Fewer than half as many Europeans travel to Japan than China or Thailand. In fact, Japan is not even in top 5 of most popular Asian travel destination for Europeans. One of the reasons for this unpopularity is the lack of exposure to what Japan has to offer.

In an effort to raise Japan's popularity in Europe, JNTO developed its first-ever Japan tourism branding campaign for Europe, "JAPAN - Where tradition meets the future." Japanese and German creators collaborated to condense 45 movie scenes from Tokyo, Kyoto, Kumano, Ise and other locations throughout Japan into a 3-minute movie that satisfies both Japanese and European sensitivities. The movie brilliantly depicts the attractions of Japan where tradition, innovation and nature are one.

Based on the results of surveys and interviews in Europe, we found that the appeal of Japan could be effectively conveyed by expressing the contrast of tradition and innovation in Japan, as well as communicating its hospitality and rich natural scenery.

By balancing the points of view of Japanese creators thoroughly familiar with Japan and European creators who see Japan as a foreign country, we were able to present Japan from a unique new perspective.

With the concept of, JAPAN – Where tradition meets the future, unceasing fascination of travel experience such as encountering tradition, innovation and nature is expressed using time lapse and hyper lapse techniques to portray intriguing sceneries connected in rapid succession from the point of view of the traveler.

When travelers actually visit Japan, they will first be overwhelmed in Tokyo with its speed and the exposal to massive information and after in Kyoto, they will find there a calm and slower flow of time. Samplings that have been acquired to create realistic presence are meld throughout, designing the sounds of the movie image.