Great Japanese Railway Journeys: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Great Japanese Railway Journeys is a wide-ranging exploration of a country synonymous with rail innovation. The series starts with Michael in Osaka, he journeys from Kyoto's imperial heritage to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, from the volcanic landscapes of Kyushu to the vast urban system of Tokyo, before continuing through the Seikan Tunnel to Hokkaido. Along the way, he explores a nation where technological innovation and long-held tradition sit side by side, using the railway to connect stories that have shaped modern Japan.

Series details

• Title: Great Japanese Railway Journeys
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Genres: Travel
• Premiere date: 2026-04-13
• Status in TVmaze: To Be Determined
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: BBC iPlayer
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 29 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 91193
• TVDB ID: 476295

Cast and credited roles

• Michael Portillo — Presenter

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2026-04-13; final listed air date 2026-04-27; episode order: 15.

Source and licence

Adapted from Great Japanese Railway Journeys on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.