 00:33:24,569
  to be the only person         
 at a regular restaurant        

624
00:33:24,669 --> 00:33:26,004
   trying to order vegan food   
  or not eating                 

625
00:33:26,104 --> 00:33:27,705
 because there's                
  no options available.         

626
00:33:27,805 --> 00:33:32,176
 In retrospect, there's         
  a lot of delicious vegan food 

627
00:33:32,276 --> 00:33:33,544
  that is here                  
   to be had.                   

628
00:33:33,644 --> 00:33:36,714
And a lot of traditional        
 Japanese food is vegan         

629
00:33:36,814 --> 00:33:38,449
   or can easily be made vegan  
with very little effort.        

630
00:33:38,549 --> 00:33:42,086
  And then of course, the dish  
   that I'm most excited about  

631
00:33:42,186 --> 00:33:46,357
  because it's so hard          
to find vegan is karaage.       

632
00:33:46,457 --> 00:33:47,792
  Karaage.                      
 Right?                         

633
00:33:47,892 --> 00:33:51,362
  Karaage is an iconic Japanese 
  staple fried chicken.         

634
00:33:51,462 --> 00:33:53,097
 People go nuts                 
over it.                        

635
00:33:53,197 --> 00:33:56,868
And Misaka's plant-based        
 version is next level,         

636
00:33:56,968 --> 00:33:59,771
   deep fried, golden,          
  crispy, gloriousness.         

637
00:33:59,871 --> 00:34:03,608
  This sauce is                 
 yuzu pepper mayonnaise.        

638
00:34:03,708 --> 00:34:07,245
  Yes, yuzu,                    
 I love yuzu.                   

639
00:34:07,345 --> 00:34:11,382
   One of the things when       
I think Japan, I think yuzu.    

640
00:34:11,482 --> 00:34:15,753
That beautiful citrus that has  
   such a unique taste to it    

641
00:34:15,853 --> 00:34:19,157
that you really have a hard time
 finding anywhere else.         

642
00:34:19,257 --> 00:34:22,960
So you already got me           
  at yuzu.                      

643
00:34:23,061 --> 00:34:24,095
  Look at that.                 
Alright.                        

644
00:34:24,195 --> 00:34:27,465
♪                               

645
00:34:27,565 --> 00:34:29,267
Get out of here!                

646
00:34:29,367 --> 00:34:31,436
Do you feel yuzu?               

647
00:34:31,536 --> 00:34:32,837
I feel the yuzu,                
  yes.                          

648
00:34:32,937 --> 00:34:36,474
Not what I was expecting        
 on the inside.                 

649
00:34:36,574 --> 00:34:38,776
   I didn't expect it           
 to all be plant-based chicken. 

650
00:34:38,876 --> 00:34:40,645
   I thought it would           
 be more dough.                 

651
00:34:40,745 --> 00:34:43,981
 And the yuzu mayo, I gotta get 
 a bottle of that or something. 

652
00:34:44,082 --> 00:34:47,318
   That is phenomenal.          

653
00:34:47,418 --> 00:34:50,488
I need a whole bucket           
  of these.                     

654
00:34:50,588 --> 00:34:52,790
(Laughs)                        

655
00:34:52,890 --> 00:34:55,093
 Do you find you get            
more Japanese people            

656
00:34:55,193 --> 00:34:57,662
coming to Izakaya Masaka,       
   or more foreigners?          

657
00:34:57,762 --> 00:35:02,433
                  Actually      
 more outside Japan.            
 Outside Japan.                 

658
00:35:02,533 --> 00:35:04,202
   80% or 90%.                  

659
00:35:04,302 --> 00:35:05,303
   80% or 90%.                  

660
00:35:05,403 --> 00:35:08,473
Yeah, plus (Unclear)            
   from overseas.               

661
00:35:08,573 --> 00:35:11,876
Because foreigner want to       
 experience the culture.        

662
00:35:11,976 --> 00:35:13,945
 Vegan izakaya                  
   is rare in Japan.            

