The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift did not score high among critics, receiving scores such as 37% on Rotten Tomatoes and only doing slightly better with a 45% on Metacritic. Despite what the critics had to say, though, there was an overwhelming 90% of fans who enjoyed the movie, and part of that was due to its unique setting and idea of 'drifting.' Not every movie can get by based on fancy cars and stunts alone and Tokyo's setting was one detail that launched this movie forward... except that it wasn't actually filmed in Japan.

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Many people would be surprised to know that this 2006 movie made more use of CGI than could be imagined, with an entire city being digitally built from the ground up for certain scenes. While there were short scene-setting clips from the movie that were filmed in Tokyo, any major scene, and especially scenes that involved the actors themselves, were actually shot in Los Angeles, California, like most of the other movies in the franchise. So, how was it done, and where, exactly, in California did these scenes take place? The answers might surprise you.

These Are The Only Shots That Were Actually Recorded In Tokyo

If you've seen the movie enough times, then you may have already guessed which scenes were authentic to the streets of Tokyo and which ones relied on CGI for their authenticity. For starters, the scenes in front of Sean's father's house are actually shot in Japan. Only the exteriors were used for the shots, and the specific location is a sidestreet in the Azabu-Jūban district, which is located in the Minato area of Tokyo. Interestingly enough, the street itself was set to undergo construction and after filming, it was bound for redevelopment. Therefore, fans who are keen to get an up close and personal look at the former digs of Sean and his American muscle car won't likely be able to find it now.

The other scenes that are true to the title of the movie were shot within the bustling city of Tokyo's Shibuya. Futsal Court, for one, was a legitimate shot done on-scene. The rooftop court overlooks Shibuya Square so the scenes where Sean and Han are overlooking Shibuya Crossing from the balcony are legitimately what would be seen if you were standing there, yourself. The aerial shots of Futsal Court are accurate as well and all it takes is a quick browse through Google images to see that this rooftop recreation center is visible in most aerial shots of Tokyo.

Additionally, there are two districts, in particular, that are relatively easy to spot (and are familiar even to those who haven't been to Japan before). The first is Harajuku, which is easily recognizable thanks to its open fashion and unique Kawaii vibes. This is where Sean and Twinkie can be seen walking down alleyways that are lined with shops, selling merchandise. The second district is Shinjuku's red-light district, known as Kabukichō. This is another easily recognizable location in the movie and is filled with mature themes and shops that, well... you can tell are not exactly shops. So, what about the rest of Tokyo, including all of the drifting scenes?

CGI And Good 'Ol Los Angeles

Any views of Tokyo that were taken from the roof of Han's garage were added digitally via CGI. This means that even the views of Shibuya Crossing (and many of the drift scenes in it) were digitally altered to appear super realistic and, for the most part, you can barely even tell. The first scene where Sean attempts to drift down a series of car lots (and does it horribly) was shot in L.A. at the Hawthorne Plaza, with the exterior altered to appear as though it could take place at nighttime in Tokyo.

Additional scenes, such as the garage where Sean works, was filmed at a real garage in L.A. The scene where Sean finally learns how to drift for the first time was shot on Terminal Island in San Pedro, not far from the Terminal Island Japanese Fishing Village Memorial. Even the scene where Han is seen drifting around a car with two women in it was shot in downtown L.A. and, fans wouldn't notice it thanks to the incredible digital work, but those familiar with the intersection might recognize it as Wilshire Boulevard. Lastly, the biggest question: where did the final race take place? Although the chilling switchback road definitely looks like something that could be found on the side of a mountain in Japan, it was actually filmed in Southern California.

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