Two Japanese jewels on Netflix

Just thought I would recommend two items for people who have Netflix and are interested in Japan or just enjoy good films.

Your Name is an anime film from 2016 directed by Makoto Shinkai and based on his novel. It is quite beautiful to watch and is about the lives of two teenagers whose experiences become mysteriously intertwined. I don't want to say more than that. Watch it and prepared to be moved.

Midnight Diner is something totally different. Originally a manga turned into a successful TV series in Japan, Midnight Diner is about the customers of a Izakaya in the Shinjuku district in Tokyo. Run by the enigmatic "Master", this bar is unusual in that is opens around midnight and operates through to early morning. As might be expected from these hours, the customers are rather special. Each episode tells the story of one or two customer in detail. The stories are whimsical, sometimes funny sometimes rather sweet. The bar is the point of reference and usually the customer has a particular meal which is woven into the story and which if we are lucky the Master will show us how to prepare. Only the last series produced in cooperation with Netflix in Japan has made it to Europe. I wish there was more available but it really is something special. It really makes me want to go back to Japan for a while.