Eye-Opening Documentary 'The Making of a Japanese' Returns Home

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The documentary The Making of a Japanese offers an intimate, year-long look at life in a typical Japanese public elementary school. Garnering widespread acclaim overseas, it is now set for a homecoming release in Japan.

The film highlights tokkatsu, meaning "special activities," a unique aspect of Japanese education that involves activities such as serving school lunches and cleaning classrooms.

They emphasize values like cooperation, responsibility, and the importance of group harmony over individualism. Such values are embodied in habits like punctuality and voluntary cleanups, which are common in Japan.

The Making of a Japanese is the second documentary by director Ema Ryan Yamazaki, following Koshien: Japan's Field of Dreams, which delves into the world of Japanese high school baseball. With a calm yet compassionate lens, Yamazaki thoughtfully explores the question, "What does it mean to be Japanese?"

Global Acclaim

"Let's clean the classroom we use ourselves." Responding to this call from a female teacher, first-year students begin tidying up with their clumsy but wholehearted efforts.

These simple yet profound scenes have captivated audiences worldwide. Completed in 2023, the documentary was screened in 20 theaters across Finland, including a four-month extended run in Helsinki.

It has also been released, broadcast, and streamed in Europe, North America, and Asia, earning accolades at 12 international film festivals. Since November 2024, a condensed version has been available on The New York Times video platform.

Director Ema Ryan Yamazaki was born in Kobe to a Japanese mother and a British father. She attended a public elementary school in Osaka for six years before moving to the United States at age 19 to study film at New York University.

While living abroad, Yamazaki was often praised for her punctuality and cooperative nature. Her response was always, "I'm just an average Japanese person."

Over time, she realized that these traits were deeply rooted in her elementary school experience. "There were moments when I asked myself, 'Am I truly Japanese?' and felt conflicted," she said. "What does it mean to be Japanese? I want to explore that question through filmmaking."

*Director Ema Ryan Yamazaki holds a flyer for the documentary "The Making of a Japanese." (©Sankei by Akiko Shigematsu)*

Filming Process

After an extensive search, Tsukado Elementary School, a public school in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, granted permission for filming.

However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic created unforeseen challenges. "I wasn't sure if it was right to move forward under such circumstances," Yamazaki recalled. "But in the end, the pandemic underscored the unique responses of different countries. I think it ultimately highlighted distinctly Japanese qualities, such as adherence to rules."

A Year in the Life of a Japanese Student

The documentary provides a close look at one academic year, spanning from the entrance ceremony in April 2021 to the graduation ceremony in March 2022.

Interwoven with scenes of cherry blossoms and passing trains, it focuses on the experiences of first- and sixth-grade students. Over 150 days of filming, more than 700 hours of footage were captured. They documented moments of children's laughter, confusion, and determination, as well as the raw emotions of dedicated teachers, including tearful exchanges fueled by their passion.

The film offers a compelling glimpse into the early signs of distinctly Japanese behavioral traits. In one scene, sixth grader watching over the schoolyard observe, "Oh, someone's not wearing a mask. That's not good," to which another replies, "Yeah, it's not good."

In another moment, first graders comfort a classmate distraught over a lost workbook, joining forces to help find it. These scenes underscore Japan's collective consciousness — both the societal pressure to read the room and the unity that surfaces during challenges.

Double-Edged Sword

The film also features the words of Hiroshi Sugita, a professor at Kokugakuin University, addressing teachers: "Japan's strong sense of collectivism and cooperation is a double-edged sword."

"I can't provide a definitive answer," Yamazaki reflected. "But I do wonder why, despite the international admiration for our punctual trains and clean streets, the overall happiness level of Japanese people remains so low. I think we need to have more confidence in ourselves."

A Field of Dreams

Yamazaki's previous documentary followed two central figures. First was Tetsuya Mizutani, coach at Yokohama Hayato High School in Kanagawa Prefecture, aspiring for his team to compete in the 100th National High School Baseball Championship in 2018. The second is his mentee Hiroshi Sasaki, a coach at Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture.

The film captured the sweat, tears, and growth of the players, including those on the bench. It also offered a fresh perspective on the story of Kanaashi Nogyo High School from Akita Prefecture, whose inspiring journey to the championship final captivated the nation, even in defeat.

"The fleeting nature of youth is like cherry blossoms — blooming briefly before falling," Yamazaki explained. "Through high school baseball, not just as a sport but as a reflection of something deeper, I wanted to convey the Japanese sensibility of sympathizing more with the defeated than the victorious."

Koshien: Japan's Field of Dreams resonated as a microcosm of Japanese society and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN, a major sports network.

For her third project, Yamazaki is planning a long-term documentary focusing on Japanese corporations. "I want to share the real lives of Japanese people with the world," she said.

The Making of a Japanese will premiere on December 13 at Cine Switch Ginza in Tokyo, followed by a nationwide release. A literal translation of the Japanese title is "Elementary School: A Small Society."

Author: Akiko Shigematsu, The Sankei Shimbun

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