For many people around the world, Tokyo is a city they first experienced on the big screen. The sprawling city streets, neon-soaked architecture and unique blend of the traditional with the contemporary have the power to spark the imagination – so much so that you may already be dreaming of a visit to the metropolis. We take a look at the most iconic Tokyo landmarks for discerning movie fans to visit when that dream becomes reality.
Rainbow Bridge (Kill Bill: Volume 1, 2003) – Tokyo’s eye-catching bridge, illuminated with lights that change colour according to the season or special occasion, is something to behold from afar while taking in the city’s skyline. However, should you find yourself driving on the bridge itself, you may want to play the famous theme from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, which used the bridge for a famous sequence where The Bride (Uma Thurman) trails her first target, O-Ren (Lucy Liu). Even though much of the action was shot in China, Japanese culture heavily influences the first volume of this revenge saga, and this scene strikes at the heart of that inspiration.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Park Hyatt Hotel (Lost in Translation, 2003) – Many cities are home to buildings where fateful movie romances took place: New York’s Empire State Building in Sleepless in Seattle and Heathrow Airport in London for Love Actually, for instance. In Tokyo, it’s the Park Hyatt Hotel, which plays host to the meeting of Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in the Oscar-winning Lost in Translation. We can’t guarantee the whirlwind experience they had, but the bar does boast excellent views of the city, as well as a wide-ranging cocktail menu. Hopefully your trip will be less fraught than that of director Sofia Coppola, who didn’t know if the famously elusive Murray would make the film until he turned up on set!
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Wako Department Store, Ginza (Godzilla, 1954) – Japan has many movie stars, but perhaps no one as iconic as Godzilla. In 65 years, the beast has appeared in 36 movies, including two not-so-beloved American adaptations. However, it all began with this black-and-white smash hit in the mid-1950s. One of the signature moments in the first film is when the title character rips the clock tower from the roof of Wako Department Store in Ginza shopping district. Happily, that was only a prop replica and the art-deco-style store is still standing for fans to visit today – a staple of Japanese commercial life as well as movie history.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Zōjō-ji Temple (The Wolverine, 2013) – This Buddhist temple’s history alone would be reason enough to visit, built over 700 years ago and pleasingly located in the shadow of Tokyo Tower (and thus an excellent photo op). For Marvel lovers, however, there’s an extra incentive to check it out: It was one of the locations for The Wolverine, Hugh Jackman’s second solo outing as his most famous character. The temple plays host to a pivotal funeral scene that descends into chaos, and is actually one of the few genuine Japanese locations in the movie, much of which was shot in Australia.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Shibuya Scramble Crossing (Furious 7, 2015) – Admittedly, the famous Shibuya Crossing could be associated with a number of big movies set in Tokyo. It’s one of those iconic sights you’ve probably seen before, when the city – or Japan itself – is represented on film: the vast, multidirectional crossing that seems to embody the gloriously chaotic nature of Tokyo life. The metropolis plays a part in two films from the Fast & Furious franchise; the third movie (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) is set in Tokyo, and the seventh and highest-grossing instalment to date, Furious 7, also sees Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) come to the city, with an establishing shot of the famous crossing.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Womb Nightclub (Babel, 2006) – Playing host to such luminaries as Paul Oakenfold and Steve Aoki, Womb is already a noted hotspot for nightclub aficionados. It offers an incomparable mixture of music and visual spectacle, with glass walls and a giant mirror ball. You can tread in the footsteps of a movie character, too, as the club featured prominently in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning drama Babel, during the segment following disillusioned teen Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi). The four-storey club celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, meaning there will no doubt be some memorable nights for those who can find their way through its doors!
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Hotel New Otani (You Only Live Twice, 1967) – 007 often appears in our guides, both because of the globe-trotting nature of the series, and because he’s a character we imagine many fans would love to emulate – even if only through travel. Sean Connery, considered by many to be the greatest Bond, visited Tokyo in the fifth Bond adventure, where the Hotel New Otani ‘played’ the role of the Osato Chemicals building and a front for Blofeld’s organisation SPECTRE. Bond is not the only famous visitor, however, as the hotel has welcomed many heads of state in its nearly six decades of existence.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Sayama Hills (My Neighbour Totoro, 1988) – One of the signature movies of the beloved Studio Ghibli, My Neighbour Totoro‘s story of young sisters who meet a forest spirit was inspired by these hills just outside of Tokyo. A walk through the tranquil, picturesque surroundings will invoke the sense of magic and wonder that the film inspired. However, there’s a star encounter waiting for you as well! Nearby is Kurosuke House, an over 100-year-old building bought by foundation Totoro Fund to help showcase the work they do for nature initiatives. It’s not as comprehensive as the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, but it does feature a life-sized Totoro to take pictures with (and possibly cuddle!).
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Sakurabashi Bridge (Kikujiro, 1999) – This heart-rending drama won over audiences thanks to the powerful performance of director-star Takeshi Kitano, playing a gambler who agrees to help his nephew find his long-lost mother. The film begins and ends on the Sakurabashi Bridge, an eye-catching structure that stretches over the Sumida River to connect both sides of Sumida Park. It’s a memorable trip for anyone looking for a less tourist-centred aspect of Tokyo, and can often be found on guides that offer a different side to the well-known city.
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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Tokyo.
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Hachijō-kojima Island (Battle Royale, 2000) – While this deserted island is just under 320km (200 miles) south of Tokyo, it’s still technically part of Tokyo, so we’re counting it! Hachijō-kojima provided locations for the controversial action/satire Battle Royale, about a class of schoolchildren who are sent to the island to engage in a brutal game where only one can survive. The area is more popular with scuba divers than movie buffs, but if you’re a devoted fan of the influential film, it may be worth the long boat journey to see it.
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