A screen-bound journey to Japan

Feeling homesick for Japan? Many who visit find themselves longing to return, pulled back by a deep, lingering connection to the place. But don’t worry — cinema and television can help ease that deep yearning for a place that feels like home but isn’t truly yours.

Here are must-watch films and series available on Netflix and the ongoing Japanese Film Festival in Manila to take you back to Japan.

NETFLIX RECOMMENDATIONS

18x2 Beyond Youthful Days (2024)

Two young souls, one fateful meeting, and a city that never stops moving. This tender, time-crossed romance is soaked in nostalgia and second chances.

The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House (2023)

Set in Kyoto, this series follows two best friends as they train in the art of becoming a maiko (apprentice geisha) — except one finds her calling in the kitchen instead.

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (2019)

One tiny diner, open from midnight to dawn, where strangers bring their sorrows, joys, and secrets over a bowl of something warm.

Drawing Closer (2024)

Passion, ambition, and heartbreak collide in this adaptation of a bestselling novel, following a young artist struggling to balance love and the relentless pursuit of his craft.

Old Enough! (2013)

Toddlers running errands alone? Only in Japan. This charming reality show follows tiny adventurers on their first independent missions.

Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre (2023)

A nightmarish carousel of horror, straight from the twisted mind of Junji Ito.

Call Me Chihiro (2023)

A former sex worker starts a new life in a sleepy seaside town, touching the hearts of strangers with her kindness.

First Love (2022)

Inspired by Hikaru Utada’s song of the same name, this sweeping love story follows two people across decades, proving that first loves never really fade.

Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love (2024)

A tangled web of relationships unfolds in this eight-episode series exploring the gray areas of love, desire, and heartbreak.

Love and Fortune (2018)

A 30-year-old woman falls for a high school student, throwing her world into chaos. A bold, unflinching look at love, loneliness and the weight of societal expectations.

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL

The beloved festival returns to Manila. If you missed JFF’s first run at Shangri-La Red Carpet cinemas, you can now catch it at SM City North EDSA from 21 February to 2 March with an impressively curated lineup.

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

With jaw-dropping visuals that snagged it an Academy Award, this is Godzilla at his most terrifying and tragic.

Perfect Days (2023)

A Wim Wenders film that finds poetry in the everyday — this quiet, meditative tale follows a Tokyo toilet cleaner whose simple routines hide a deep well of emotion.

Akira (1988)

Neon-drenched, prophetic, and untamed — Akira is anime’s one true classic.

Dito (2024)

Director Takashi Yuki takes a scalpel to urban life, peeling back its layers to reveal the connections that keep us tethered.

Sand Land (2023)

From the mind of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Sand Land is a sun-scorched adventure where a demon prince, a grumpy old sheriff, and a ragtag crew search for a mythical water source.

Under the Open Sky (2021)

Miwa Nishikawa’s deeply human drama pulls no punches, painting a portrait of redemption that is both raw and hopeful.

The Imaginary (2023)

What happens to imaginary friends when the children who dreamed them up move on? Yoshiyuki Momose breathes life into that question, crafting a whimsical and bittersweet tale of love, memory, and letting go.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle (2024)

Volleyball has never been this intense. If you’ve followed Haikyuu!! from the beginning, this is the payoff you’ve been waiting for.

Monster (2023)

Told through shifting perspectives, Monster peels back the layers of a quiet town, revealing secrets that cut deeper than they first appear.

Matched (2024)

Digital romance meets real-world complications in a story that is sharp, funny and relatable.

Our Secret Diary (2023)

A coming-of-age story by Kentaro Takemura captures the magic of fleeting moments that shape us forever.

Let’s Go Karaoke! (2024)

A timid student gets roped into helping a yakuza member perfect his karaoke skills, and somehow, it turns into an unlikely friendship.