The Amazing Race 26 (Couples edition) episode 1

Hi all! For those fans who have been waiting for this new season of the Amazing Race, here is a preview and also the catch-up for the premiere episode of Season 26!

Leg 1 (United States → Japan)

Airdate: February 25, 2015

• Castaic, California, United States (Castaic Lake) (Starting Line)
• Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport)
• Chiyoda (Kanda Shrine)
• Shinjuku (Shinjuku Central Park) or Nakano (Japanese)
• Shinjuku (Japanese)
• Chiyoda (Akihabara UDX Building (Japanese) – Parking Space)

The Amazing Race 26 began at Castaic Lake with 11 teams (6 couples who were already dating, and 10 singles paired on blind dates). Teams were informed the winners of the first leg would win the Express Pass, and that the leg would have a Blind U-Turn. Their first task to get plane tickets to the first destination: Tokyo, Japan, was a mud run obstacle course. The first eight teams to finish received tickets for the first of two planes, while the last three teams would be on the second. After getting their tickets, teams had to drive themselves in a marked Ford Fusion Hybrid to Los Angeles International Airport.

Upon arriving in Tokyo, teams had to head to Kanda Shrine and searched the shrine grounds for their next clue: the Detour, gave them a choice between Syncing Steps and Samurai Sake. In Syncing Steps, teams went to Shinjuku Central Park where they had to perform a series of synchronized dance of "robotic" moves along with members of World Order. When World Order leader Genki Sudo was satisfied with their performance, teams would receive their next clue. In Samurai Sake, teams made their way to Nakano Sakaue Station Tavern. Teams were shown ten bottles of sake (tōkō, nanbubijin, okunomatsu, kanbe, yoshinogawa,michisakari, tsukasabotan, zaou, momokawa, shōchikubai). One team member had to take an order for one brand of sake from a table of "Samurais." Their teammate then had to find the correct bottle from a much larger display of bottles. Once they presented the correct bottle to the Samurais, and took a toast, they received their next clue.

The post-Detour clues instructed teams to travel to Wakaba Higashi Park and the Blind U-Turn board, where they would receive their next clue. Mike & Rochelle chose Jeff & Lyda, while Jeff & Lyda chose Jeff & Jackie, unaware that Jeff & Jackie had already passed the U-Turn. At the U-Turn, teams were sent to theAkihabara district, to search "in the vicinity of" the UDX building for a parking space containing the Pit Stop.