麻豆社

Michael鈥檚 bullet train takes him through the undersea Seikan tunnel to Hokkaido, the most northerly of Japan鈥檚 main islands and home to the indigenous Ainu people.

He begins by exploring the southern city of Hakodate, one of the ports which was first to trade with the outside world. Visiting a family-run miso factory, he finds out how the staple Japanese ingredient is made using soybeans and a cultured mould known as koji.

In the centre of the city, Michael visits the star-shaped Fort Goryokaku, the setting for a turning point in Japanese history. He discovers how the last remnants of the Tokugawa military forces were defeated in 1869 by the new Emperor Meiji鈥檚 army, ushering in a new modern era for Japan.

Swapping the Shinkansen for a slower pace in a diesel train, Michael leaves the city to explore Hokkaido鈥檚 stunning volcanic landscape, travelling to Lake Toya in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park.