James May: Our Man In Japan
Season 1James May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He’ll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.
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Episodes (6)
- 1. GO!January 3 202050minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
James begins his epic journey across Japan on the icy northern island of Hokkaido, throwing himself head first into the physical demands of dog sledding, snowball fighting and the baffling struggle of ordering noodles from a Japanese vending machine. Despite all that, there’s still time for octopus fishing and learning the art of samurai sword making. - 2. CABBAGE ROLLJanuary 3 202047minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
James arrives on the main island of Honshu, and the beautiful region of Tohoku. He seeks inspiration with a mountain expedition and naked plunge with a friendly wandering monk, battles giant robots, becomes a samurai, gets adopted by some local J-Pop sensations, before embarrassing himself and his hosts on the world’s most luxurious train. - 3. DEODORANTJanuary 3 202051minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
The cherry blossoms are out, and James hits the streets of Tokyo with his new guide Yujiro. As James discovers, this unique city is home to some of Japan’s greatest eccentrics and ideas. From obsessive trainspotters, musicians and baffling hi-tech gadgetry to cat superfans, penis festivals and mind-blowing computerised art shows, James tries to understand what makes Japan tick. - 4. HEY BIM!January 3 202051minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
In his epic journey across Japan from north to south, James leaves bustling Tokyo to travel to the ancient capital of Kyoto. Along the way he indulges his passions for motorbikes, Japanese cars and culture by painting Mount Fuji, tackling the Suzuka F1 circuit and taking a music lesson from a Geisha. It’s then time for a taste of the future as a confused robot shows James around Kyoto. - 5. PEACH BOYJanuary 3 202050minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
James arrives in Osaka, Japan’s vibrant good-time city, where Pachinko gambling halls, incredible street food, and stand-up comedy are all on the menu. Yujiro, his trusty guide, returns to introduce James to Sumo wrestling, after which James escapes on a bullet train to explore the mysteries of local hero Peach Boy. Then it’s on to Hiroshima and the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine. - 6. PICKLED PLUMJanuary 3 202050minSubtitlesEnglish [CC], العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español (Latinoamérica), Español (España), Suomi, Filipino, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Norsk Bokmål, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brasil), Português (Portugal), Română, Русский, Svenska, தமிழ், తెలుగు, ไทย, Türkçe, 中文（简体）, 中文（繁體）Audio LanguagesEnglish, English [Audio Description], Deutsch, Español (España), Español (Latinoamérica), Français, Italiano, Português, 日本語
The final leg of James’s journey from north to south finds him in Shikoku and Kyushu - the largest of Japan’s Southern Islands and a stunning paradise of blue water and semi-tropical sandy beaches. Cycling, archery, noodle making, and motorbike manufacturing are all in store, plus James is preserved for eternity in a creepy scarecrow village.
Bonus (1)
- January 3 20202minSubtitlesEnglishAudio LanguagesEnglish
James May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He’ll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.
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More details
- Directors
- Tom Whitter
- Producers
- Plum Pictures / New Entity
- Season year
- 2020
- Network
- Amazon Studios
- Content advisory
- Alcohol usenudityfoul languagesexual contentviolence
- Purchase rights
- Stream instantly Details
- Format
- Prime Video (streaming online video)
- Devices
- Available to watch on supported devices
Reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
855 global ratings
- 75% of reviews have 5 stars
- 6% of reviews have 4 stars
- 5% of reviews have 3 stars
- 3% of reviews have 2 stars
- 10% of reviews have 1 stars
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Top reviews from the United Kingdom
KitReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
Well worth a watch.I've given this a full five stars even though it wasn't really my cup of tea, for the simple reason that I have huge respect for James May and want to encourage Amazon to keep using him. Although I generally find Japanese culture to be at best boring, and at worst utterly repellent, I was able to settle in to this well-made and informative travelogue because of the easy, affable, witty presentation and the fact that I've spent the last 25 years conditioning myself to accept with gratitude anything served up by the inestimable Mr May. I even enjoyed watching him reassemble mundane household items in another series, and found it a genuinely worthwhile use of my time. So here, despite being profoundly uninterested in Japan, my interest in James May broadened my horizons. Somewhat.
As travelogues go, this is not the best. But it's certainly far from the worst, and to be honest if you mount a Gopro on a car dashboard and get James May to talk to it while driving through a foreign land, there's little more you need to do to please me. And I was one of the few who "got" the Prokofiev reference in episode 1, so that made me feel good too!
