Trails to Oishii Tokyo

The focus this time is on the king of fish, maguro. Witness the highlight of an auction site at Japan's largest market, Toyosu Market, as one-third of wholesalers are maguro specialists. Our reporter visits Katsuura Fishing Port for a famous haul. Last but not least, don't miss this program's lineup of irresistible maguro dishes.

Lemons first came to Japan some 150 years ago, and have since been blended with Japanese citrus fruits to create brand-new types. We journey to a tiny island in the Seto Inland Sea where some 25% of Japanese lemons are grown and discover its unique, lemon-friendly climate and topography. We also see the surprising ways lemon farmers use lemons in Japanese cuisine from tempura to hot pot. Last but not least, we pucker up for some delicious lemon-based sweets.

Onions are eaten throughout the world, but in Japan, they're cooked with original techniques and used in a variety of Japanese dishes. This time, we bite into some of those dishes, including one available for just a short time in spring and another that features onion leaves. How have onions influenced Japanese cuisine? Join us to find out!

This episode features natto, a fermented soybean product known for its powerful smell and sticky texture. Both economical and nutritious, natto is a staple Japanese breakfast food. Mito, north of Tokyo, is the natto capital of Japan. See how traditional, organic natto is made, and have a look at a variety of unique dishes that feature natto.

Our focus today is hijiki, a variety of seaweed that has been consumed in Japan for over 1,000 years. Much like tea leaves, this nutritious, low-calorie food is often dried, and soaked in water before use. Hijiki grow quickly at the start of spring on rocky coastlines, and are only available for harvest for a few days. Dive in to find out more about what ancient Japanese considered to be a gift from the sea

Matcha is known worldwide as a popular ingredient in sweets. But originally, matcha is green tea leaves pulverized into micron-sized powder and mixed into hot water to make tea. We visit Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, a place where matcha is traditionally cultivated and produced, and learn how matcha is used in the tea ceremony, which is considered to encapsulate the spirit of Japanese culture and hospitality. Finally, we see how its unique bitterness is used to create a variety of novel dishes.