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Japanese Story is a 2003 Australian romantic drama film directed by Sue Brooks. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
Sandy Edwards (played by Toni Collette) is a director in a company that designs geological software in Perth, Western Australia. Her business partner manipulates her into agreeing to act as a guide for a Japanese businessman visiting mines in the Pilbara desert, hoping that he will purchase the software. When Hiromitsu Tachibana (Gotaro Tsunashima [ja]) arrives, he treats Sandy like a chauffeur, and he seems more intent on self-discovery in the wilderness than on buying computer software.
The score was composed by Australian composer, musician and performance artist Elizabeth Drake. The Ryukyuan song Tinsagu nu Hana (Chinsagu no Hana) is in the film's soundtrack. Shelley Scown was the vocalist, whilst Elizabeth Drake did the orchestral work. The song is used in the film's ending. Felicity Collins of La Trobe University wrote that some movie critics from Japan perceived the usage of the song as "a contentious issue" because the song specifically has an Okinawan character and yet is not something generally related to Japan, and "secondly because the fragility and beauty of this song, about upholding Okinawan identity, seems incongruous in an Australian film"
1 Chinsagu No Hana 5:25
2 Opening Titles 4:17
3 "I Hate Karaoke" 2:30
4 Debris In A Desert 1:19
5 Hotel 4:01
6 "No More Map" 1:21
7 "Who Are You?" 1:26
8 "Very Old Rock" 3:14
9 At The Waterhole 5:01
10 Driving At Night 2:43
11 In The Mirror 1:16
12 "I'd Like To Be Involved" (Chinsagu No Hana) 14:33
13 Japanese Story (Closing Credits) 3:04
Bonus Tracks
14 "Hiromitsu" (Alternate At The Waterhole) 5:03
15 Night Drive 2:39
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