In 2018, I visited Japan for the first time and at the end of the trip I wrote the following thoughts.
“As we near the end of our trip to Japan, I can only think of how profound of an impact this country has had on me. This is a society that is built upon respect and unwritten rules leading to being an honorable person. These are values I deeply admire in general, but have been reflected in everyone I have met here. In America, I feel like I am constantly living in some sort of fear. Whether it be the media pushing fear, the government, or the constant threat of being gunned down at random. I’ve experienced Japan as a place of peace, serenity, technologically advanced yet traditional in a lot of ways, and a glowing example of what we could all aspire to. It is not a country without faults, but I’d wholeheartedly recommend experiencing it for yourself.”
In the midst of a pandemic, I found the time to edit some of the footage together as a glimpse of what made me feel so strongly towards Japan. Having experienced more of the world since then, my thoughts have largely remained the same. The Japanese cherry blossoms featuring during our time there are a timeless metaphor for human existence. Blooming season is powerful, glorious and intoxicating, but tragically short-lived — a visual reminder that our lives, too, are fleeting.
I used the high speed train as a visual metaphor to guide the viewer through some of my favorite places in Japan as the public transportation is some of the best in the world. From Toyko we venture to Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Kanazawa before returning to Tokyo. There is so much beauty in Japan and while my time there was limited, it is a place that I hope to return to once we are able to travel again.