In recent years, Japanese films have become increasingly popular around the world, winning awards at numerous international film festivals and achieving box-office success overseas. Movies are contents that can be enjoyed from a variety of aspects, including the language of the country, the scenery, the art, the music, and the costumes.

The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa, provides training for foreign Japanese language teachers who teach Japanese overseas, and sometimes uses Japanese films in Japanese language classes. The advantages of using movies to teach Japanese include the multifaceted appeal of movies, such as the ease of understanding the scenes and situations in which the language is used, and the discovery of customs and culture not found in one’s own country.

For this issue, we spoke with Ms. Masami Honda, Mr. Tomoyuki Ishiyama, and Ms. Miyuki Habuki, Japanese-Language Specialists at the Institute, about Japanese films recommended for learning Japanese, as well as advice on how to make the most of them for learning Japanese.

Interview:Sayaka Yabe, Illustration:チヤキ, Text / Editing:CINRA, Inc.

Watch, listen, and talk. Watching movies to motivate learning

The method of learning through movies that offers various benefits, such as learning vocabulary and expressions that you would not normally use, improving your listening skills, and learning about society and culture.

The Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa, held a class in which participants watched Japanese movies and discussed their impressions in Japanese from various perspectives, such as favorite scenes and the performances of the actors, which was reportedly very well received. In addition, the participants in the class formed a “movie club” on their own initiative, and the use of movies for Japanese language learning has taken root outside the classroom as well.

The three specialists, who sa “At first, it is better to watch movies with simple and predictable stories,” have recommended five movies. These movies range from human dramas to animation and comedy, and they will make you want to learn more about Japanese language, society and culture, whether you are just starting to learn Japanese or can enjoy Japanese movies without subtitles in your native language.

(1) "Survival Family" (2017), a simple story and language that is easy to understand

One morning, electricity, gas, water, and other services are suddenly cut off in the suburbs of Tokyo. In this comedic story, the whole family gets on their bicycles and heads to Kagoshima Prefecture, more than 1,000 kilometers away, to her maternal grandfather’s house. In these days of digitalization and the inability to let go of our smartphones, this work makes us think about what is really necessary and important to live. The simple story and dialogues will be easy to understand without subtitles in your native language.

Honda: I think this movie is one of the easiest to understand among the movies introduced here because there is not much dialogue and the main idea of the story can be grasped through the actions of the characters. The images alone provide a clear understanding of, for example, the people’s difficulties due to the loss of electricity, gas, and water, and the actions of those who flee Tokyo and head for Kagoshima.

Habuki: This is a movie that makes you feel more on edge as you watch it and think about what you would do if you were in the same situation. I was actually afraid of a world where the social order that we think of as common sense collapses

Honda: The events in the movie could happen in the real world. What would the situation be like if there were heavy rains or an earthquake? What kind of knowledge and skills would be necessary to survive in such a situation? After watching this movie, I think people would want to think and talk about such things.

(2) "The Great Passage" (2013), which teaches us the joy of facing words

This work tells the story of Mitsuya Majime, who works at a publishing company, being scouted by the dictionary editorial department and spending 15 years working with a diverse group of people to create the dictionary "Odo Kai." The work conveys the passion of the people who work on creating the dictionary, and the original novel has been adapted into a movie, a TV anime, and a drama three times in Japan.

Honda: I feel that the story of people who collect words and create dictionaries is a work that can be enjoyed by language learners. There is a scene where the character is asked, “How do you explain the word ‘migi (right)’?” This work made me realize that the more naturally we use the word, the more difficult it is to explain the word.

Honda: There is another scene where the main characters go to McDonald’s to eavesdrop on high school students’ conversations and collect examples of new words. I thought this was useful for learning in terms of "keeping one’s antennas up for words".

Habuki: Consciously collecting, looking up, and using unfamiliar words is a good way to develop your ability to express yourself.

Honda: Also, Kaguya Hayashi, who lives in the same boarding house as Majime, is a Japanese cuisine chef. You will enjoy just looking at the Japanese artisan culture and downtown scenery, such as the way she works quietly and crisply as a chef, or the part where she goes to Kappabashi, a wholesale district near Asakusa, Tokyo, to buy a cookingknife.

(3) "Hula Girls" (2006), a touching tale based on a true story

This movie is based on the background of the birth of Joban Hawaiian Center (now Spa Resort Hawaiians), located in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, about a three-hour drive from Tokyo for the Tohoku region. The movie is set around 1965 in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. The city was once prosperous due to its coal mining resources, but over time it fell into disuse, and a plan to establish the center was launched to revitalize the town.

The story follows a group of local girls as they work hard to learn the hula dance under the guidance of an instructor from Tokyo, who is called in to help them learn to perform at the center, even though they are confused by the unfamiliar dance and practice for the first time.