663
00:35:14,045 --> 00:35:16,214
Yeah, it is rare.               

664
00:35:16,314 --> 00:35:19,383
Yeah, to me, izakayas are one of
the only places in Japan        

665
00:35:19,484 --> 00:35:21,385
where you'll find               
  that Japanese people          

666
00:35:21,486 --> 00:35:23,121
  can get a bit louder          
   than usual.                  

667
00:35:23,221 --> 00:35:24,789
 Yeah, yeah.                    
Right, right.                   

668
00:35:24,889 --> 00:35:27,325
  The train's like dead silent, 
 right, but izakayas...         

669
00:35:27,425 --> 00:35:32,096
Yeah, they're open mind,        
 they become open mind.         

670
00:35:32,196 --> 00:35:34,832
   So you get                   
  looser here.                  
  Yes.                          

671
00:35:34,932 --> 00:35:37,301
 I feel like Japan does         
  a lot of things right         

672
00:35:37,401 --> 00:35:39,270
  that other countries          
could learn from.               

673
00:35:39,370 --> 00:35:40,671
 The streets are clean,         

674
00:35:40,771 --> 00:35:43,808
there's a lot of respect        
 between people.                

675
00:35:43,908 --> 00:35:46,210
 Level of emotional intelligence
 is very high, I think,         

676
00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:48,146
   just thinking about          
what other people               

677
00:35:48,246 --> 00:35:50,314
 are thinking right now,        
 what other people want.        

678
00:35:50,414 --> 00:35:52,950
  In general, the food          
is also amazing.                

679
00:35:53,050 --> 00:35:56,120
I will say this,                
   that Japan may not           

680
00:35:56,220 --> 00:35:59,490
have the most vegan food,       
   but in my opinion,           

681
00:35:59,590 --> 00:36:02,560
it has some of the best,        
 if not the actual best,        

682
00:36:02,660 --> 00:36:04,695
vegan food on the planet,       
  'cause the quality's          

683
00:36:04,795 --> 00:36:06,964
   just so high that it's just  
a joy to be here.               

684
00:36:07,064 --> 00:36:12,370
  (Dynamic instrumental sting)  

685
00:36:12,470 --> 00:36:20,178
♪                               

686
00:36:20,278 --> 00:36:23,915
   ♪ ♪                          

687
00:36:24,015 --> 00:36:27,051
  There's an exquisite phantom  
 bowl of ramen I haven't        

688
00:36:27,151 --> 00:36:29,720
stopped dreaming                
  about for six years.          

689
00:36:29,820 --> 00:36:33,090
  Steaming, fragrant, served up 
with a clangorous thunder       

690
00:36:33,191 --> 00:36:34,992
in a Tokyo train station.       

691
00:36:35,092 --> 00:36:37,728
 It was the best bowl of        
  ramen I had in my very first  

692
00:36:37,828 --> 00:36:40,431
 visit to Tokyo in 2018.        

693
00:36:40,531 --> 00:36:43,568
   I tracked down the           
 chef, Masako Shimokawa,        

694
00:36:43,668 --> 00:36:46,304
   who served up that           
fateful bowl of noodles.        

695
00:36:46,404 --> 00:36:48,773
   No surprise, she's           
   expanded to five locations   

696
00:36:48,873 --> 00:36:51,309
  across the city, and          
  I can't wait to learn         

697
00:36:51,409 --> 00:36:53,911
   the secrets behind           
   that perfect bowl.           

698
00:36:54,011 --> 00:36:56,614
At T's restaurant               
 in Meguro City.                

699
00:36:56,714 --> 00:36:59,517
I've experienced a little       
   bit of your cooking, and so  

700
00:36:59,617 --> 00:37:02,153
 I'm very, very excited         
   to be here.                  

701
00:37:02,253 --> 00:37:04,689
   (Speaking Japanese)          

702
00:37:04,789 --> 00:37:06,090
Yes, yes.                       

