56 Japanese Cinema Films from 2019

This is a story of love and betrayal where four people become deeply involved with each other, and their relationships quickly unravel. Jealousy and hidden desires create growing tension. One person resorts to blackmail to control the situation, but this…

A fourth-grader tries to figure out why penguins have suddenly appeared in his village. He discovers the reason is connected to a young woman who works at a dental clinic and possesses a strange power.

Yasuko faces daily struggles with her mental illness and extreme sleepiness, making everyday tasks like housework and work feel insurmountable. Complicating her life is a boyfriend who seems emotionally detached and an ex-girlfriend determined to win him back.

Prison chaplain Saeki works with inmates on death row, striving to instill in them a sense of morality and help them improve. He connects well with those confined to solitary cells. Saeki grapples with whether his words truly resonate and…

Fuyuki Shimazu is an artist who makes wallets from discarded cardboard he's collected from 27 countries. These wallets circulate globally to promote "upcycling"—a way of thinking that goes deeper than just recycling or reusing materials.

To avoid deportation, a Chinese man working undocumented in Japan fabricates a story to secure a position preparing traditional soba noodles.

A ruthless music executive assembles two aspiring musicians – the rebellious punk rocker Kan and the smooth new-wave singer Shingo. He molds them into the Stardust Brothers, a synth-pop group with a polished image and appealing to a female audience.…

Three young adults form deep connections as they spend a carefree summer together in Hakodate, Hokkaido.

Tarō Okamoto achieved international recognition for his design of the "Tower of the Sun" at the 1970 Osaka Expo. The project's development and challenges reflect a broad sweep of Japanese cultural history, from the Paleolithic era to the present day.…

Takako (Mei Kurokawa), a beautiful designer in her 30s, has always been drawn to married men. Seeking change, she enlists the help of her manga artist friend Keiko (Asami Usuda) and joins an online dating service. She quickly connects with…

Nina wins free airline tickets and, along with her friend Su, leaves her small apartment and part-time factory work in Yamato City, Japan, to travel to Singapore.

Nobutomo Naoko's feature film debut is a deeply personal story, drawn from the director's own experiences, including her mother's battle with breast cancer. The film offers a quiet, observational look at a 95-year-old father caring for his senile wife, as…

Hiroshi, a shy high schooler hoping to leave his hometown for university, has his life irrevocably altered when his bullies trick him into assaulting another student.

In Japan, young ramen chef Masato discovers his late mother's journal following his father's unexpected death. He travels to her homeland, Singapore, carrying the journal with him, seeking to understand his family history and find meaning in his own life.

Kagura is a traditional Shinto performance of music and dance. In northeastern Japan, the Kuromori Kagura Troupe has traveled to villages in Iwate Prefecture for over 340 years, offering comfort to the departed and hope to the living. This film…

Kazuhiko, a recent university graduate, is unfulfilled with his life until he takes a job at a bathhouse. He soon discovers the baths are secretly used as a place to kill people after the public hours have ended.

Hiroshi, a traditional ballad singer, has a devoted following of middle-aged women. Takeru is convinced he can heal his comatose girlfriend through acts of kindness. Tetsuo seeks revenge on the yakuza who imprisoned him, and is now being hunted by…

In feudal Japan, a masterless samurai, or ronin, finds quiet work assisting villagers with their farming. Their peaceful existence is shattered when a band of outlaws invades the village.

Asako lives in Osaka and falls in love with Baku, a carefree individual. He vanishes unexpectedly one day. Two years later, Asako is living in Tokyo when she meets Ryohei. He bears a striking resemblance to Baku, yet possesses a…

The Maikeru High cheerleading squad is struggling, with only two members remaining. The fate of their baseball team during the crucial Koshien tournament falls on three new recruits. One of them trains relentlessly, determined to outdo Jinku, the legendary and…

Shinji, a struggling manga artist, stumbles upon an old drawing by his childhood friend Masaru, sparking a magical journey that reignites his artistic inspiration. The film explores a psychologically complex world of hidden truths and deception, blending elements of thriller…

SENDING OFF follows Dr. Kaoru Konta and her nurses as they offer hospice care to patients in their homes throughout rural Japan. The film highlights the growing bonds between patients and their families during the final stages of life. At…

A 27-year-old freelance writer returns to her hometown from Tokyo and reconnects with high school friends Satsuki and Suga. They decide to visit Shiina, a person they all looked up to during their school days. The journey triggers a flood…

For twenty years, the town of Yumetoi has been isolated from the world by a strange event called "Zon." But as more people, including Ippo and his girlfriend Remi, question what exists beyond "Zon," the mystery deepens. Takuji SUZUKI’s experimental…

Yuko is sent to live with relatives in a coastal area, away from her privileged family. There, she learns from her ailing grandmother that her past is very different from what she's always believed.

In 17th century Japan, a kabuki actor seeks vengeance for his parents' deaths, which were arranged years ago by three powerful men. Leaving the world of elaborate theater, he enters the dangerous reality of the time. He must carefully unravel…

People from Saitama Prefecture face discrimination and often conceal their origins. Momomi Hakuhodo is a high school student in Tokyo and the son of the Tokyo governor, but he presents as feminine. He meets Rei Asami, a mysterious new transfer…

In early 1900s Japan, as war with Russia looms, young Okane marries a wealthy older man to escape poverty.

