15. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Tokyo appears to be a favorite playground for stylish action blockbusters, from James Bond’s stealthy exploits inYou Only Live Twiceto the high-speed kills inBullet Train.
But nothing can top the blend of full-throttle thrills and absurdity that we got in the thirdFast & Furiousmovie,Tokyo Drift.
Despite being part of a franchise that’s increasingly preposterous,Tokyo Driftstuck to its roots as a street race showcase. The core formula is pretty much all there: cool cars, cool races, and cool tracks.
But the best fun comes in witnessing drifter Sean Boswell (played by Lucas Black) clash with other Japanese cliques and even the yakuza.
Related:The Best Movie Car Chase Scenes (And What They Did Right)
14. Adrift in Tokyo (2007)
Not everything is glamorous or idealistic in Tokyo, as seen in down-to-earth films likeAdrift in Tokyo. But beneath all of the turmoil, there’s a unique beauty to behold.
The story finds penniless law student Fumiya Takemura (played by Joe Odagiri) who can’t pay his debts and must agree to take the thug Aiichiro Fukuhara (played by Tomokazu Miura) around Tokyo.
Their stroll takes them from one tourist trap to another as they encounter peculiar Tokyo denizens ranging from tourists to cosplayers.
Despite such an aimless trip, both men get immersed from day to night in the unpredictable, colorful nature of Tokyo—and so do we.
Related:The Best Slice-of-Life Movies Where Nothing Really Happens
13. Tokyo Sonata (2008)
For an even more down-to-earth watch, we recommend the dramaTokyo Sonata. This film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa—no relation to Akira Kurosawa—tells of a family that struggles to get by but sticks together as the father Ryūhei (played by Teruyuki Kagawa) loses his job.
Kurosawa is mostly skilled in horror films, so even with this one having a lighter tone, the bleakness beneath it all is equally startling. Think of Noah Baumbach’sThe Squid and the Whaleexcept set in a weary Tokyo where worry and estrangement are hard to escape.
Let’s just say that Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” will hit quite differently after watching this poignant film.
Related:The Best Indie Movies of the 2000s
12. Your Name (2016)
Anime tends to show all sides of Tokyo. In the movieYour Name, we get a poignant coming-of-age tale that mixes with the fantastical by way of a body-swapping plot device.
High school boy Taki and high school girl Mitsuha randomly switch bodies when they wake up, and each one must cleverly deal with the other’s real life so that they don’t get into trouble. But there’s more to this body-swapping phenomenon than either could’ve imagined.
The body-swapping element plays a crucial role as the story progresses, but between the high school hijinks and slice-of-life charm rests the overt beauty of both Tokyo and the Japanese countryside.
Related:The Best Body Swap Movies of All Time
11. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
Preparing sushi remains a modest discipline for Japanese chefs. This truth is fully emphasized inJiro Dreams of Sushi, a documentary film that centers on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono.
As owner of a former Michelin-starred restaurant, Jiro maintains the traditions and strictness of preparing his specialties.
The intrigue of the documentary rests in the legacy that Jiro has built and how he must pass it on to his sons. Both of his sons have their own paths to live as Jiro continues to seek perfection in his craft, all while trying to make up for his parenting failures.
If you think you’d enjoy a film that combines a food trip with a Wes Anderson-like family history, this one’s for you.
Related:The Best Foodie Movies About Chefs, Food, and Cooking
10. Shoplifters (2018)
Shopliftersfollows the poor Shibata family, who commit petty thefts to get by. However, when their young son is suddenly arrested, their simple lives are interrupted and they’re forced to deal with the consequences.
Filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda brings out his inner Yasujirō Ozu in this story, evidenced in everything from the family dynamics to the wistful cinematography. Every scene’s atmosphere is captivating as it perfectly captures a Tokyo that isn’t stereotypically Tokyo.
And though it doesn’t delve too much into the city’s poverty,Shopliftersdoes show some of it in a humanistic yet beautiful fashion.
Related:The Best Movies About Poverty and Homelessness
9. Enter the Void (2009)
For a more vibrant side of Tokyo, turn your head to Gaspar Noé’s most well-known film: the psychological fantasy,Enter the Void.
This trippy film dives into the seedy underworld of Tokyo’s neon-clad nightclubs. At the center of it is drug dealer Oscar (played by Nathaniel Brown), who—after being shot by police—explores the nightlife scene in an out-of-body experience.
Noé’s works are never for the faint of heart. His psychedelic imagery, surreal camerawork, brutal characters, and taboo themes might tick you off over Tokyo’s electronic music. But if you’re ready to explore delirious art films,Enter the Voidis an absorbing place to start.
Related:Trippy Drug Movies That Depict Psychedelic Experiences
8. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
From the radical mind of Paul Schrader comes this biographical film about famed Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.
Using three of his books as segments for the film,Mishima: A Life in Four Chaptersdepicts Mishima’s life that was defined by his extreme rejection of materialism and militarism. The three segments, as well as his flashbacks, help show his life philosophies.
