David Leitch as well as Brad Pitt recently invited viewers on an exciting journey through Japan with a stylized action movie, High-speed train. And while it remains to be seen if this movie will be a box office hit, it’s hard to deny that it’s an exciting ride all the way.

However, this is not the first time that Hollywood dares to go to the Land of the Rising Sun. From historical epics to contemporary action films and romantic comedies, there is something about this beautiful country that keeps them coming back for more.

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“Ramen Girl” (2008) - Nothing heals grief like noodles

This 2008 romantic comedy features a late Brittany Murphy play a girl named Abby who travels with her boyfriend to Tokyo only to have him dump her, leaving her dejected and lonely in a foreign land. Finding solace in a bowl of noodles offered to her by a ramen shop owner, Abby is inspired to become a ramen chef, begging a reluctant shop owner to train her.

This is a sweet story about overcoming heartache and finding new meaning in unexpected places. It also portrays the Japanese people and culture with decent respect, and the roles are actually played by Japanese speaking Japanese actors.

‘Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2’ (2003-2004) - International Revenge

This may seem like a scam, but since Quentin Tarantino originally intended to be one film, it makes sense here to treat it as such. Kill Bill modern classic; a tale of revenge that sees Uma ThurmanThe Bride’s character embarks on a bloody journey to exact revenge on the titular Bill after he shoots her and leaves her in a coma.

The film was heavily influenced by the martial arts and samurai films of the 1970s. So it makes sense that the Bride’s quest takes her to Japan, where there’s no shortage of swordsmanship and martial arts displays as she takes on Bill and his army of assassins.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) is a unique exception in the recurring franchise

Before Fast and Furious the franchise figured out what it wants to be when it “grows up”, it tried to throw everything it could at the wall to see what would stick. The result was the third part, tokyo drift being far removed from its predecessors in terms of plot, characters, and geography.

However, instead of being the black sheep, it’s actually one of the best games in the series, and it gave Nitros the shot it needed to keep the franchise going, for better or worse. As expected, it’s full of goofs, yet invigorating and visually interesting at the same time thanks to the Tokyo backdrop.

’47 Ronin’ (2013) - This historical epic has left no trace

Here is a story from the dark ages, long before the public heard the name. John Wick. That was earlier Keanu Reeves was one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood, during which he rode bomb after bomb with a big budget. 47 Ronin there was one such bomb. Based on a real event in Japanese history, but tinged with mysticism. Keanu plays a biracial outcast who joins a group of samurai in their quest to avenge their fallen master.

However, despite poor box office performance, almost a decade later, Netflix announced that a sequel was in development, except for Keanudue out in 2022.

The Last Samurai (2003) is a much better historical epic

Tom Cruise playing a US Civil War veteran who is recruited to train the Imperial Japanese Army only to side with their samurai enemies is, on paper, a concept that could easily go wrong. However, it manages to come across as a beautiful, respectful and well-acted epic that has both Cruise as well as Ken Watanabe in top shape.

It was even well received in Japan, where some critics declared it an improvement over previous American depictions of Japan, even with its romanticization of samurai culture. What is it like Dances with Wolvesbut with samurai sword fighting, what more could you want?

‘The Grudge’ (2004) - No Evil for This Remake

In the early 2000s, Hollywood re-shot several Japanese horror films. Ring in 2002 and then Discontentremake Ju-On: Dissatisfaction, two years later. However, while the former saw history being transferred to the United States, Discontent effectively retained the Tokyo setting of the original, albeit with a predominantly American cast. He was also sent Takashi Shimizudirector of the Japanese version and creator of the franchise.

Sarah Michelle Gellar received critical acclaim for her lead role as Karen Davis and the film was a box office success, becoming an instantly recognizable piece of pop culture. This marked the beginning of the American branch ju-on franchise – a franchise that continues to develop to this day.

‘Lost in translation‘ (2003) - Forget Budapest, What’s Black Widow up to in Tokyo?

Lost in translation is a charming little indie film that has managed to become a hit with critics and audiences alike, and has inspired decades of analysis and study. Screenwriter and director Sofia Coppolathese are the stars Bill Murray as an aging Hollywood actor staying in Tokyo for a promotional performance. While there, he meets a young American woman whom he plays Scarlett Johanssonstayed at the same hotel, and they struck up a relationship that bordered on friendship and romance.

While the plot is very bare, this is a captivating story that explores themes of alienation while offering an atypical narrative structure. Then, of course, there’s this ending that people have been tinkering with for years, trying to unravel its secrets.

The Wolverine (2013) - “When Logan Became Shogun”

Fox Breakout Star X-Men movies, Hugh JackmanWolverine was always destined to get his own solo series. Although the first attempt, 2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverinethere was a disaster, the second exit, Wolverinehad a much more positive reception.

Taking cues from Marvel’s 1982 Wolverine limited series of comics, the focus of the film shifts to Japan, where Wolverine is called to the deathbed of a man he saved in The Second World War. Here, his powers are stripped against his will, leaving him wounded and on the run. This is a gripping and often overlooked film filled with elements that the director James Mangold will be perfecting for his next Wolverine venture, Logan.

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (2006) - A respectful look at a different point of view

Producer Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima is a unique work of American cinema and complements another Eastwood movie, Flags of our fathers, which had been released two months earlier. Both films are about the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, but while the first film focuses on the American point of view, this film flips the script to focus on the Japanese side of things.

Also of note is the fact that most of the film is shot in Japanese and the roles are played by real Japanese actors, including Ken Watanabe. This did much to earn praise in Japan, where it was praised for its depictions of the Japanese people, language, and culture.

“Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005) - shed light on unexpected hardships

It’s likely that prior to this film, most Western audiences didn’t even know what a geisha was, let alone the struggles they may have faced in World War II Japan. That’s why at least Memories of a Geisha deserves credit for introducing this audience to new aspects of Japanese culture. Based on the novel of the same name, this story is about Chiyo Sakamoto, who was sold by poor parents as a child and trained to be a geisha.

The film caused some controversy due to its casting of Chinese actors to play Japanese characters, however the cast defended this, including the Japanese actor. Ken Watanabewho said that talent is more important than nationality.