Pharrell Checks In

A frequent visitor to the city, where he has collaborated with many local musicians and fashion designers over the years, Williams explored the capital’s cultural landmarks and interviewed locals about rebuilding efforts in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The trek was filmed by director Thalia Mavros and is just now being released as a documentary called “Tokyo Rising,” which is also the name of a famous book about the modern history of the city written in the mid-1980s by the late translator Edward Seidensticker.

“I find great inspiration in Tokyo from the people,” Williams said in a statement. “To me, the way that the Japanese people regard life and culture is completely unmatched. Tokyo is my second home and I jumped at the chance to come back and reconnect with friends during the exploration.”