August 28, 2006

Lost in Translation locations


The inspiration to do this post (as well as many [but not all] links, data and descriptions) came from this guide to travel in Japan.

Lost in Translation tells the love story between Bob Harris (Bill Murray), an American actor in his mid life crisis, who travels to Japan for an appearance in a whiskey commercial, and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), an equally depressed, young American lady, who accompanies her husband on a business trip.

Lost in Translation was almost entirely shot in Tokyo's two loudest and most colorful districts, Shinjuku and Shibuya.

Neon lights of Shinjuku

The neon lit building facades, shown repeatedly in the movie, are located around the entrance to Shinjuku's notorious entertainment district Kabukicho along Yasukuni Dori, just northeast of Shinjuku Station.

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) Suntory Whiskey ad

Shinjuku, a large business and entertainment district around Japan's busiest railway station, is the location of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the hotel where Bob and Charlotte stay and meet each other.

Occupying the 14 top floors of a 52-storey skyscraper, the Park Hyatt Tokyo is one of the city's best and most expensive hotels. It can be reached in a 15 minute walk or 5 minute bus ride from Shinjuku Station.

Pulling in to the Park Hyatt Tokyo

Bob spends most of his nights in the New York Bar on the hotel's top floor. While the bar offers an amazing view of Tokyo, a bottle of domestic beer for 1,000 Yen is the most inexpensive item on the menu, and that a 2,000 Yen cover fee applies after 8pm (7pm on Sundays).

New York Bar


Charlotte's (Scarlett Johansson) view of Tokyo from the Park Hyatt


For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.

Several other scenes were also shot in the Shinjuku district, for example Charlotte's visit to a small temple in the beginning of the movie (she mistakenly calls the temple a shrine).

Charlotte, attempting to figure out Shibuya station railway map




I'd like to punch Charlotte's husband right in the mouth.


Many other scenes of the movie were shot in Shibuya, a youthful entertainment district three stations south of Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line. They include the pictures of the busy intersection in front of Shibuya Station's Hachiko Exit, which gets periodically stormed by huge crowds of pedestrians and is surrounded by large and noisy advertising screens.


Intersection in front of Shibuya Station's Hachiko Exit


Bob Harris doing the "Lat Pack" for a Suntory Whiskey ad shoot; not that I need to tell you, but the first shot is of Ol' Blue Eyes, next is Dino, then Joey Bishop.

A view of Tokyo from Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar


Bob, Charlotte and their friends enjoy karaoke at the Shibuya branch of Karaoke-kan (30-8 Utagawacho), less than five minutes from Shibuya Station by foot.

The only scenes shot outside of urban Tokyo show Bob playing golf in front of Mt. Fuji and Charlotte traveling to Kyoto.

Bob Harris teeing off with Mt. Fuji looming in the background

Riding the shinkansen (bullet train), Charlotte passes Mt. Fuji and the coastal hot spring resort of Atami (in the wrong geographical sequence). In Kyoto, she visits Heian Shrine and Nanzenji Temple, where she observes a newly wedded couple in traditional attire.


Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto




Nanzenji Temple

Heian Shrine


We'll always have Paris???



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8 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:19 PM

    I am officially in love with Scarlett Johansson! I will also be in Tokyo in may and will have to visit several of these places. Thanks a bunch

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  2. Thanks for the info - I am planning my trip to Japan and want to convince my boyfriend to take me to that karaoke bar... wish me luck!

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  3. Anonymous4:42 PM

    Very nice, but Charlotte is standing in Shibuya station (on the Ginza subway line) which is quite far from Shinjuku station (assuming you want to take the Ginza line).

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  4. Thanks! I made corrections.

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  5. Anonymous5:57 AM

    Any idea of the location of the (almost) last scene where they hug?

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  6. Anonymous7:19 PM

    I was wondering where those nice little shops that Scarlett visited would be, the area looked quite leafy and she saw the little robot dance around

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  7. Anonymous5:34 AM

    I´m also in love with Scarlett!

    I´m in Japan now and will visit the hotel.

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  8. angel1:04 PM

    I'll go to tokyo next week, I need to know where was located the last scene of the film (the beautiful kiss), so I wanna be there!! Thaaaaaaanks!

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