Schrader’s interpretation of Mishima’s Tokyo manifests as a kabuki-inspired set design that bursts with stingy pastels. It lends well to show the artificiality of Japanese society, and it slowly gets to the real heart of what Mishima thinks his homeland should be.
Related:The Best Existential Movies About Life and Purpose
7. Stray Dog (1949)
Akira Kurosawa is the undisputed maestro of Japanese cinema. His style, brilliance, and reputation has always been associated with samurai epics and Shakespeare-inspired dramas, but he’s also done a lot beyond his better-known timeless period pieces.
Stray Doggives us a taste of noir Tokyo. The legendary Toshirō Mifune plays Detective Murakami, who loses his pistol and hires fellow detective Satō (played by Takashi Shimura) to track it down.
With the film set in post-WW2 Tokyo, Kurosawa never loses his grip on the period’s grittiness, which only makes the case tenser and sharper, especially as Murakami dives into dicey territory.
Related:The Best Film Noir Movies of All Time
6. Akira (1988)
Given that it’s a city that’s central to technological progress, Tokyo is unsurprisingly known for its futuristic designs. And of all the science-fiction movies set in this city,Akirastands as an icon above them.
Akirais a cyberpunk anime film about Shōtarō Kaneda, a biker gang leader who must rescue his childhood friend Tetsuo and uncover the dangerous secret behind Tetsuo’s telekinetic abilities.
If you’ve never seen adult anime,Akirais a great starting point. Its blend of cyberpunk and postmodern designs is further enriched by its animation, atmosphere, and action. The chases are a huge highlight, with the iconic “Akira slide” scene as the best part.
Related:The Best Japanese Movies of All Time
5. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Billis one of the bloodiest revenge tales ever conceived, packed with relentless violent from start to finish. The first volume in this two-parter sets up the Bride’s origins and the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1follows the Bride (played by Uma Thurman) as she takes revenge against several deadly assassins and their charismatic leader Bill (played by David Carradine).
Along the way, she must face the yakuza and confront her own past that transformed her into the “deadliest woman in the world.”
No one in Tokyo is safe from the Bride’s vengeful spree, and this film proves that Tarantino truly knows his Japanese.
Related:The Best Movies About Assassins
4. Godzilla (1954)
Early Japanese cinema brimmed with kaiju movies. Yet despite the abundant number of Japanese monster movies and creature features, the king of them all remains the originalGodzilla(orGojira).
Reflecting Japanese fears of nuclear holocaust during the post-WW2 era, the 1954 Toho movie debuts the giant monster as it first lays waste to Tokyo. Cue city-wide destruction with the kaiju stomping on buildings, munching on trains, and breathing fire everywhere.
As the very first kaiju movie,Godzillacemented its place in pop culture and paved the way for all kinds of other monster movies.
Related:The Best Kaiju Movies of All Time
3. Ikiru (1952)
When we think of top-tier Akira Kurosawa films, we usually go to the usual suspects:Rashomon,Yojimbo, andSeven Samurai. ButIkiruis a clear underdog that deserves to sit up there with the best.
Inspired by a Leo Tolstoy novella,Ikiruis a timeless tale about a man who’s stricken by a terminal illness and searches for meaning in his life.
Snow-laden Tokyo serves as the ideal scenery to let the elderly Kanji Watanabe (played by Takashi Shimura) reflect on his life’s emptiness and the hollowness of the metropolis.
While those divisive themes may seem heavy and depressing,Ikiruis actually the very opposite: an inspirational and motivational film with a hopeful message that many people can relate to.
Related:The Best Movies About Cancer and Terminal Illnesses
2. Lost in Translation (2003)
The wonderfully softLost in Translationshows an opposite side to the neon-lit excitement of typical Tokyo.
This 2003 comedy-drama features Bill Murray as Bob Harris, an actor past his prime who goes to Tokyo to film a commercial. There, he bonds with Charlotte (played by Scarlett Johansson) during his stay.
Themes of alienation and yearning spread throughout the film as Bob and Charlotte feel displaced from their own worlds. They rely on each other while stuck in this foreign culture together.
While the film’s depiction of Tokyo and Japan may seem surface-level and stereotypical,Lost in Translationis the type of romance that truly fits the idyllic atmosphere of the city. A real hipster romance.
Related:The Best Chill Movies That Feel Like You’re Hanging Out With Characters
1. Tokyo Story (1953)
Even with all the vibrancy of modern Tokyo, it can be rewarding to go back to the city’s roots in an earlier era. In our case, the reward is Yasujirō Ozu’s masterpiece filmTokyo Story.
Tokyo Storyis the tale of an elderly couple, Shukishi and Tomi, who visit their children and grandchildren in the city. But when they get there, they find that their arrival is seen as an imposition.
To the untrained eye, Ozu’s films are slowly paced.Tokyo Storyis certainly no action-banger, instead choosing to take its time and make every scene calm yet absorbing. Each character has their own introspections, and the cutaways are amazingly shot.
Tokyo Storyis a huge contrast to the fast-paced flow of today’s Tokyo, and it’s a must-watch for any cinema fan.
Related:The Most Emotionally Devastating Movies That Are Heavy and Impactful
