When Vincent Urban was a teenager, his life revolved around snowboarding. In fact, he couldn’t envision his focus ever changing. But when he started making films about the slopes he lived on, he found that he was actually much better at filmmaking than he was at the sport he loved.

Since that realization, he hasn’t stepped out from the behind the camera.

As Vincent’s interests evolved, however, so did his style of videography. Although he had spent years traveling from mountain to mountain, he realized that he’d missed out on crucial cultural experiences offered in each country he visited — after all, everything looked the same from inside a resort.

In 2009, Vincent set out to change this pattern through a video series called “In” — a collection dedicated to capturing the interesting, quirky, and beautiful elements that make each country special.

His film “In Japan” depicts a three-week railway journey through Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and many of the small villages in between, and highlights the country’s unique balance of ancient tradition and hyper-futurist features.

For Vincent, this film embodies the adventure that encouraged him to hold a mirror to his own heritage and appreciate the small details of everyday life. He hopes that “In Japan” leaves a similar impression on all who view it and, most importantly, that the film inspires viewers to venture as far as they can and immerse themselves in their experiences, no matter what culture surrounds them.

To view more of Vincent’s work visit his Vimeo page and follow him on Instagram.