703
00:37:07,491 --> 00:37:10,428
 What's the significance        
 of ramen here in Japan?        

704
00:37:10,528 --> 00:37:16,367
   (Speaking Japanese)          

705
00:37:24,141 --> 00:37:27,378
  And so doing a vegan          
  ramen opens up ramen          

706
00:37:27,478 --> 00:37:29,046
for a lot of people here.       

707
00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,756
   Now hopefully I can          
  get Masako's secrets          

708
00:37:38,856 --> 00:37:40,758
  to that phantom bowl.         

709
00:37:40,858 --> 00:37:44,495
  Usually this is a pork base,  
 but because it's vegan,        

710
00:37:44,595 --> 00:37:47,098
what is this creamy base?       

711
00:37:59,243 --> 00:38:00,411
  It smells very good.          

712
00:38:00,511 --> 00:38:01,412
  Nuts.                         

713
00:38:01,512 --> 00:38:02,713
And nuts.                       

714
00:38:02,813 --> 00:38:05,149
  Okay, all right, I'm getting  
 the secret one by one.         

715
00:38:05,249 --> 00:38:06,183
  (She laughs)                  

716
00:38:06,284 --> 00:38:09,053
  All right, beautiful          
vegetable broth.                

717
00:38:09,153 --> 00:38:10,388
 Looks amazing.                 

718
00:38:10,488 --> 00:38:12,056
   Masako boils up the          
noodles and adds them to        

719
00:38:12,156 --> 00:38:13,924
 the steaming hot broth.        

720
00:38:32,777 --> 00:38:33,844
 What is it made out of?        

721
00:38:33,944 --> 00:38:34,945
Soy bean.                       

722
00:38:37,515 --> 00:38:39,550
 That's amazing,                
I can't wait to try that.       

723
00:38:51,028 --> 00:38:53,197
  Okay.                         

724
00:38:53,297 --> 00:38:56,901
  Yes, I love the sound         
   effects and looks gorgeous.  

725
00:39:04,442 --> 00:39:07,845
   Thank you so much,           
   arigato, for allowing me to  

726
00:39:07,945 --> 00:39:10,247
 come in here and see this dish.

727
00:39:10,348 --> 00:39:12,383
 So I'm gonna go                
   enjoy it, arigato.           

728
00:39:12,483 --> 00:39:13,517
 You're welcome.                

729
00:39:13,617 --> 00:39:16,520
   Thank you very much          
for coming here.                

730
00:39:16,620 --> 00:39:18,956
   Mena: I can't wait to share  
   this bowl with the guy who   

731
00:39:19,056 --> 00:39:22,159
  first introduced me to Japan, 
 my friend and producing        

732
00:39:22,259 --> 00:39:24,462
 partner, Ali Masayaki.         

733
00:39:24,562 --> 00:39:26,564
   Wow, look at this.           

734
00:39:26,664 --> 00:39:27,865
  Mena: Smells amazing.         

735
00:39:27,965 --> 00:39:29,100
   Fantastic.                   

736
00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:30,968
Thank you for joining me.       
   Not that you have a choice,  

737
00:39:31,068 --> 00:39:33,070
 because you're                 
 a producer on the show,        

738
00:39:33,170 --> 00:39:35,706
   and you're here for          
  every segment anyway.         

739
00:39:35,806 --> 00:39:36,974
 I'm usually on                 
 the other side.                

740
00:39:37,074 --> 00:39:38,175
 Well, you're on                
 the other side.                

741
00:39:38,275 --> 00:39:39,610
   How many times have          
 you been here?                 

742
00:39:39,710 --> 00:39:42,446
  So I've been to Japan         
   more than 50 times.          

743
00:39:42,546 --> 00:39:44,115
  What are some of the          
things that stick out to        

744
00:39:44,215 --> 00:39:46,450
   you about Japanese culture?  

745
00:39:46,550 --> 00:39:47,618
  The food, number one.         

