Скачать или смотреть The guest house experience

A little short film about one Australian woman's experience of staying in a traditional Japanese farm-house.

Made just for fun in the spring of 2018, when my parents and I were staying in Takashima village in Shiga. I wanted to make a light, satirical video about the commodification of tradition, and the struggle of actually disconnecting from our digital lives in order to have the more authentic experience we think we want.

Despite the negative nuance that "commodification of tradition" might carry, the tourism boom Japan enjoyed until the pandemic meant that many of the old, traditional houses in rural Japan were worth maintaining. Unfortunately, for many it was already too late, and they have been left to crumble in the mountains.

I hope you enjoy the video.