Joanna Lumleys Japan [DVD]

Another brilliant travel film from Joanna. It covers every part of Japan ,it’s cultures, education of small children. Travelling on trains and meeting so many different people. Wonderful film, a must watch!!

Plenty of celebs love Japan - dont' blame them at all, and I've visited there twice - and are happy to subsidize long & lavish tours there by working their passage - all of them very creditably in fairness, so far as I've watched. But Lumley is inimitable & yes, pushing even the illustrious Michael Palin very close in the charm wars. Some of her - almost certainly unscripted - asides are simply hilarious and reveal her as a true & thoroughly pleasant character. Since Palin hasn't (AFAIR) done anything like a full series on Japan, this is probably my top pick simply because of its star, despite many virtues of alternative series. It is relatively short though.

Her intelligent selection of what to film grabs me during the playing of this three part series because what is chosen is outside of the usual tourist trail of this country. I have spent nearly two months in Japan but never seen most of places that are selected for the series . Those that I have seen (Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima) Joanne show an original side that added to my enjoyment. Why i have taken off a star is because too often i wanted her to spend longer time in a place but, on reflection, The programmes have to cover the whole of the country. The other reason is that her overuse of the word 'Darling' and the time spent on what she looks like on screen. But I have learnt something from these programmes and since they are very well filmed I will play them to remind myself of those places that have been filmed.

Leaving aside the usual plaudits about Miss Lumley - charming, witty, urbane, observant, smart, eye-pleasing and bubbly etc - she more than ever brings home a really intriguing insight into this fascinating nation.The choice and mix of people, places, culture, cities and landscape, and off the beaten track locations is useful and thought-provoking.Among many things of interest, included was her gutsy visit to the radio-active and deserted ghost town Tomioka down the road from Fukushima, with condiments and almost half eaten food on restaurant tables and other evidence of an extremely hurried evacuation..... According to her hand-held radiation counter, she was wandering about locations where the readings were above 250 units, and where anything above 7 is harmful.....(Of interest to occidental viewers is to see a people/nation which is very old but also ultra-modern, without however the usual accompanying degeneracy or poly-culturalism)If you are interested in this (still) mysterious land, this well photographed, decently edited and an entertaining vid is nigh compulsive, nay, almost compulsory viewing.PS. Althought marketed as a 'std' DVD, the transfer is actually HD ie. 1080p (vertical), which on a std 40 inch screen is fairly stunning.

I have just watched BBC's " Wild Japan", so I was interested in comparing the two. Both were fascinating in different ways. I felt that Joanna Lumley brought such natural enthusiasm to her travels, and I had never realised what a diverse country Japan is, with the contrasts of high tech cities lit up at night to the solitude of the forested areas. The Japanese people were so polite and respectful, and so proud of their diverse achievements. It would be difficult to single out a favourite section, but the delicate pink blossom on the trees and the elderly ladies doing their version of La Macarena would be two. Series like this can be entertaining and educational, and as with all of this genre I wish that the programmes were longer. I already own the other travel series by Miss Lumley, and wish that she would do more. I shall definitely watch this series again.

Joanna Lumley is enthusiastic, compassionate, respectful and grateful towards the people she meets.The sights that she presents us with, as she travels from the far North to the far South of Japan, are breath-taking.Thank you, Joanna, for a wonderful visual experience, backed by your warm, articulate and friendly comments.

Joanna Lumley is simply amazing!I do not know what facinated me more - the landscapes and cities she visits or her calm and respectful way when she speeks to people and finds out more about their culture, their way of life.The video is worth watching - if you are a fan of Japan, a fan of Mrs Lumley or just want to be swept away by beautiful pictures and interesting stories!Thank you Mrs Lumley for taking me on this amazing journey with you!

I knew nothing of JAPAN, Joanna Lumley really has educated me….fabulous!