Krakow, Poland or “Kawakura, Japan”? One is real, the other is completely made up, yet with a few editing tricks, people on TikTok are turning one into the other.
That is the whole point of this viral TikTok trend. It suggests that the moment you “Japan-ize” a photo, it suddenly becomes more appealing, even if the original picture shows an ordinary street, grey buildings, or an average neighbourhood. Though, of course, Krakow is beautiful without needing any extra help.
At first glance, the trend feels harmless. It is meant to be a lighthearted and playful nod to the way people romanticize certain cultures.
But if you look just a little deeper, there is something worth thinking about. Every city has its own identity, history and beauty. When we treat one aesthetic as superior to all others, there is a risk of turning unique places into something they are not.
The interesting thing is not that people enjoy Japanese style. It is that Japan has earned such a powerful cultural reputation that even the idea of Japan can transform how we perceive a scene.
This did not appear overnight. Japan carried an international image rooted in war and economic recovery. Today, it has turned that around into something far more inviting, the complete opposite of what it used to be.
Different communities admire Japan for different reasons. Some love the kawaii aesthetic. Artists appreciate wabi-sabi and the country’s sense of design. Others grew up with anime, manga and video games.
These layers built a foundation of affection and fascination that turned Japan into a cultural symbol people recognize in a matter of seconds.
Writers and researchers have spent years documenting how Japan built this influence. As Tokyo Weekender notes, one reason for its widespread appeal is the country’s strength in soft power.
Soft power relies on cultural and economic influence rather than pressure, and Japan developed it steadily over time. It shared ideas, entertainment, and craft with the world, and these elements gradually became part of everyday life far beyond its borders.
This cultural presence shows up in small ways. A PlayStation or Nintendo console in the living room. A bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce in the kitchen. Studio Ghibli films on every major streaming platform.
These things are not aggressively marketed as symbols of national identity. They simply exist in people’s homes and shape how they feel about the country without saying a word.
The popularity of Japan’s entertainment industry pushed its influence even further. Video games like Pokémon, Mario and Zelda became a defining part of childhood for millions. I remember being a kid in the early 2000s, trading Pokémon cards at school or watching friends play Naruto on a PSP for hours.
At the time, anime was only beginning to find an audience abroad. Now it has moved from niche interest to full mainstream, with shows climbing Netflix charts and attracting global attention. This built an emotional connection. People learned to appreciate Japan through characters and stories long before many ever visited the country.