As travelogues go, this is not the best. But it's certainly far from the worst, and to be honest if you mount a Gopro on a car dashboard and get James May to talk to it while driving through a foreign land, there's little more you need to do to please me. And I was one of the few who "got" the Prokofiev reference in episode 1, so that made me feel good too!
Martin ConwayReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
Good funEntertaining, a bit silly, but lots of fun. Having the crew be visible and in on the jokes is a nice touch. Including the bloopers makes it seem a lot more genuine than other travel shows.
RyutoReviewed in the United Kingdom on 05 January 20201.0 out of 5 stars
If you like the scripted, clunky, predictable Grand Tour, you’ll enjoy this!I was really looking forward to this series, being a bit of a Japanophile. But it’s turned out to be truly a awful series in nearly every way. It reinforces virtually every cliche there is about Japan despite James ‘Bim’ May saying he would avoid them. Penis festival, karaoke, onsen ‘nudity’, geisha (actually geiko in Kyoto where he met one)...it made me feel awkward and embarrassed for the British nation. I’ve never witnessed anyone mangle the Japanese language so badly! He never once pronounced ‘onegaishimasu’ (oh-nay-ga-ee-shee mas) correctly in the whole series, and he referred to himself with the suffix ‘san’ which is a no-no. Some will say this is part of May’s blue rinse, ‘I’m a Brit and thus superior to everyone’ -charm but it was cringeworthy and although not offensive in the way Clive James’s sub-racist programmes from the 1980s were, it’s an example of this millennium’s scourge....lazy programme making. Watching it is like enduring a full-body waxing without the benefit of the resulting smooth body. What a wasted opportunity to present Japan for the interesting, cultural and precious jewel that it is...and in a year where the Olympics are being held in Tokyo.
PJV1990Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 04 January 20202.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable Yet Somewhat Disrespectful and Exploitative. A Mixed BagThis is a series that is fantastic in places however there are many incidences in the series that are hugely disrespectful to Japanese culture and it's people. I realise that many viewers (especially Top Gear and Grand Tour viewers) will not care about this and, perhaps, not even notice. However it is something I (being well-versed in Japanese culture) found childish and extremely rude.
James May's humour and attitude is really appalling in places and is downright insulting & exploitative to a culture and country that he is supposed to be promoting and enjoying. Guy Martin was far more respectful of the Japanese people and culture when he produced a programme for C4, whilst James May is resorting to typical British schoolboy humour that completely comes off in the wrong way and really distracted me from what could have been a fantastic portrayal of Japan.
There are moments in the series that are great, and the cinematography and overall production values are first class (it's a beautifully shot series). The pattern of the series seems to be a collection of really interesting segments that are spoiled by rude, childish and highly disrespectful 'jokes' that make a mockery of a fantastic and beautiful culture. The Japanese are especially sensitive to disrespect and one could tell they were biting their teeth to be polite.
To close, the vast majority of people are going to enjoy this series and that's good for them. However I found it's potential spoiled for the above reasons. Maybe it's because I'm extremely familiar with Japanese culture and etiquette.
James May's humour and attitude is really appalling in places and is downright insulting & exploitative to a culture and country that he is supposed to be promoting and enjoying. Guy Martin was far more respectful of the Japanese people and culture when he produced a programme for C4, whilst James May is resorting to typical British schoolboy humour that completely comes off in the wrong way and really distracted me from what could have been a fantastic portrayal of Japan.
There are moments in the series that are great, and the cinematography and overall production values are first class (it's a beautifully shot series). The pattern of the series seems to be a collection of really interesting segments that are spoiled by rude, childish and highly disrespectful 'jokes' that make a mockery of a fantastic and beautiful culture. The Japanese are especially sensitive to disrespect and one could tell they were biting their teeth to be polite.
To close, the vast majority of people are going to enjoy this series and that's good for them. However I found it's potential spoiled for the above reasons. Maybe it's because I'm extremely familiar with Japanese culture and etiquette.
Peter BrazierReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
The crewI like the way James involves the crew, they aren't just in the background, and him as the only one there.
TullochReviewsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant, entertaining and relaxingI love James May, he's the cool calm collective educated one among the other two (Clarkson,Hammond) and on his own show his unique style of presenting, informative wit and choice of dialogue makes for a fantastic documentary series. Full of beatiful photography, culture, heart and warmth to every scene and James charming character carries this series through to the end. An informative, relaxing documentary style, all involved should be proud
DeanReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
Good EpBrilliant I’ll watch anything with Captain Slow
C. HorswillReviewed in the United Kingdom on 03 January 20205.0 out of 5 stars
James May - JapanJames May
Japan
Does anything else really need to be said!?
5 stars!
Japan
Does anything else really need to be said!?
5 stars!