Today we’re going to take you for a culture trip through some of our favorite Japanese movies.
Aside from foods, movies are often one of the best gateways to have a closer look at one culture. If you are familiar with foreign films, you would probably agree that Japanese cinema is one of its kind.
From food-theme movies, to classic movies to cult-following anime, each genre is an art form itself. They are compelling, daring, imaginative and distinctive in style.
Today at JOC, we’re excited to share a selection of our favorite Japanese movies that will take you a deeper look into the country’s history, culture and values. It’s popcorn time; make some Homemade Popcorn with Truffle Salt!
Let us know if you have watched any of these movies on the list. And if you have any recommendations, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Food-Theme Japanese Movies
1. Sweet Bean あん – 2015
This drama film Sweet Bean received a Critic’s Pick by the New York Times, and it is said that “The movie, beautifully shot and acted, earns its ultimate sense of hope by confronting real heartbreak head-on, and with compassion”. The story centers around Sentaro, a middle-aged man who runs a tiny shop selling Dorayaki (Japanese sweet bean pancake). He finds himself confronted by Tokue, a woman in her mid-seventies with some deformities applying for the position when he puts up Help Wanted sign in his window. Reluctant at first, Sentaro changed his mind after tasting her homemade bean paste. This starts a relationship and life lessons that is much more than just food.
2. Tampopo タンポポ – 1985
Tampopo is a comedic tale of truck drivers Goro and Gun in search of some good eats and run into a widow who runs a small ramen shop. As she is facing some life troubles, they decide to help her on her quest for the perfect ramen recipe and make it the best noodle soup in town. The most recognizable character in the movie is Ken Watanabe. The movie is hilarious with its unique qualities. It comes with evocative accounts that weaves in social aspects of food, sex, cultural hang-ups etc. You may want to watch this while slurping some hot bowl of ramen!
3. Jiro Dreams of Sushi 二郎は鮨の夢を見る – 2011
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a documentary of 85 year-old legendary sushi master Jiro Ono. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station. Jiro clearly loves his job. As the title suggests, he even dreams about sushi in his sleep. His life-long devotion to the Japanese craft also brings about a complex relationship between him and his two sons.
4. Little Forest: Summer & Autumn リトルフォレスト夏/秋 – 2014
Little Forest: Summer & Autumn is set in a rustic rural mountainside. The story follows a young woman named Ichiko returns to her hometown of Komori (which means ‘Little Forest)’ after being unable to find her place in the big city. Upon her return, she comes to enjoy the simple life as she discovers her new-found connection with food and the surrounding nature and its people. As Ichiko continues to find her own self through the changing seasons, she is also facing her conflicted feelings about her return to Komori. If you don’t mind its slow pace rhythm, this simple movie may make you want to take refuge in the kitchen and start making your own bread & jam from scratch. What’s fascinating is the film has captured the desires of many stress-out city folks for a simple organic lifestyle. The bigger question: is the return to the hometown simply an escape, or the right decision?
5. Kamome Shokudo (Kamome Diner) かもめ食堂 – 2006
Kamome Diner is about a young woman who opens a Japanese diner in Helsinki, Finland. The specialty of her menu is onigiri (Japanese rice balls). As the story develops, the diner appears to attract customers with personal problems. Her delicious food and personable nature seems to help lessen their misery. Relatively slow-pace, this independent film focuses on its visual aesthetic and character development. At the heart of Kamome Diner, food has a powerful way to bring people together and of self-discovery.
Japanese Anime
6. Spirited Away 千と千尋の神隠し – 2001
Dubbed as the Japanese Alice in the Wonderland, this international acclaim anime film is about Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by spirits, witches and gods, and where humans are changed into beasts. Spirited Away is bound to ignite your imagination.
7. Grave of the Fireflies 火垂るの墓 – 1988
Grave of the Fireflies is a story of a young boy and his little sister’s struggle for survival in Japan in the aftermath of the World War II. Get your kleenex ready!
8. The Wind Rises 風立ちぬ – 2013
The Wind Rises is loosely based on the real life story of Jiro Horikoshi, the chief engineer of Japanese fighter planes during Word War 2. Despite the many controversies that surfaced during its release, the film is a remarkable work of Hayao Miyazaki, as it entwines imaginations with reality, ambitions with failures and love with war.
9. My Neighbour Totoro となりのトトロ – 1988
For a more family oriented anime, My Neighbour Totoro is definitely our pick for children and adults alike. The fantasy film takes you to the adventures of two little girls who befriend with the forest spirits when they move into a house to be closer to their ailing mother. One of the magical creatures they meet is Totoro, a huge friendly bear. Together, they set out on several magical adventures. Visually enchanting, the film taps into the wonder and innocence of being a child.
Japanese Classic Movies
10. Seven Samurai – 1954
Set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, the story follows a village of farmers that hire masterless samurai to protect them against the bandit attacks every harvest season. An unforgettable masterpiece of director Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai is an all-time legendary picture you must watch.
11. Rashomon – 1950
Considered one of the most daring films of its era, Rashomon is another acclaimed work of Kurosawa that served an introduction of Japanese film for international audience. The plot recounts how a crime was recalled from different perspectives of a bandit, a samurai, the samurai’s wife, and a woodcutter, before ending on a climax that questions the nature of humanity. You may heard of the term ‘Rashomon Effect’? It gets the name from the movie, which refers to contradictory narratives of the same event given by different people.
