Detective Chinatown 3 Turns to Cities of Cherry in Japan

According to the latest statistics released by China Film Administration on February 18, China’s new year box office broke the record, as it accumulated to RMB 7.822 billion from February 11, 2021, the eve of lunar new year, to February 17, 2021. DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 3, directed by Chen Sicheng, contributed RMB 3.5 billion to the box office, as its “mystery + comedy” structure went popular among Chinese audience. Each of Detective Chinatown series features live-action shots in overseas cities, such as Bangkok and Manhattan, and the cast of DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 3 turned to Japan. The film tells a story about detectives Tang Ren and Qin Feng investigating in a mysterious murder in Tokyo with the invitation of a famous Japanese detective.

All shots of the film were taken by Alexa Imax cameras, making DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 3 the fourth film using such cameras in the world. Tokyo is one of the most prosperous cities in the world. The cast chose Tokyo’s commercial districts as their shooting locations, namely, Shinjuku and Akihabara, and the businesses density there brought challenges to filming. Some important shots were taken in Akihabara with large extra casting. The filming was difficult, considering that only 6 hours in 2 days were allowed for the cast to film by the local authority.

Narratives of the Detective Chinatown series always unfold in the local Chinatown. Yokohama Chinatown, the biggest Chinatown in Japan became the choice of the cast and Yokohama Daisekai, located across to the Kanteibyo Road and Tencho Gate of the Chinatown, is where the film was shot. This 8-story Chinese style building is a place of entertainment, aimed at presenting old Shanghai concepts.

One important Japanese scene was shot in the famous Hamarikyu Gardens, where the murder happened in the film. To achieve the best film effects, the cast decided to shot live-action frames on site. Hamarikyu Gardens, famous for being the only remaining garden with a pond exchanging water with outside seas in Japan, has not been open to any cast before. After 3 months of negotiation, the cast of DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 3 was given only two days and a half to film there. The Hamarikyu Gardens are built around a central pond. In the middle of the pond is a teahouse, where you can sit down to enjoy a cup of tea throughout the year. As mentioned above, the garden’s pond is connected to the sea, and water flows in and out with the tide. The garden was full of plum and cherry trees, which all blossom in the spring.

In DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 3, shots were designed to convey the unique charm of Tokyo Metropolis, like viewing Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge from the sky, as well as Shibuya crossing. Shibuya is one of the busiest city wards in Japan. Like Time Square to New York. Flows of passengers and vehicles rush on 10 traffic lanes and 5 major pedestrian walkways between the sparking neon lights and sky-high buildings. Shibuya crossing has won the title of the “largest crossing in the world”, as it supports 4 traffic lights to turn green simultaneously. There are about 3,000 people going through the crossing every minute, and about 2.5 million people walking through it every day.

It’s obvious that it’s impossible to block such a 24-hour busy crossing for filming purpose. To shoot the scene, the cast decided to build a 1:1 Shibuya. The site was in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, some distance away from the urban areas of Tokyo. Early in 2019, the construction of “Shibuya” has already drawn the attention of Japanese media. The base of Shibuya crossing alone costs more than Yen 300 million. In the temporary shooing location occupying which 6,600 square meters, the details are true to life. The cast built the crossings nearby Shibuya Station, including pedestrian walkways, lanes, traffic lights, stairways to the sunken plazas, the police box in front of the station, etc., trying to create another Shibuya. Green walls were constructed around the site for creating buildings in CG.

After completion of the filming, the cast didn’t dismantle the temporary “Shibuya”, but presented it to Tochigi Prefecture. Tochigi decided to maintain the site for future filming.

As for Akihabara, the paradise for manga and anime fans around the world, countless shop selling electronic devices and special shops for manga and anime fans, gamers and coffer lovers in Akihabara dazzle visiting customers. The actors had wonderful performances here. Chen Sicheng commented, “We had little time to film in Akihabara. We were allowed to film from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. of 2 days only. And 3 streets were blocked and 800 cosplay extras were hired for the film. I thought this was not only a great challenge, but also an unprecedented experience, since streets of Akihabara have never been blocked for filming.”

A part of film was in the G-Cans (massive underground storm drain) of Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, which is called a construction project of conscience in Greater Tokyo. G-Cans project started from 1993, and took 13 years to complete. The 6.3-kilometer-long channel is 50 meters underground, connected with 5 silos, each of which is as high as a 22-story building. The project costs USD 2 billion. The G-Cans is the largest drainage system in the world, adopting the most advanced civil engineering technologies. Visitors are drawn to the place for its fame, and it is a dream place for many film casts. In fact, G-Cans is not a common scenic spot. It does not open to public, unless visitors book a certain period online in advance.

The Rainbow Bridge is one of the most representing scenic spots in Tokyo, it is a suspension bridge crossing Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Pier and the Odaiba waterfront development. It is where the protagonists watched fireworks at the end of the film and it well matches with the wonderful ending of the film.

(Editor Yang Lihong)