SUMMARY

Video essayist Alesha Sergeev explores why Japan nominated Wim Wenders' "Perfect Days"—a serene tale of a Tokyo toilet cleaner's routine—for the 2024 Oscars, highlighting its deep infusion of Japanese philosophy despite being directed by a German.

STATEMENTS

• In 2024, Japan surprisingly nominated "Perfect Days," a film by German director Wim Wenders about the mundane life of a toilet cleaner, for the Oscars, diverging from typical national entries that showcase cultural or historical uniqueness.
• The film belongs to the Japanese slice-of-life genre, which emphasizes everyday routines without major conflicts, character arcs, or traditional dramatic structure, contrasting Hollywood's plot-driven narratives.
• Japanese art values "ma," intentional pauses and silences that allow for reflection, differing from Western cinema's focus on constant action and tension.
• The film's structure follows the Japanese "tenketsu" narrative: jo (introduction), ha (development), ten (twist), and setsu (conclusion), where the protagonist's sister reveals his privileged background, reframing his simple life as a deliberate choice.
• Hirayama, the protagonist, embodies "shoshin" or beginner's mind, approaching his repetitive job with fresh curiosity and finding joy in ordinary moments like photographing trees.
• "Komorebi," the play of light and shadow through leaves, symbolizes life's balance of light and dark, representing the film's theme of appreciating fleeting, unique daily experiences.
• "Ikigai" defines Hirayama's purpose as a source of joy and motivation, not tied to success or wealth, making his toilet-cleaning role fulfilling and harmonious.
• Despite Japan's real issues like aging population, economic decline, and pandemic aftermath—addressed in films like "Plan" and "Kakekomidera"— "Perfect Days" idealizes a peaceful existence, ignoring these for a romanticized view.
• Wim Wenders, a Japan enthusiast, crafted the film through deep cultural immersion, blending European romanticism with Japanese philosophy to present an enchanting, non-critical portrait of the country.
• Japan selected "Perfect Days" for Oscars because it reflects the idealized self-image they wish to project globally, charming audiences with cultural beauty over harsh realities.

IDEAS

• Nominating a foreign-directed film for Oscars challenges national cinema norms, revealing Japan's openness to external perspectives that authentically capture its essence.
• Slice-of-life genre subverts Western expectations by finding profundity in banality, turning routine into a meditative exploration of existence.
• "Ma" in Japanese art transforms silence from filler into meaningful space, enriching viewer immersion beyond fast-paced storytelling.
• Tenketsu structure shifts focus from character transformation to audience reevaluation, making a static life dynamic through revelation.
• Shoshin prevents monotony in repetition, allowing everyday tasks to retain novelty and prevent life from blurring into gray uniformity.
• Komorebi extends beyond visuals to metaphorically balance life's highs and lows, urging acceptance of impermanence for inner harmony.
• Ikigai prioritizes personal joy over societal success, redefining fulfillment in humble roles like cleaning toilets.
• Ignoring societal problems in art can serve as escapism, yet still promote cultural pride by highlighting enduring positives.
• A German director's romantic lens on Japan humanizes the country beyond neon stereotypes, showing quiet poverty and resilience.
• Films like "Perfect Days" succeed internationally by evoking universal longing for simplicity amid global chaos.

INSIGHTS

• By embracing slice-of-life without drama, Japanese cinema teaches that true narrative power lies in evoking empathy through unadorned reality, fostering deeper emotional connections.
• The concept of "ma" illustrates how restraint in storytelling amplifies impact, mirroring life's pauses that build anticipation and introspection.
• Tenketsu reveals that plot twists need not alter protagonists but reshape viewer perceptions, emphasizing relational dynamics over individual growth.
• Shoshin as a mindset combats autopilot living, transforming obligatory routines into sources of wonder and sustained vitality.
• Komorebi symbolizes existential duality, where acknowledging light's inseparability from shadow cultivates resilience and appreciation for transient beauty.
• Ikigai underscores that purpose emerges from intrinsic motivation, liberating individuals from external validation to pursue joy in the ordinary.

QUOTES

• "Для большинства стран премия Оскар - это единственный шанс показать своё кино всему миру."
• "Идеальные дни. Фильм, в котором почти нет сюжета и как таковой драмы. Это просто жизнь рутина одного маленького человека."
• "Разум новичка позволяет дням Хирояема не смешиваться в одну сплошную серую массу, а также получать удовольствие от банальных вещей."
• "Камареби - это суть всего фильма и, возможно, всей жизни."
• "Икигая - это скорее то, что вызывает у нас улыбку, когда мы просыпаемся рано утром."

HABITS

• Hirayama starts each day with a meticulous routine: waking early, watering his plants, and playing cassette tapes while driving to work.
• He photographs tree canopies daily, capturing komorebi without preconceptions, treating each image as uniquely beautiful.
• Evenings involve reading books quietly in his modest home, followed by beer and reflection before sleep.
• At work, he inspects every surface with fresh attention, wiping spots as if discovering them anew.
• He maintains harmony by choosing simplicity, rejecting his past high-stress life for this balanced, alcohol-moderated existence.

