Japan boasts over 100 types of apples, which are known for being exceptionally round, sweet and shiny. This time, we visit the northern prefecture of Aomori, Japan's top production site, where 60% of the country's apples are produced. There, we discover the high-end, time-intensive cultivation and quality control methods that make Japan's apples so great. Plus, we visit a restaurant where Japanese apples are used in Italian cuisine.

Hamachi, or Japanese yellowtail, is found only in Japanese waters, and is fairly rare worldwide. With its reasonable cost, it's popular as sashimi and sushi. We take a look at the world of farm-raised hamachi, visiting fish farms and discovering what sorts of technologies, feeds and methods are used to give the fish a richness and flavor that's said to be better than that of wild-caught hamachi.

Japan's mountain yams, yamaimo, are an extremely versatile ingredient. Grated, they're enjoyed on rice in a sticky yet delicious paste. When cooked, they take on a range of textures and flavors. On this episode, we visit farmers to discover the labor-intensive methods used to create perfect yams, explore a centuries-old restaurant that offers a variety of traditional yam-based dishes, and even see how they're used to create sweet Japanese confections.