746
00:39:47,718 --> 00:39:50,521
  It's the Mecca of just food.  

747
00:39:50,621 --> 00:39:52,056
 You can't get a                
   bad meal here, man.          

748
00:39:52,156 --> 00:39:53,424
  So it's funny                 
 you say that, but like,        

749
00:39:53,524 --> 00:39:56,093
   the origin story of          
 Evolving Vegan actually        

750
00:39:56,193 --> 00:39:57,762
   kind of started over ramen.  

751
00:39:57,862 --> 00:39:58,963
  That's right.                 

752
00:39:59,063 --> 00:40:00,631
And it started at               
this restaurant's               

753
00:40:00,731 --> 00:40:03,467
 Ueno location, which is        
 in the subway station.         

754
00:40:03,567 --> 00:40:04,735
And we tried it.                

755
00:40:04,835 --> 00:40:06,137
  This is really, really good.  

756
00:40:06,237 --> 00:40:10,007
 And I think we were like, yeah,
  let's see if there is enough  

757
00:40:10,107 --> 00:40:13,778
  interest at this point in the 
  market for a vegan food show. 

758
00:40:13,878 --> 00:40:14,779
  Mena:                         
  Yeah.                         

759
00:40:14,879 --> 00:40:16,480
  Ali:                          
   And now we're sitting here.  

760
00:40:16,580 --> 00:40:17,782
Let's get into this.            

761
00:40:17,882 --> 00:40:19,750
 I'm gonna slurp my hardest.    

762
00:40:19,850 --> 00:40:22,887
 Because you're the one who told
   me about slurping and ramen  

763
00:40:22,987 --> 00:40:24,321
and Japan and the tradition.    

764
00:40:24,422 --> 00:40:26,791
It's basically an indication    
  of how much you like it.      

765
00:40:26,891 --> 00:40:29,460
 So the more you                
slurp, the better it is.        

766
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,595
 I mean, you wanna do it        
cleanly, but yes, right?        

767
00:40:31,695 --> 00:40:33,130
You don't wanna be all          
  over it, but yeah.            

768
00:40:33,230 --> 00:40:35,699
Like, it's a slurping culture.  

769
00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:38,702
And man, that's good.           

770
00:40:38,803 --> 00:40:41,539
   And then--                   

771
00:40:41,639 --> 00:40:42,706
  Oh, man.                      

772
00:40:42,807 --> 00:40:43,707
Get into the ingredients.       

773
00:40:43,808 --> 00:40:45,609
That's so delicious.            

774
00:40:48,145 --> 00:40:50,848
Mm. It's got the perfect        
 amount of spice to it.         

775
00:40:50,948 --> 00:40:52,850
It's not too hot                
and it's not too creamy.        

776
00:40:52,950 --> 00:40:54,819
 You can get very creamy ramens.

777
00:40:54,919 --> 00:40:55,820
  You totally can.              

778
00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:57,388
   And the spice                
is amazing.                     

779
00:40:57,488 --> 00:40:58,722
   What do you think            
   of the soy meat?             

780
00:40:58,823 --> 00:41:00,057
 'Cause this is my favourite    
   part, I think.               

781
00:41:00,157 --> 00:41:02,259
   It's so good.                

782
00:41:02,359 --> 00:41:04,762
 The texture of it is fantastic.

783
00:41:04,862 --> 00:41:06,397
  The taste is just phenomenal. 

784
00:41:06,497 --> 00:41:08,466
The spice, all of it.           

785
00:41:08,566 --> 00:41:10,401
  Mena:                         
 To wrap up this nostalgic meal,

786
00:41:10,501 --> 00:41:13,604
Masako treats us                
 to her Japanese curry.         

787
00:41:13,704 --> 00:41:16,874
  One of our long time          
favourite dishes.               

788
00:41:16,974 --> 00:41:18,008
Man.                            

789
00:41:18,108 --> 00:41:19,310
It's so good.                   

