Episode 2

Join celebrity couple naturalist Steve Backshall and double Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover on an exhilarating adventure through Japan's northern highlands of Tohoku. They discover ancient pilgrimage routes, a volcanic landscape and unique wildlife in Tohoku - a region of outstanding natural beauty seemingly left behind by time. The second part of their journey takes a more spiritual turn, hiking to a mountain shrine and staying at an island retreat attended by sacred monkeys and deer. In this episode Steve learns ancient samurai arts from a dojo master and Helen trains with the Tohoku University Rowing Club. Filmed in 2017.