FACTS

• In 2024, Brazil won its first Oscar for best international feature, spotlighting Latin American cinema beyond soap operas.
• The Tokyo Toilet project commissioned 17 public toilets designed by famous architects for the 2020 Olympics, delayed by the pandemic.
• Wim Wenders directed an early documentary "Tokyo-Ga" in 1985, inspired by Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu.
• Japan's population is rapidly aging, with films like "Plan" addressing euthanasia proposals for those over 75 amid economic woes.
• Slice-of-life genre thrives in Japan due to cultural isolation, developing unique dramatic rules emphasizing pauses over action.

REFERENCES

• Film: "Perfect Days" directed by Wim Wenders.
• Film: "Tokyo-Ga" documentary by Wim Wenders on Yasujirō Ozu.
• Literary/Film Structure: Tenketsu narrative framework from Japanese theater.
• Art Project: The Tokyo Toilet initiative.
• Concepts: Shoshin (beginner's mind), Komorebi (light through leaves), Ikigai (reason for being), Ma (pauses in art).

HOW TO APPLY

• Observe daily routines mindfully: Mimic Hirayama by approaching chores like cleaning with shoshin, treating each task as novel to avoid autopilot.
• Incorporate "ma" into life: Intentionally pause during conversations or activities, allowing silence to deepen reflection and reduce overstimulation.
• Identify your ikigai: Reflect on what brings morning joy—what you're good at, love doing, and can contribute—unrelated to wealth or status.
• Seek komorebi moments: Spend time outdoors watching light play through leaves, using it to meditate on life's balances and accept fleeting joys.
• Restructure narratives personally: When facing decisions, apply tenketsu—introduce context, develop it, introduce a twist via new info, then conclude with adjusted perspective.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Embrace everyday simplicity through Japanese philosophy to find profound joy and harmony beyond societal pressures.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Watch "Perfect Days" to experience slice-of-life cinema, appreciating its quiet depth over plot-heavy films.
• Practice shoshin daily by journaling fresh observations of routines, combating monotony.
• Explore ikigai exercises online to align life with intrinsic motivations for greater fulfillment.
• Visit or visualize Tokyo's quieter sides, beyond neon, to reframe cultural perceptions.
• Incorporate intentional pauses in media consumption to enhance immersion and personal reflection.

MEMO

In a surprising twist at the 2024 Oscars, Japan nominated Perfect Days, a contemplative film by German director Wim Wenders, to represent its cinema on the global stage. Far from the neon-drenched Tokyo of James Bond or John Wick, the movie follows Hirayama, a stoic toilet cleaner whose days unfold in serene repetition: brewing green tea, photographing treetops dappled with komorebi—the fleeting dance of sunlight through leaves—and tending to public restrooms with quiet diligence. This slice-of-life portrait, devoid of high-stakes drama, puzzled outsiders accustomed to entries tackling national woes like Korea's class divides or Argentina's authoritarian struggles. Yet for Japan, it encapsulated an idealized essence, blending Eastern philosophy with Western romance.

Wenders, a longtime Japanophile whose 1985 documentary Tokyo-Ga paid homage to auteur Yasujirō Ozu, immersed himself in the culture to craft this narrative. Born from Tokyo's ambitious public toilet redesign project—meant to dazzle Olympic visitors in 2020 but overshadowed by the pandemic—the film evolved into a meditation on harmony. Hirayama's life adheres to tenketsu, a four-part Japanese storytelling arc: introduction to his modest world, development through routines, a revelatory visit from his sister exposing his privileged past, and resolution affirming his chosen simplicity. Concepts like shoshin (beginner's mind) infuse his work with wonder, preventing drudgery from dulling into despair, while ikigai—a personal raison d'être tied to joy, not success—elevates his role to fulfillment.

Critics might decry the film's evasion of Japan's stark realities: an aging population prompting dark tales like Plan, where elders face euthanasia incentives amid economic stagnation, or Kakekomidera, spotlighting pandemic isolation and disability. Perfect Days sidesteps these, painting a fairy-tale Japan of balanced light and shadow, where even poverty charms through Hirayama's unflappable grace. This choice underscores a deliberate optimism; as Wenders noted in interviews, he amplified the country's enduring beauties over critiques, much like turning up the music to drown out discord. Japanese selectors embraced this vision, seeing in it the self-image they crave worldwide.

The film's success lies in its universal appeal, charming audiences weary of chaos with a blueprint for mindful living. It challenges Hollywood's conflict-driven molds, proving that pauses—ma in art—can captivate as profoundly as action. For viewers, Perfect Days invites a reevaluation: in embracing the mundane without prejudice, one might uncover life's subtle poetry, much as Hirayama finds poetry in porcelain fixtures. As global eyes turn to Japan through this lens, it reveals a nation not just surviving modernity's grind, but poetically thriving within it.