790
00:41:19,410 --> 00:41:20,644
  I wanna try yours.            
   You wanna switch?            

791
00:41:20,744 --> 00:41:21,645
   Switch.                      

792
00:41:21,745 --> 00:41:24,348
♪                               

793
00:41:24,448 --> 00:41:26,083
 Mm.                            

794
00:41:26,183 --> 00:41:27,084
 Delicious.                     

795
00:41:27,184 --> 00:41:28,319
  Yeah, they're so good.        

796
00:41:28,419 --> 00:41:31,322
And this is such an easy        
 dish to just have vegan        

797
00:41:31,422 --> 00:41:33,257
  on a regular basis,           
and you don't feel like         

798
00:41:33,357 --> 00:41:35,326
 you're missing out on anything.

799
00:41:35,426 --> 00:41:37,661
And I think that was the        
whole point of the show.        

800
00:41:37,761 --> 00:41:38,662
  Yeah.                         

801
00:41:38,762 --> 00:41:40,197
  To become                     
literally someone who           

802
00:41:40,297 --> 00:41:43,968
evolves into a better diet,     
  better health, and then       

803
00:41:44,068 --> 00:41:46,437
 benefit from that individually.

804
00:41:46,537 --> 00:41:47,671
And then societally,            

805
00:41:47,771 --> 00:41:49,440
the benefits                    
that come as a result           

806
00:41:49,540 --> 00:41:50,841
of just eating less meat.       

807
00:41:50,941 --> 00:41:52,343
  Yeah, yeah,                   
  I'll amen to that.            

808
00:41:52,443 --> 00:41:55,145
 I'm glad we could come back    
 and do Evolving Vegan here.    

809
00:41:55,246 --> 00:41:58,983
And so I just wanna say this    
   slurp is for you, okay?      

810
00:41:59,083 --> 00:42:01,952
This is gonna be the biggest    
slurp of all slurps.            

811
00:42:02,052 --> 00:42:02,953
Slurp away, my friend.          

812
00:42:03,053 --> 00:42:03,954
   Mena:                        
   Okay.                        

813
00:42:04,054 --> 00:42:12,162
♪                               

814
00:42:12,263 --> 00:42:13,163
That was a good slurp.          

815
00:42:13,264 --> 00:42:14,164
   That was for you.            

816
00:42:14,265 --> 00:42:15,165
  Thank you.                    

817
00:42:15,266 --> 00:42:16,567
Oishii .                Oishii .

818
00:42:16,667 --> 00:42:18,936
♪                               

819
00:42:19,036 --> 00:42:22,139
  Mena:                         
   Everything here is oishii .  

820
00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:25,843
The truth is, everyone in       
   Tokyo treats what they do,   

821
00:42:25,943 --> 00:42:28,879
the food that they cook,        
 with such respect that         

822
00:42:28,979 --> 00:42:30,247
  they just elevate it.         

823
00:42:30,347 --> 00:42:34,285
   Whether it's making mochi,   
   or sushi, or soba,           

824
00:42:34,385 --> 00:42:38,055
or avant-garde food art,        
there's never a bad bite.       

825
00:42:38,155 --> 00:42:39,223
 Mm.                            

826
00:42:39,323 --> 00:42:41,158
   And today,                   
  there's a groundswell         

827
00:42:41,258 --> 00:42:42,426
  of plant-based chefs          

828
00:42:42,526 --> 00:42:44,695
 working their culinary         
 magic in Tokyo                 

829
00:42:44,795 --> 00:42:48,866
  and leading the country back  
  towards its vegetarian roots. 

830
00:42:48,966 --> 00:42:53,003
And it tastes just how it looks:
   exquisite.                   

831
00:42:53,103 --> 00:43:03,080
♪                               

832
00:43:22,366 --> 00:43:25,569
   (Whirring)                   

833
00:43:25,669 --> 00:43:28,639
   (Musical flourish)           

834
00:43:28,739 --> 00:43:30,207
(Silence)