Movies About Japan?

Question

I am doing a project on Japan for school..and am wondering if anyone knows a good movie which demonstrates the Japanese culture well...or everyday life in Japan. Movies that have to do with Japanese children or school life would be awesome. I have been doing some searching and havent really found anything good. Thanks!

Answer 1

well there's "Tokyo Story" by Yasujiro Ozu - would probably fit the bill for you - its all about family life in the modern Tokyo

also:

the recent Bill Murray film"Lost in Translation" that offers an interesting insight..

there's also a movie that came out last year in Japan called "Train Man" - about the Japanese "Otaku" culture (nerdy guys that like manga and video games) - its a really sweet story, VERY popular last year..


"Nobody Knows" about kids living on their own in Tokyo

"Bounce Ko Gals" about school girl prostitutes in Tokyo

and then of course there's the EXTENSIVE catalogue of Akira Kurosawa, possibly one opf the greatest directors of all time - but his stuff is pretty fantastical - not really insightful per se

Answer 2

I am an American that has been living in Japan for over 15 years. And I would recommend the following movies:
Mr. Baseball
Gung Ho
Karate Kid I, II
These movies have an American slant, but they are loaded with gems of truth.
If you can get a sub-titled version of the Japanese version of
Shall we Dance?
This movie shows real middle class Japanese life, and the pressure and stress placed upon the Japanese male. If you could be a little more specific as to what kind of information you need, then I could be more helpful.

Answer 3

Weekly Japanese cartoon shows can be pretty good at demonstrating everyday life in Japan, especially the ones that have run for years, like Doraemon and Sazaesan. Personally, I like Doraemon. It is done from the point of Nobita, an elementary school age boy, his friends, and his family (along with a blue, time-travelling, cat-like robot from the future who makes things interesting with his bottomless pocket full of trouble-making gadgets and gizmos!) But the drawings and situations are all real-life Japan... Nobita's house and room, the neighborhood and streets, their school, teachers, parents, mothers' chores, fathers' work... everyday Japan (except for that robot, Doraemon...)
Have a look on YouTube - there are some good sized clips that, while in Japanese, will give you some good images of everyday life. Look for the tatami grass mats on Nobita's room floor, the futon mattresses they sleep on, the kitchen where his mom washes dishes, or the clothes rack outside where she hangs up laundry, the crowded neighborhood and the narrow roads with high walls around the yards instead of fences. Stuff like that.

For actual movies... hard to say. Japanese movies tend to get a little weird. Like us, they put things into movies that they never do in real life. A lot of the movies recommended by others here might be inappropriate for a school-related project. There are a few comedies I liked, mostly directed by Juzo Itami (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juzo_Itami) , including Tampopo (a truck driver searching for the perfect bowl of ramen noodle soup), but it has some sexual content - rated mature), the Funeral, and A Taxing Woman. They give some good insight into Japanese culture, with a lot of humourous twists. And they are available in English.
Check out the links below.
Good luck on your project.

Answer 4

Swing Girls or Waterboys are both "school life" comedies that a lot of people think highly of. Swing Girls is "based on a true story". They are both directed by Shinobu Yaguchi. Yaguchi's forte is making live action films that have a comedic sensibility similar to Japanese animation.

The Japanese Big 3 postwar directors-Ozu, Kurosawa, and Naruse made some brilliant films but at times the measured pace of their films doesn't make for very good entertainment for non film buffs used to faster paced contemporary films. However, I do agree that Ozu's "Tokyo Story" is the best movie ever made about everyday life in Japan

Answer 5

Shall we dance - not with Rich-turd Geri but the original Japanese movie shows a good life of salary men and the families and escape from reality.

Yakuza life - the Yakuza Papers charts the life and growth of the Yakuza after the war (like the Japanese godfathers)

Be careful though, a lot of Japanese movies contain scenes of violence and may portray scenes that aren't common in mainstream hollywood movies, hence they are re-made, if you want mainstream Lost in Translation is ok for a foreigners experience living in Japan, although it is amazing to look at there are a lot of stereotypical jokes about the Japanese, which a lot of Japanese don't find funny

That said if you want a Japanese movie that is an excellent portrayal of school life watch Takeshi Kitanos Kids Return which is the story of two boys who quit school, its violent though
http://thejapaneseeye.blogspot.com

Answer 6

Am I the only person who actually watches Japanese films?
Densha Otaku
Daremo Shiranai
Riri shou shou no subete
mononoke hime (plus all the Miyazaki)
oh my goodness I have so many of them
shiawase no kiiro no hankechi
heaps of J-Drama
Swing Girls
Water Boys
All are good reperesentaions of Japan.
If you want a nice sugar coated cutesy one on Japanese life go for an anime by Miyazaki, like Mimi o sumaseba (whispers of the heart) but if you want a real life down and griitty one go for Nobody Knows or in particular All About Lily Chou Chou.
There are so many to choose from, where do I begin?

Answer 7

One of my favorites is "Kyoki no Sakura".
The movie is about a group of teenagers who start a nationalist group "Neo Tojo".
Easy to follow and the story is great.
Violence and some sexual scenes.

Also I thought "GO" was also a good movie that showed the reality of Japanese racism. About a Korean national that grows up in Japan. Fantastic movie.


--ADD ON--
Tokyo Biyori is also a great film. Don't think there was much nudity in it if any.
And I forgot to put in one of my favorites, Summer of Kikujiro (Kikujiro no Natsu). Great Kitano film.


Oh and "Aoi Haru" is also a movie about Japanese school life.
Though it's a bit on the violent side.

Answer 8

I would search on youtube.com. Just type "Japan" or "Daily life in Japan" in the search box and you'll probably be able to come up with some videos from natives. If nothing comes up, you can e-mail me because I've spent a total of 8 years in Japan.

Answer 9

I looved the final Samurai. not very close from lost in Translation, besides the undeniable fact that it shows the countless maximum seductive issues appropriate to Japan, such because of the fact the Bushido. large set up besides.

Answer 10

Another interesting movie is "Dark Water." It's a horror film, but it is more suspenseful than gory. It's about a single mom and her kindergarten-age daughter. Scary!!