In 1939, young and compassionate army nurse Sakura Nishi is working in the chaotic field hospitals of China during the Sino-Japanese war, assisting Dr. Okabe amidst overwhelming crowds. She witnesses the unprecedented scale of amputations and, driven by empathy, offers…

Shoji Segawa, a previously unnoticed boy, gains national recognition after winning the National Middle School Shogi Tournament. However, at 26, his dream of becoming a professional shogi player is shattered by an age rule. Devastated by this setback, Shoji struggles…

When Yakumo Miko was five, her father died, and the following year, her mother disappeared. Miko then lived with her grandmother, but at eighteen, her grandmother also passed away. She isolates herself until her mother's uncle, Ikazuzi Goro, appears. He…

A celebrated theater director unexpectedly reunites with his former lover, setting off a series of unforeseen events. The film unfolds within the world of traditional Japanese theater, gently examining themes of love, duty, and how past decisions shape the present.…

A family consumed by greed tries to hide their son's embezzlement while continuing their other dishonest dealings. They soon realize they aren't the only ones playing a double game; other equally unscrupulous individuals are also involved.

Following the widespread disruption caused by the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, a surprising bond forms between Kiku and Tokachi, two female sumo wrestlers, and the anarchist collective known as the Guillotine Society.

Yuria works hard running her printing company. She struggles to get the attention of Kazunari, a polite but distant client who seems more interested in flirting with Mako, Yuria's airheaded sister and coworker. At the same time, Kazunari is dealing…

Feeling overlooked since his new baby sister arrived, four-year-old Kun starts encountering people and animals connected to his family's past within their unusual home. These encounters help him learn how to embrace his role as a big brother.

A gentle, unconventional treasure hunter lives a solitary life in the rural Gunma countryside. He's kind but struggles with social interaction and follows his own path. His only close companion is a fellow worker. Neither has ever been intimate. Their…

Orphaned at 12 after a car accident, Oriko Seki lives with her grandmother at the family's Onsen Ryokan, "Haru no Ya," sharing the space with a ghost named Uribou. Amidst the unusual circumstances, she begins training to become the next…

A young girl undergoes intense training in traditional feminine arts to become a geisha. While navigating the challenges of this demanding life, she discovers how to develop not only as a woman, but as a fully realized individual.

Feeling stifled by her unfulfilling job and relationship, a 30-year-old TV commercial director visits her rural hometown with a carefree friend. There, she reconnects with a distant family, and her childhood memories of freedom resurface during the soft light of…

This dark thriller follows a man with a metal fetish who descends into madness as maggots infest a wound on his body. He is accidentally struck and killed by a Japanese businessman and his girlfriend. Hoping to avoid trouble, they…

Ko, a man in his late 30s, lives in the countryside with his wife and teenage son. Mitsuhiko, who runs a car dealership in their hometown, also remained there. Their mutual friend Eisuke returns from a lengthy military assignment, and…

Koichi Suzuki is a 30-year-old man who lives as a shut-in, completely dependent on his mother. His life is carefully managed by her constant care. When she discovers Koichi has died by suicide, the overwhelming shock causes her to faint…

Hirobumi Watanabe, facing a creative block, explores the question of his next film in this new work. The director documents himself as he spends his days in a state of idle contemplation, delivering lengthy monologues during drives, sleeping at his…

Following a deadly accident at the nuclear power plant where he works, Kanji starts to lose his grip on reality. As he wanders in the countryside, his personality slowly transforms. This atmospheric black and white horror film, narrated at a…

Junko, a woman in her forties who works and is single, receives a marriage registration form. It only includes the husband's name.

During their final year of high school, two girls in the school's brass band perform a piece of music inspired by a fairy tale that reflects their own close friendship.

Sumiko, a high school student contemplating suicide, blackmails her classmate Hideaki as an act of revenge. Director Natsuki Nakagawa presents a psychological study of a community riddled with hidden hypocrisy.

This drama follows Tsuda, a successful businessman, whose life changes when he unexpectedly meets his childhood friend Kojima on the subway. Learning that Kojima is now a semipro boxer, Tsuda grows suspicious of an affair between Kojima and his fiancée,…

Makino Takashi creates a world governed by its own logic, immersing the viewer in a vast landscape of images and sound. The visuals shift between abstract and narrative, prompting viewers to find meaning within the layers. We connect with the…

Orphaned and unable to express grief, four 13-year-olds find an outlet in music. They form a powerful band as they navigate the complexities of their emotions. It's a story about finding oneself.

The Battle of Okinawa holds a deeply buried secret: guerrilla units made up of young soldiers. For decades, even Japanese people remained unaware of the extent of these hidden troops, and those who survived have avoided speaking of their harrowing…

Moving from Tokyo to the countryside, Yura begins attending a Christian school, unfamiliar with its beliefs. He finds it difficult to adjust to the school's rules and the other students until a small figure claiming to be Jesus appears in…

Spring 1969. Twenty-one-year-old Megumi Yoshizumi starts working at Wakamatsu Production, a company known for its films aimed at a youthful audience. The director, Koji Wakamatsu, a prominent figure in the "pink film" genre, assembles a group of young, ambitious filmmakers.…

Three friends on the verge of graduating high school decide to go on one final trip together.

A middle-aged office worker has an encounter with extraterrestrials and is given advanced alien technology, granting him seemingly unlimited power.