6 Non-Japanese Films Set in Japan

In my previous post, I discussed ten Japanese films. This time, I turn my attention to six non-Japanese films set in Japan — some of which are based on Japanese novels . Each of these six non-Japanese films set in Japan offers a unique window into Japanese culture, landscapes, and atmosphere, as seen through the eyes of international filmmakers.

Lost in Translation (2003)

Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation was inspired by her time in Tokyo, where she became fascinated by the city’s energy and quiet moments of alienation. Starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, the film won Coppola an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

Plot: A faded American movie star and a young woman form an unexpected bond while navigating loneliness and cultural dislocation in Tokyo.

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Directed by Rob Marshall and adapted by Robin Swicord from Arthur Golden’s 1997 novel, Memoirs of a Geisha brings to life the hidden world of Kyoto’s geisha.

Plot: The film follows a young girl sold to a geisha house, who rises to become one of Japan’s most celebrated geishas before and after World War II, balancing beauty, artistry, and heartbreak.

The Sea of Trees (2015)

Directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe, and Naomi Watts, The Sea of Treesunfolds within Aokigahara Forest, the haunting “Sea of Trees” at the base of Mount Fuji. Located on the northwestern flank of Mount Fuji, Aokigahara is one of the most frequently used suicide sites in the world.

Plot: A grief-stricken American man travels to Japan’s suicide forest to end his life but encounters a lost Japanese man, leading to a meditative journey of survival and redemption.

Silence (2016)

Martin Scorsese’s Silence, based on Shūsaku Endō’s 1966 novel, was co-written with Jay Cocks and stars Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson. It is the third film adaptation of the novel, following Japanese and Portuguese versions released in 1971 and 1996, respectively.

Plot: Two Jesuit priests travel to 17th-century Japan to locate their missing mentor and minister to hidden Christians, confronting persecution and crises of faith.

Earthquake Bird (2019)

Written and directed by Wash Westmoreland, Earthquake Bird is based on Susanna Jones’s 2001 psychological thriller. Starring Alicia Vikander, it premiered at the BFI London Film Festival — which I was fortunate to attend.

Plot: A Swedish translator living in Tokyo becomes the prime suspect in her friend’s disappearance, blurring the lines between love, guilt, and obsession.

Bullet Train (2022)

Directed by David Leitch and based on Kōtarō Isaka’s 2010 novel Maria Beetle, Bullet Train is a fast-paced, darkly comic action thriller starring Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock.

Plot: A group of assassins with intersecting missions board a Tokyo-to-Kyoto bullet train, unaware that their fates are dangerously intertwined.

Alex

(the Traveling Psychiatrist)