What’s great about Japan? Glad you asked, since we’ve got the answer in long form right here.
But if you’re pressed for time, this amazing video, in a little under four and a half minutes, will give you a beautifully condensed version of what makes Japan so special.
If you had to sum up Japan’s appeal in a word, “variety” wouldn’t be a bad choice. With that decided, if you were inclined to communicate your pick through video rather than words, and you were incredibly talented at doing just that, it might end up looking a little like the creation of Swiss filmmaker and Japanese resident Marc Ambuehl.
Accompanied by Oyosute Aina from the soundtrack to anime film Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, Ambuehl visits metropolitan Tokyo, refined Kyoto, and resilient Hiroshima, before ending his journey with a stop at Hyogo Prefecture’s Kinosaki Onsen hot springs.
Along the way, he shows us Japan’s bustling urban face in the form of Shinjuku, Kobe’s Port Tower, and the Shinkansen bullet train.
We also see the nation’s cultural heart in the form of backstreets lined with wooden buildings…
…and festival-goers and newlyweds in clothes that wouldn’t have looked that out-of-place a couple of hundred years ago.
Add in a few scenes of natural beauty…
…and of course, some mouth-watering meals…
▼ Don’t forget the ice-cold draft beer!
…and Ambuehl’s film adds up to a short but very sweet love letter to Japan.
▼ Not to mention his girlfriend/traveling companion
Perfectly encapsulating the multi-faceted lifestyle and potential experiences that enthrall visitors and residents alike, the video is titled Our Japan. You’d be hard-pressed to find truer or more heartfelt encouragement to go find yours, too.
Related: Marc Ambuehl website
Source: Kotaro 269
Images: Vimeo
Expat’s video says “Welcome to My Japan,” and you ought to take him up on the awesome invitation
Don’t have enough time to see Japan? You do now, with this amazing time-lapse video
Internet users can’t decide on Japan’s most beautiful village, and we can totally see why
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Children’s slippers stolen in night at Japanese preschool, police identify weasel who did it【Vid】
The heartwarming story of Japan’s “Weakling Gundam” and the fans who supported it in its hour of need
Japanese government to phase out fax machines, paper documents, personal seals
The 13-year-old video game contest winner who became one of Japan’s greatest manga artists
The results are in! One Piece World Top 100 characters chosen in global poll
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]
Japanese drugstore sells onigiri at pre-stupid era prices, but how do they compare to 7-Eleven?
Viral Japanese cheesecake from Osaka has a lesser known rival called Aunt Wanda
Lawson adds doughnuts to its convenience store sweets range, but are they good enough to go viral?
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Here’s why you should visit Japan’s best winter-night hot spring town on a summer afternoon【Pics】
This beautiful Starbucks just outside Tokyo has an aural connection to Japan’s samurai past【Pics】
Japan’s new ukiyo-e woodblock print passports are beautiful, now in travelers’ hands【Photos】
Japan’s beautiful TeamLab art group opening its first permanent immersive museum in Kyoto【Video】