Japanese Drama
12. Like Father, Like Son そして父になる – 2013
Nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Like Father, Like Son follows a story of a successful businessman whose world is turned outside down when he finds out his biological son was switched with another child at birth that he has been raising. When he faces the reality, he must make the decision to choose between his true son or the boy he raised as his own. You can expect powerful performance in this touching family drama.
More Japanese Movies?
Enjoy Japanese Movies!
We hope you enjoy this movie list we put together. You can watch some of the trailers on Youtube or find them on Amazon or your local library. Don’t want to miss a recipe?
Thank you! LOVE YOUR recipes – I am in New Zealand watching Midnight DIner and other Japanese media (love it!) and making a new Japanese dish every day. Thank you so much!!!
Hello there! Thank you so much for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear you enjoy Nami’s recipes.
Here are the Midnight Diner Season 1 recipes. We hope you enjoy it!
https://www.justonecookbook.com/netflix-midnight-diner-tokyo-stories-season-1-recipes/
Japanese cinema is replete with great films. Contemporary list have to start with the films of Hamaguchi Ryusuke. Both Happy Hour & Drive My Car are masterpieces! Kore-eda Hirokazu has become quite popular though his films are uneven in quality and increasingly they’ve become overly sentimental. Still Walking remains my favourite of his films. For the most part food-related films are simple, maudlin and nostalgic. To me, Itami Juzo’s Tampopo is a notable exception
Hello, Mitch! Thank you so much for taking the time to read Nami’s post and sharing your thoughts with us! 😃
Thank you so much for sharing your list of movies. For a long time my last name was “Hashimoto.” I loved my in-laws very much. Mom took time to teach me some ways of preparing Japanese food. She was first generation and oh so patient and kind to me. I also watched many authentic Japanese movies, some with subtitles and some without. I truly enjoyed the Seven Samurai.
Hi Marie! Thank you for mentioning Seven Samurai!
The movie was produced by Mr. Akira Kurosawa, and he was one of the most important and influential filmmakers in film history.
Thank you for reading Nami’s post and for your input. 🙂
I love all studio ghibli anime movies and they are excellent family get together activity. Spirited away, Arietty, Moving Howl castle, Kiki delivery service to name a few. I enjoyed Tottoro too. I am looking forward to some of the movies you recommended. Thanks.
Hi Indy! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
We hope you enjoy Japanese Movies from our list.😊
Hi JOC thank you for these movies I’d like to watch since I didn’t see them yet.
Hi Jacqui! Thank you very much for reading the JOC post!
We hope you enjoy these movies!🙂
I saw an truly beautiful Japanese movie on a flight from LA to Japan, and I want to watch it again but I don’t remember the title. In it a young girl loses her mother who used to make the best curry. Her father often takes her to a nice little restaurant owned by a young man and woman, and orders curry for her but she says it’s not like her mother’s. The story is about this young girl and father, and also about the restaurant owners. If you know of this movie, and its title, please let me know. I would be so happy and grateful.
Hi Tracy! We had looked up but couldn’t find the movie that you mentioned.🥺 Sorry!
Not food-related, but a great one nonetheless: Always (三丁目の夕日) /Sunset on 3rd street!
Really heartwarming tale intertwined with an incredibly interesting historical snapshot of Japan’s cultural and technological evolution in the late 50’s/early 60’s. I loved watching Tokyo Tower get built in the background of the film’s story and the slow integration/friction of Western styles and culture within traditional Japanese life. Absolutely brilliant movie, and I highly recommend it to anyone chiming in on this thread! 😊❤️
Hi Jason! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and introducing the Japanese movie!
So many good movies there. Tampopo is excellent and I loved Sweet Red Bean. Kiki Kirin is wonderful. Anything with Lily Franky is good. Seven Samurai is the quintessential Japanese history movie… There are a couple I haven’t seen. Thank you for the recommendations.
Hi Kylie! We are glad to hear you enjoyed Japanese Movies!
Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
I have watched sweet bean many times,a beautiful film.I love japanese cinema,as well as all aspects of japanese culture. I love reading your e mail’s learning so much,thank you.
Hi John, Thank you very much for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear you enjoy Japanese cinema, culture, and Nami’s newsletter! Thank you for your love and support.
You missed my all-time favorite film… Japanese or not! Woman in the Dunes directed by Teshigahara with music by Takemitsu.
Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!
Hi Theo Saunders,
Thank you for your feedback!
Wow! This is great! I have seen some of these marvelous movies but want to see all of them!
Yes indeed Japanese movies teach you a lot about Japanese culture.
It’s a real joy to watch these movies
Thank you so very much 😍😍🙏🙏
Hi Patricia!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this post.
Thank you for your kind feedback!🙂
Departures is one of my favorite movies. It shows that contrast of old stigmas, yet demonstrates the essential role of preparing the deceased for the next stage of the journey. Very moving picture.
Hi Kristina,
Thanks so much for sharing your input! The movie is one of our favorites too!🙂
I love so many of your choices! My new favorite is Ramen Shop followed by Bento Harassment. Non food movies I love are What a Wonderful Family 1, 2, and 3! Love your site!
Hi Cindy! Thank you!! Thanks for sharing your favorite with us. We have to check them out! 🙂
Just to bump this thread up again…
Last year while on the airplane from US to Japan, we watched “Bento Harassment,” a charming mother-daughter film that looks at the difficulties of coming-of-age with a strong food flair in the story. Check it out!
Thank you so much for your rec! I’ll definitely check it out!