Honda: This movie uses a lot of Fukushima dialect, so I recommend watching it with Japanese subtitles. Many people said they were touched by the movie because it shows people’s acceptance of the changing times and how women are becoming active and independent in a town where men used to work mainly in the coal mines.

Ishiyama: The members of the movie club said it was interesting to learn about the negative aspects of Japanese society, such as people’s aversion to women showing their skin, the rejection of local people toward people from Tokyo, and the prejudice that Tokyo people have toward local people.

Others said that because the movie is based on a true story, seeing how the main characters never gave up on their dreams gave them courage to realize that there were people who worked so hard. Many said that they would definitely like to show the movie to other learners when they return to their home countries.

(4) Voice acting is also noteworthy in "Summer Wars" (2009)

An original animated feature film directed by Mamoru Hosoda. It tells the story of Kenji, a high school second grader who is good at math, who, along with his senior Natsuki and others, confronts the rampant growth of artificial intelligence. More than 10 years after its release, the metaverse is now common knowledge among the younger generation.

Habuki: The virtual space “OZ” and Natsuki’s countryside in the movie seem to be two polar opposites, but it is touching to see how everyone in both worlds unite and stand together. Even if you don’t know a traditional Japanese Hanafuda card game shown in the movie, you will want to say “Koi Koi” along with the game while watching it, right?

Honda: The animation is also beautiful and nice. The scenery of the countryside with mountains and fields, traditional Japanese houses, and the sound of “wind bells” that are hung at the veranda and make a cool sound when the wind blows, are all depicted as if they existed now as they did in Japan a long time ago. Some may feel nostalgic.

Honda: There is also a line in the work, “The worst thing is to be hungry and to be alone,” that really resonated with me. I hope you also enjoy the performance of the voice actors. The pronunciation is clear and easy to understand.

(5) The image of ghosts is overturned? "A Ghost of a Chance" (2011)

The story comically and dramatically depicts how Emi, a lawyer, tries to prove the innocence of the accused with the help of Rokubei, an “ochimusha” (fallen samurai) ghost. The actions of Rokubei, who is lovable despite being a ghost, bring laughter and tears. It is a work that makes you want to compare it with the way things are going in your own country.

Ishiyama: For the people in the movie club, it seemed like an opportunity to discuss "what is a ghost" after watching the movie. Many people associate Japanese ghosts with "Sadako," who became popular after the hit horror movie Ring (1998), but the ghost in this movie is a “fallen samurai” who looks and dresses completely different from "Sadako" …

Ishiyama: In addition to ghosts, there was also a lot of talk about “kanashibari” (sleep paralysis). There are scientific and biological causes for sleep paralysis, but in Japan it is sometimes attributed to ghosts. This also differs from country to country and region to region. If it is in the Arab world, it is because of djinn (spirit-like beings), and if it is in Europe, it is because of ghosts of sleep paralysis. Many said it was interesting to discuss the “similar but slightly different” aspects of each country, as it provided an opportunity for cross-cultural understanding.

There is also a story in the work that “cinnamon lovers can see ghosts.” When I heard that story, I thought, “Why?” But the people in the movie club told me about cultures where cinnamon and death were linked, such as “cinnamon was used to make mummies in ancient Egypt” and “cinnamon was used in black magic in Europe.” I realized that we could make new discoveries by discussing our impressions with people from different cultural backgrounds than our own.

I think "A Ghost of a Chance" is a very good movie for learning because it not only makes you laugh and have fun, but it also opens your eyes to cultural differences and is a great conversation starter with the people you watch it with.

Honda: You may want to look up the words "kanashibari" (sleep paralysis) and "ochimusha" (fallen samurai), which are key to the story, before watching the movie.

Advice on learning Japanese from movies

We asked three experts for their advice on using movies to learn Japanese.

Honda: If you want to watch a movie without subtitles in your native language, it is recommended that you watch the trailer or read the synopsis first to predict the story. If you have difficulty listening, it would be better to display Japanese subtitles and understand both the text and sound.

Activities such as expressing your impressions or giving a synopsis of a movie in Japanese to someone will also strengthen your skills. If you are wondering how to express your impressions, try reading other people’s reviews. It will help you discover new ways to express yourself.

Habuki: I think there is a way to learn Japanese through movies that is suitable for all levels. It is good to watch just a part of the iconic scene of a movie and enjoy the famous lines along with the scenery. You can actually visit the places where the movie was filmed, or you can enjoy watching YouTube videos of “anime pilgrimage” (visiting real locations of anime).

Ishiyama: I would venture to tell people that they don’t need to be too conscious of “learning Japanese” when watching a movie. It would be a waste to stop if you cannot hear well or come across a word you do not understand.

A movie is a combination of not only words, but also pictures, music, costumes, and many other things. After you relax and watch a movie while enjoying the atmosphere of the movie, try to share your impressions with your friends in Japanese or post them on SNS. I think there is a way to use it to learn Japanese in this way.