The city of Ayutthaya was the capital of a mighty empire that once controlled large parts of Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Bagan, also known as the `City of a Thousand Pagodas', was the capital of a mighty empire that was first to unify the territory of present-day Myanmar under Burmese language and culture.
The Khmer civilisation was home to the world-famous city of Angkor, which flourished from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries, and still attracts over 2.5 million visitors a year.
The Majapahit Empire, which unified Indonesia's islands into one nation, was the centre of the global spice trade that enriched it with luxury goods from around the world.
Peter Lee travels to Japan to explore the traditions of the Tokugawa shogunate and how they have influenced Japan's identity.
Peter Lee explores how the Joseon Dynasty shaped modern South Korea, tracking down a fashion designer who revives traditional costumes for Gen Z, testing his Korean language skills and joining the rehearsal of a Pansori-inspired pop band.
Peter travels to the Ryukyu Islands, in southern Japan, to see how the ancient kingdom has influenced its vibrant identity. He visits a tattoo parlour that breathes new life into traditional art, rides horses and tests his kobudo skills.
Peter travels to Hokkaido, Japan, to learn more about the indigenous Ainu people, their crafts and their ability to survive and thrive. He visits a traditional village and goes on a hike looking for wild bears on the Shiretoko peninsula.