CNN's 'True Tokyo' discovers the city's unique identity through art and culture

A 30-minute program debuts on October 20

HONG KONG,Oct. 18,2018 -- This October,CNN sports anchor and correspondent Coy Wire embarks on a journey to trace his family roots in 'True Tokyo',a special two-part series. The former professional football player,who grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania,travels to Tokyo to learn more about the art,food,and music scene in Japan's capital.

CNN's 'True Tokyo' discovers the city's unique identity through art and culture

Highlights of the 30-minute show include:

Classic Cars

Wire discovers the age-old quest for perfection in Japanese arts and crafts-- from watercolor to woodblock prints-- and learns how they are still alive in the most unlikely of mediums: classic cars. He meets a classic car enthusiast in the city's busiest intersection,Shibuya crossing. He visits Mojo Customs,a famous garage just a short drive from Tokyo's city center,to see how a new generation of designers 'dress their rides' as a form of modern artistic expression.

Food

Wire tastes some unique Japanese cuisine in the city that boasts more Michelin starred restaurants than any other. Instead of the usual sushi or ramen meal,Wire visits a traditional izakaya pub to experience 'Omotenashi' - the spirit of serving food where every last detail is considered,making customers feel as though the experience is more than just a meal.

Whisky

With a history dating back nearly a century,whisky is an import to Japan that local distillers may have just perfected. Atsushi Horigami,one of Tokyo's most well-known connoisseurs of whisky,explains to Wire that Japanese whisky started gaining international prominence around fifteen years ago,when several local brands started winning awards.

Jazz

Jazz may be America's most iconic form of art,but Wire discovers that the genre of music is very popular in Tokyo. On a visit to one of the city's oldest jazz clubs,Wire meets James Catchpole,a long-time Tokyo resident who runs a website devoted to Japanese jazz. Catchpole explains how the improvisational nature of jazz appeals to Japanese fans.

'True Tokyo' is produced by CNN Vision,the global creative production powerhouse of CNN International,which brings the world's breath-taking diversity into cinematic focus,telling stories that inspire audiences around the world.

Watch the promo here: https://cnn.it/2pTN3LK

'True Tokyo: Part I' images: https://bit.ly/2NK8WXj

Website: www.cnnvision.com

Instagram: @cnnvision

The 30-minute show 'True Tokyo: Part I' airs at the following times:

Airtimes for 30-minute show:

Saturday,20th October at 2030 HKT

Sunday,21st October at 0530 HKT

Monday,22nd October at 1130 HKT

Wednesday,24th October at 0030 HKT and 1630 HKT

About CNN International

CNN's portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV,digital and mobile platforms reaching more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe,the Middle East and Africa,the Asia Pacific region and Latin America and has a US presence which includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news,mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint,with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships,commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. Over the years CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series,documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI's non-news programming division,CNN Vision. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner,a WarnerMedia company.

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