JAPAN – Tradition and High-Tech

For his documentary, the successful photographer and speaker Marcus Haid travels to Japan, fulfilling a childhood dream, and realizes that despite his many travels around the globe, he has never encountered such a distinct and foreign culture. Deeply rooted in millennia-old traditions while simultaneously at the forefront of the latest technology of the 21st century. Shinto shrines in modern shopping centers, geishas and tea ceremonies alongside vibrant and eccentric youth culture. A country where a Western visitor is constantly confronted with seemingly familiar impressions, only to discover upon closer inspection that they are uniquely Japanese. A land that forces one to shed many of their own concepts and truly open up to new experiences. It is surprising how many clichés turn out to be actual realities, and refreshing how many wonderful new experiences and impressions await. His modern adventure journey takes him over many weeks and thousands of kilometers from the green jungle island of Yakushima in the south, through Kyushu and the main island of Honshu with its urban centers, all the way up north to the island of Hokkaido, characterized by pristine nature and national parks. A colorful kaleidoscope of tradition and modernity, gigantic metropolises and untouched nature, human encounters, culinary experiences, myth, and reality come together to form a fascinating portrait of Japan's unknown beauty. In his successful photo-film documentaries, the Innsbruck-based photographer Marcus Haid continually impresses audiences with his expressive yet sensitive photography. Fresh and informative live moderation, gripping footage, and carefully selected music from artists of the featured countries transport visitors on an unforgettable and often emotional journey through the natural wonders of our Earth.