Jane McDonald on Lost in Japan: 'I saw Mount Fuji while sitting naked in a hot spa'

Jane McDonald: Lost In Japan follows the Wakefield-born 60-year-old as she explores the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, basks in the majesty of Mount Fuji, zips across the country on the super-fast Bullet train, and much more.

Before visiting the country, she wasn’t too keen on raw fish – but sushi there changed her mind, and McDonald tried many of the other local delicacies including octopus balls, a ball-shaped Japanese snack typically filled with minced or diced octopus. “I tried everything and some of it wasn’t for me, but I don’t like to be the sort of person who goes abroad and asks where the nearest McDonald’s is, that’s just not me. I do like to try things, and I tried all sorts in Japan including octopus balls, which was an experience and something I’ll probably never repeat.

"But I did try the best sushi ever. Before I went to Japan I didn’t think raw fish was for me – if the sushi didn’t come out of M&S, I wasn’t really bothered. But I tried proper sushi with the proper sauce and the wasabi, and it was delicious.

And what about the Japanese tea? “Oh, it wasn’t Yorkshire tea,” she says. “I’m a very big tea drinker, so I kept thinking I was going to get into the tea over there, but it was matcha tea, which is very bitter. I’m sure it’s very good for you, but I’ll be honest, it tasted like grass.

“I always pack my own tea bags in my suitcase when I go away, and I take my own kettle too. You do get used to it though, and the Japanese tea ceremony is not to be rushed, it’s choreographed to make you stop, and you don’t think about anything else except the cup of tea. Whereas in the UK, we just put a bag in a cup, pour some hot water in and go off to do something else while it brews.”

McDonald had never been to Japan before. “I did not know what to expect,” she says. “It’s an amazing, crazy place and I realised that you don’t just go to Japan, you experience Japan. So, if you want a destination that is really out of the ordinary, Japan is definitely for you.

“Tokyo is overwhelming but so ordered. I couldn’t believe how polite everybody was, with everybody walking on the same side of the street and also everything worked. There were never any delays, everything was spotless, and I was just amazed at how everything works really well, it was a revelation. So many people say they’d love to go to Japan, so I’m hoping that this programme inspires people to go and experience it, because it is fantastic."

Mount Fuji was the highlight of her trip. She saw it from a Japanese spa.

"They are a little bit different to ours. You cannot go in wearing a swimsuit, you’ve got to get completely naked… the poor cameraman!

“So I had an amazing view of Mount Fuji while sitting naked in the hot spa, which is something I’ve never done before, and it was quite the experience. Hopefully, you won’t see me naked in the episode because we want people to carry on watching.

“Mount Fuji is amazing though, and we were so lucky because it doesn’t often reveal itself, but all of a sudden the clouds parted and there it was. I felt very blessed. The food experience was also really memorable, and the people, who were so fun-loving and welcoming.

“I can’t compare Japan to other places I’ve been, it’s one on its own, completely off the scale. I’m not going to lie, it’s a very long flight, but it was amazing to experience a completely different life.”

Jane McDonald: Lost In Japan will launch on Friday August 25 at 9pm on Channel 5.