Best Japan Foundation

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a 2010 Wii platform game continuing the narrative of Super Mario Galaxy. It features Mario’s pursuit of Bowser, who has captured Princess Peach across multiple galaxies utilizing Power Stars and Grand Stars. The gameplay involves traversing diverse cosmic environments to reco...

Kwaidan is a 1964 Japanese horror film anthology comprised of four distinct stories based on Lafcadio Hearn’s folktales. Set in feudal Japan, the segments depict supernatural spirits enacting moral justice with little regard for human consequences. The film's ensemble cast includes several prominent...

Super Mario Galaxy is a 2007 Nintendo Wii title that places players in an extraterrestrial setting. The game features galaxies with varied gravity and environments, requiring players to navigate planets and asteroids. Utilizing the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, players complete missions and battle bosses...

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a classic action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Developed by Nintendo in 1991, it established many conventions of the series including its expansive world map and focus on sword combat. The game remains notable for its influe...

The film Rashomon presents a complex narrative centered around the murder of a samurai within a forest. Multiple individuals—including a samurai, his wife, and a bandit—offer conflicting accounts of the event, each shaped by personal motivations and deception. Based on Akutagawa’s short story, the f...

Onibaba depicts two women in a post-civil war medieval Japan who engage in violent acts to acquire resources. The film centers on their efforts to steal from warring factions, with a male character’s intervention complicating their actions. Kaneto Shindō's 1964 drama explores themes of survival and...

Harakiri is a 1962 Japanese film set during the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate. It depicts the rōnin Hanshirō Tsugumo’s request for seppuku, performed before a lord and his samurai, accompanied by an explanation of his circumstances. The narrative explores themes of societal pressure and de...

Sushi is the pinnacle of Japanese culinary precision, focusing on the harmony between seasoned vinegar rice and high-quality seafood. It represents a mastery of temperature, texture, and aesthetic presentation. Whether served as Nigiri or Maki, sushi relies on the freshness of ingredients like bluef...

Super Mario 64 is a landmark 1996 Nintendo 64 adventure game. It established 3D platforming with its expansive worlds and innovative controls. Players explore as Mario, collecting Power Stars to progress through challenges and ultimately battle Bowser. The game remains popular among gamers of all ag...

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 2003 Game Boy Advance title that serves as an enhanced remake of the NES classic. It features two playable characters, Mario and Luigi, navigating eight kingdoms within the Mushroom World to confront Bowser and rescue Princess Peach. The game includes...

Tokyo Story depicts the journey of an elderly Japanese couple as they travel to Tokyo to spend time with their adult offspring. The film explores themes of familial relationships and generational differences within a domestic setting. It was directed by Yasujirō Ozu and features Chishū Ryū and Chiek...

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is a recreation of the acclaimed 1998 adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS. It offers players an updated experience with improved visuals and stereoscopic 3D. This title remains popular among fans seeking a classic action-adventure narrative centered around Lin...

Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle due to its elegant white exterior, is a sprawling hilltop complex in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, initially constructed in the 14th century and significantly renovated during the Edo period.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is a 1995 platform game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The player guides Yoshi in an effort to rescue baby Mario, kidnapped by Kamek, navigating levels filled with puzzles and collectible items. Yoshi utilizes running and jumping mechanics to progres...

Super Mario World is a 1990 platform game for the SNES where players control Mario to rescue Princess Peach and Dinosaur Land from Bowser and the Koopalings. The gameplay involves navigating levels with the goal of reaching the end, incorporating new mechanics like Yoshi, a rideable dinosaur. It was...

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a 1988 platform game for the NES, created by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development under the leadership of Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. The game’s initial release occurred in Japan on October 23, 1988, with subsequent launches in North America on February 12,...

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior was released by Capcom in 1991 as a sequel to Street Fighter. Developed by Yoshiki Okamoto and Akira Yasuda, it utilized the CP System arcade board and featured expanded gameplay mechanics like command-based moves and a wider roster of characters. The game’s desi...

Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game for the NES developed by Nintendo under Shigeru Miyamoto’s direction. Players control Mario or Luigi to navigate levels within the Mushroom Kingdom, rescuing Princess Toadstool from King Koopa. The gameplay involves traversing side-scrolling stages and utili...

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a classic action-adventure game set in a vibrant post-apocalyptic world. Utilizing a distinctive cel-shaded art style, players control Link as he sails across the Great Sea to restore peace and defeat evil. Originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002,...

Metal Gear Solid is a 1998 action-adventure stealth game developed for the PlayStation by Hideo Kojima. The narrative centers on Solid Snake’s mission to infiltrate Shadow Moses and neutralize FOXHOUND's control of a nuclear weapons facility. He confronts Liquid Snake and seeks to prevent the deploy...

Seven Samurai (1954) is a Japanese historical drama directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film depicts seven master swordsmen who are enlisted to defend a rural village against bandits. Its innovative storytelling and impactful action sequences have profoundly influenced filmmaking worldwide. It remains n...

The Life of Oharu is a 1952 Japanese drama film depicting the tragic story of Oharu, a former courtesan. She attempts to regain her status and happiness after being abandoned by her lord following her forced involvement in prostitution. The narrative adapts material from Saikaku Ihara’s novel concer...

Yabuki Joe is left downhearted and hopeless after a certain tragic event. In attempt to put the past behind him, Joe leaves the gym behind and begins wandering. On his travels he comes across the likes of Wolf Kanagushi and Goromaki Gondo, men who unintentionally fan the dying embers inside him, lea...

Sukiyabashi Jiro is a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant located in Ginza, Tokyo. It’s notable as one of the world's most celebrated omakase experiences, overseen by Hiroshi Sugita, a Hiroshima-born expert chef specializing in Edomae style sushi. The restaurant offers meticulously crafted, single...

Ishikawa, a Michelin-starred Kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo, is known for its dedication to traditional techniques and the use of seasonal ingredients. Chef Takashi Hashimotos meticulous preparation and artistic presentation create a refined and memorable dining experience. The restaurants serene ambia...

Fushimi Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan, famed for its thousands of vibrant red torii gates that wind up a mountainside, dedicated to the god of rice and prosperity.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is an action-adventure game released in 2002 by Nintendo for the GameCube. It was initially launched in Japan on December 13th, 2002, with North American and European releases following in March and May of that year, respectively. This installment expands upon the...

Super Mario 3D World is a celebrated Nintendo adventure game developed for the Wii U and subsequently the Nintendo Switch. It’s notable for its engaging cooperative gameplay allowing up to four players to explore vibrant 3D worlds together. The game offers a classic platforming experience suitable f...

Street Fighter II Turbo, released in 1992, is the third arcade iteration of the popular fighting game franchise developed by Capcom. It served as an enhancement kit for Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and featured a faster pace alongside new special moves for select characters. The title refined...