In Search of Traditional Japan with Gérard Depardieu

‘I’ve always travelled; I’m not someone who settles down, I’m someone who passes through’, declares Gérard Depardieu in the introduction to his documentary series On the Road with Gérard Depardieu, which can be viewed on ARTE.

One of his dear friends, Japanese sake importer and restaurateur Toshiro Kuroda, died in 2017, just before filming began. The two men had promised each other that they would travel Kuroda’s home country together, but Gérard Depardieu starts his quest alone, carefully following the guide written by his friend.

An encounter with artisans

Touching in its sincerity, the series explores art, gastronomy and spirituality across five episodes. The French actor lays himself bare but never sheds his typically caustic sense of humour.

With washi paper artisans in Fukui, a kimono maker in Kyoto and a blacksmith who forges katana (Japanese samurai swords) in Okayama, Gérard Depardieu reflects, draws calligraphy, asks questions and, with the help of the Japanese people he meets, tries to explore the different facets of this fascinating country.

On the Road with Gérard Depardieu — Japan (2018), a series by Sébastien Fallourd and available on demand on the Arte website.