Would you like to know some of the best Japanese films people in Japan truly love?
Here, Film News Blitz’s Moe Ikeda takes a look at the top three movies you can watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime in the UK.
Kokuho 国宝 (available on Amazon Prime)
It is the best movie released in 2025 to know about what Japanese people have loved for over 400 years.
It is a decades-spanning drama about the life of a kabuki actor in Japan.
Kabuki is one of the traditional Japanese performing arts at theatres, which originated in the Edo period.
It was on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
This film achieved the status of becoming the first Japanese live-action film to surpass 20 billion yen (£93,000) in all-time box office revenue in Japan.
Then, it ranked first in the chart of Japanese live-action films.
It was released over a year ago, but it is still being screened across Japan.
Even though the running time is over three hours, many people visit cinemas to watch it again and again.
This movie has been screened at international film festivals and many cinemas in the UK and across the world.
This film will become a work long loved by Japanese people, like Kabuki.
Your Name 君の名は (available on Amazon Prime)
Your Name tells a story from both perspectives by focusing on two main characters.
Two teens, one living in a rural area in Japan and another living in the centre of Tokyo, swap bodies and experience each other’s lives across time and space. They start searching for one another.
This film is a stunning blend of drama, humour, science fiction, and fantasy.
It has beautiful contrasts between urban and rural areas, men and women, and past and present.
Despite its many elements, the storyline is breathtaking and cohesive, attracting many people all over the world.
This story touches on the relations between natural disasters, Japanese mythology, and shrines.
This story conveys elements of Shinto – deeply rooted in Japan – and ancient wisdom to viewers, blending them with modern senses of value.
In the all-time box office chart in Japan, it ranked sixth, and it won many awards in Japan and overseas.
It is highly acclaimed overseas as well. The Guardian reviewed, “It’s in the twilight twinkling of kataware doki, when night and day meet, and worlds old and new collide, that the real heart of this story lies.”
It is not just the captivating script; the music is also a crucial element that brings out its appeal.
RADWIMPS, a Japanese rock band, was in charge of all music for this film, not only the theme song but also the instrumental pieces.
The music created a synchronised effect between the visuals and the music.
Spirited Away 千と千尋の神隠し (available on Netflix)
Spirited Away has been one of the most loved films among Japanese people since it was released 25 years ago.
The story is about the adventure of a ten-year-old girl named Chihiro, who is trapped in the world of the gods. It beautifully portrays her growth and the beauty of strength to live.
This story is set in a bathhouse where the Eight Million Gods visit.
In Japan, it is believed that a god exists for everything, and ‘The Eight Million Gods’ is the term for referring to it.
This concept is deeply rooted in Japanese society and leads Japanese people to rediscover the beauty of their culture in the film.
That is one of the reasons why this film has been loved across generations.
This film ranked third in the all-time box office chart in Japan.
It won the Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003 and more than 50 other awards.
Spirited Away on stage will return to the London Coliseum in March 2028 as part of a world tour, and the tickets will be on sale early in 2027.
To prepare for the play, it is great to watch the film this year.
Three Japanese films that open the door to the nation
These films are more than just box office hits; they are stories that introduce the beauty of Japanese culture.
Through powerful storytelling, each film offers a glimpse into values and traditions that Japanese people treasure.
If you are curious about Japan beyond travel guides, these three films are great to begin to touch on Japanese culture.
Enjoy your journey into Japanese films!
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