Wim Wenders is one of my favourite film directors. He's German and apparently he loves Japan, he loves Yasujiro Ozu. "Journey to Onomichi" was the title of a photography exhibition Wenders had in Tokyo back in 2006 showing what he and his wife photographed in and around Onomichi in 2005.

Onomichi is a small fishing town in west Japan where "Tokyo Story" was filmed - a masterpiece of Ozu from 1953. (Yes if you've seen the film, that is where the parents lived.) Ozu admirer Wenders took a journey from Tokyo to Onomichi and took all the photographs while staying there for one week. And this book "Journey to Onomichi" just came out recently and it's super! You feel a little bit of Ozu and quite bit of Wenders' world in this whole book I never seem to get bored looking at it over and over!

Now this makes me want to see "Tokyo Story" again (I first saw it when I was about 21 and my friends made faces, he's not pupular among young Japanese people I think he's more appreciated outside Japan), must find where I put the dvd. Also do check out "Tokyo-Ga" filmed by Wenders in 1985 as a tribute to Ozu if you're interested.

 

10 comments

  1. beautiful photographs. he's great.

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  2. i saw my first Ozu movie some weeks ago, i liked it a lot! love the photos :)

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  3. i think i might try and find 'tokyo story' to watch again. thanks for the post. it looks like a wonderful book.

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  4. Oh, this book seems to be such a beauty ! It is always a pleasure to read your blog Hiki !

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  5. hello michaela, i wish i could show you all the photographs, yea he's great!

    hello at swim-two-birds, which movie did you see? i actually have only seen a couple of Ozu's movies, but would love to see the other ones!

    hello Mary, I thought you would've seen it before. and yes it surely is a wonderful book!

    hello Marion, what a lovely thing of you to say! thank you so much, so happy to have you here :)

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  6. wonderful! i am so going to try and find these. i really, really love tokyo story too!

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  7. Wim Wenders is my favorite director ! I met him 2 times in Belgium. And I'd like to go to Japan ... The book seems beautiful !

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  8. i've seen both tokyo monogatari and wenders'tokyo ga! tokyo godfathers and kamome shokudo are pretty good too! kawaii!

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  9. Marie,
    You have met him twice!?!?!?!? wow that is awesome!!!!!! did you talk to him??? wow wow wow!!!

    alan,
    wow you are the true japan master!!!!
    kamome shokudo is really kawaii ne ;)
    did you see "megane" by the same director and actors from kamome shokudo? it's nice too.

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  10. Not really talk with him, I was unfortunatly too shy. First time, it was at my university, he was "Doctor Honoris Causa" and he was really "open" with students. The second time, it was at BOZAR (Belgium), for "Don't Come Knocking", with a conference with him. A student was there with a film project and Wim Wenders had said : "Give me your projet, I wil read this !". He has a good sens of humor ! (Sorry for my approximate English !)

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your kind words are always welcome and appreciated! arigato :)

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