Cinema was my passion for 10 years. I organised an independent film festival in Rotterdam and looked for new inspiring films all the time. Living in Japan I dived into Japanese cinema and I’m sharing some of the pearls I found.
Some films you can rent on Amazon, appleTV or/and on YouTube. Others you can watch on Netflix, Criterion Collection or MUBI. Some films are hard to find, but where there is a will, there’s a way!
Family Films
This list contains mostly Ghibli produced films. Almost every film from Ghibli is amazing. (And almost every Ghibli film is on Netflix.) Stories are great, soundtracks incredible and you will run into a lot of Ghibli characters while on your trip. What I love mostly about Ghibli is the inexhaustible sense of imagination, gender fluidity and its strong female characters. Besides, in Ghibli you don’t have a sharp distinction between good and evil characters. ‘Good’ characters make bad choices and ‘bad’ characters have their reasons.
Most of the Ghibli films are good to watch from six years old. I also made a selection of films for kids from three old. My recommendation is to watch them all together because they are all great!
3 – 99 YEARS OLD
These films are all available on Netflix! They are amazing for the whole family.
- Totoro (1988), Hayao Miyazaki
- Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) Hayao Miyazaki
- Ponyo (2009), Hayao Miyazaki
6 – 99 YEARS OLD
These films are all available on Netflix! Please check the films and age rating before showing your child. Studio Ghibli films have lots of magic and therefore monsters and ghosts. You’ll also find an occasional gun. I added 8+ before some of those.
Other times the subjects are actually quite deep. To my surprise Lila is obsessed with Pompoko at four years old, but she can’t watch Spirited Away, because she is scared of ghosts. However, I do know plenty of kids of her age who do love that film.
- (8+) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Hayao Miyazaki
- (8+) Castle in the Sky (1986) Hayao Miyazaki
- Pompoko (1994) Isao Takahata
- My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999) Isao Takahata (Really good for getting to know Japanese family customs!)
- Spirited Away (2001) Hayao Miyazaki
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2005) Hayao Miyazaki
- The secret World of Arrietty (2011) Hiromasa Yonabashi
- Mirai (2018) Mamoru Hoseda
- The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2014) Isao Takahata
Not For Young Kids
Some of these films are fine for teenagers! However, check beforehand, because some of the films I selected are very violent and/or disturbing.
ANIMATION
Incredible animated films! Akira (1988) Whisper of the Heart (1995)and Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (2017) are set in Tokyo
- Barefoot Gen (1983) Mori Masaki
- Akira (1988) Katsuhiro Ootomo
- Grave of Fireflies (1988) Isao Takahata
- Whisper of the Heart (1995) Hayao Miyazaki
- Princess Mononoke (1997) Hayao Miyazaki
My personal favourite Ghibli film. <3 - Cat Soup (2001) Tatsuo Sato
Watch Cat Soup for free on YouTube!
- Mind Game (2004) Masaaki Yuasa
- Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (2017) Masaaki Yuasa
- When Marnie was There (2014) Hiromasa Yonebayashi
CLASSICS
Some of my favourite classic Japanese cinema, set in Tokyo.
- Cinema from Kurosawa but specifically Ikiru (1950) Seven Samurai (1954), Ran (1985) Ikuru (1952) and Dreams (1990)
You can watch Dreams on YouTube for free! (Besides Ikiru NOT set in Tokyo!) - Cinema from Yasujirô Ozu but specifically Tokyo Story (1953), Twilight (1957) Good Morning (1959), An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
- Tokyo Drifter (1966) Seijun Suziki
- Tampopo (1985) Juzo Itami
This film is as much an ode to food as it is to love. The main story is about a truck driver, who helps a fledgling ramen shop – and its pretty widowed owner – to renew, find the secret to make the best ramen in town and attract new customers. Intertwined you watch, often surreal, stories including other types of (Japanese) meals.
MODERN, OUTRAGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL FILMS
The best modern directors and crazy Japanese cinema…
- Cinema from Takashi Miike, but specifically: Audition (1999), Ichi the Killer (2001)
- Cinema from Hirokazu Kore-eda but specifically: Afterlife (1998), Nobody Knows (2004), Like Father, Like Son (2013), Shoplifters (2018)
- Cinema of Takeshi Kitano: Kikujiro (1999), Dolls (2002), Zatoichi (2003)
I have a special spot for Oshima. His films are completely outrageous, intellectually stimulating and visually stunning. Merry Christmas Mr Lawerence (1983) stars David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Sakamoto also made the soundtrack of the film. As a result it’s insanely beautiful. One of the tracks is even with David Sylvian. Can you imagine a more beautiful collaboration?
- All cinema of Oshima but specifically In The Realm of Senses (1976), Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (1983) and Gohatto aka Taboo (1999)
- R100 (2013) Hitoshi Matsumoto
- Tokyo Decadence (1992) Ryu Murakami
- Suicide Club (2001) Sono Sion
FILMS ABOUT JAPAN BY FOREIGNS DIRECTORS
Yes, there are a few amazing films about Japan made by non Japanese directors.Therefore they too deserve a spot here!
- Mishima a Life in 4 Chapters (1985) Paul Schrader
I (probably) write too much about Yukio Mishima in the guide’s chapter Novels. Although, you might not read anyway, because you are super busy with your (young) children and work. As a result, I advise you to watch this film about Mishima and his work in this 120 minutes.
Fun fact: Mishima’s family initially cooperated making the film., but withdrew after their demand to cut out a scene in a gay bar was denied. In Japan the film was shown only without this scene. - Enter the Void (2009) Gaspar Noe
- Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) Alain Resnais
- Perfect Days (2022) Wim Wenders
Perfect Days is the fictional story of a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. A must-watch when you travel with children, because you will probably pay a visit to all of these (design) toilets.
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