Unlike other Eastern schools, the Japanese cinema industry decisively entered the global film history as early as the 1920s. The reason for this success lies in Japan’s isolation, which shielded it from Western influences until the defeat in World War II, although interest in European innovations had already begun to emerge by the late 1800s. Among these innovations, cinema was the most captivating, arriving in the Land of the Rising Sun with the introduction of Edison’s Kinetoscope in 1896 and the Cinématographe in 1897.
The magic of cinema quickly captivated Japan, and most of the country’s first authentic filmmakers began traveling to the West to learn from film schools in America and Europe. However, the technical and economic autonomy that the Japanese film industry enjoyed is the foundation of its originality and stylistic independence. The connection with tradition is strong: think of the cinematic expressions derived from kabuki theater in the jidaigeki genre, as well as the focus on modernity and the lives of ordinary people, which gave rise to a more intimate and poetic expression known as gendaigeki, masterfully represented by directors such as Yasujiro Ozu, Mikio Naruse—renowned for his portraits of women—and Hiroshi Shimizu.
From past to present, a distinctive feature of Japanese films is their emphasis on atmospheres and the relationship between characters and their surroundings. This reflects a uniquely Japanese sensibility that views the natural world as an extension of humanity itself. Some examples: the role of rain during the battle scene in Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai, 1954), or the almost palpable sunlight in films like Twenty-Four Eyes (Nijushi no hitomi, 1954) and The Naked Island (Hadaka no shima, 1960). Similarly, the changing of the seasons plays a fundamental role, a sensitivity that remains alive in contemporary cinema, as seen in Tokyo Marigold (Tôkyô Marîgôrudo, 2001) by Jun Ichikawa, where an annual flower symbolizes the fleeting nature of a love story that lasts only a season.
An immense body of work worth exploring! Here are some ideas: images captured on film that tell compelling stories and feature significant places in Japan, perfect to note down for your next trip to the Land of the Rising Sun in homage to the great Japanese cinema.
Okayama and the Seto Inland Sea – The everyday stories along the docks and narrow streets of Ushimado, a beautiful port town in Okayama Prefecture overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, form the heart of the narrative in Inland Sea (Minatomachi), which was presented at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival in 2018. Kazuhiro Soda, an experienced Japanese documentarian, offers a slice of life, inviting the viewer to deeply engage with the life of a fishing village suffering from the rapid depopulation of small towns in favor of large cities.
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Chiba and Tokyo – In the film Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku), Hirokazu Kore’eda tells the turbulent story of a marginalized family surviving through petty thefts in supermarkets on the outskirts of Tokyo. The director brings to the screen an underground, dramatic world that nevertheless leaves room for moments of joy and human warmth, such as the famous beach outing scene in Chiba. This touching story won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2018.
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Saitama – Directed by Hideki Takeuchi and based on the manga of the same name by Mineo Maya, Fly Me To The Saitama (Tonde Saitama) explores, in an ironic way, the competition between Tokyo and the nearby city of Saitama. It’s said that every geographical region harbors its own rivalries. In this film, the rebellion of the people of Saitama and neighboring prefectures against the Lords of Tokyo is transformed into a grotesque, baroque tableau filled with comic elements. Certainly an invitation to venture beyond Tokyo and discover the surrounding areas!
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Hokkaido and Sapporo – Traveling from Sapporo to visit relatives in the countryside of Hokkaido, Anna spends her summer with her imaginary blonde-haired friend, Marnie, who lives in a beautiful villa nestled in the stunning landscape of Kushiro-shitsugen National Park. In When Marnie Was There (Omoide no Marnie), the breathtaking scenery created by the young Studio Ghibli director Hiromasa Yonebayashi allows us to explore the unspoiled nature of Japan’s northernmost island and become enchanted by it. It’s no surprise this film was nominated for an Oscar in 2016 for Best Animated Feature.
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