29th Annual Japanese Film Festival. All films presented in Japanese with English subtitles. Paid Parking Avaiable.

Schedule of Events

March 8, 2025

10:00am: Nagaoka Grand Fireworks - The launch begins now

The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, symbolizing remembrance, recovery, and peace, is a powerful event for the people of Nagaoka, who have endured air raids and natural disasters. The 2023 festival is captured in a captivating documentary film, showcasing stunning visuals and sound, including unique perspectives from over 20 cameras. Narrated by Shiori Sato and directed by Akikazu Sakagami, this film, supported by Niigata Prefecture and Nagaoka City, offers a cinematic experience conveying hope and peace.

12:10pm: The Zen Diary

Tsutomu lives alone in the mountains, writing essays, cooking food with vegetables he grows and mushrooms he picks in the hills. His routine is happily disturbed when Machiko, his editor/ love interest, occasionaly visits. She loves to eat and he loves to cook for her. Tsutomu seems content with his daily life. On the other hand, he still hasn't let go of his wife's ashes although she died 13 years ago.

2:25pm: The Dancing Okami

In a new, sensational Japanese-style dance movie set in the hot spring town of Kaga, a young woman returns to her hometown after her city dreams falter. Inspired by her il mother, she strives to become an Okami. the ideal proprietress of a Japanese inn, known for her quick wit and hospitality. The film blends Japan's traditions, including its four seasons and the spirit of hospitality, with Western tap dance, offering a cultural fusion that conveys "the spirit of Japan" to the world.

4:35pm: Mind Game

Nishi, a struggling manga artist, reunites with Myon and her sister Yan, both working at their father's yakitori pub. When Yakuza loan sharks arrive searching for their father, a struggle leads to Nishi's death. Miraculously returning from purgatory, Nishi outsmarts the Yakuza and escapes with Myon and Yan in a high-speed chase, only to be swallowed by a giant whale. Inside, they meet an old man trapped for 30 years, and together they rediscover their ability to shape their own destinies. As the whale nears death, they are given a final chance to return to their lives.

March 9, 2025

10:00am: Father of The Milky Way Railroad

Directed by NARUSHIMA Izuru, this biopic chronicles the life of MIYAZAWA Kenji, Japan's beloved children's author. Raised to inherit his father's pawnbroking business, Kenji defies expectations to pursue his own passions, including agricultural studies and synthetic gemstones. Based on a best-selling novel, the film highlights Kenji's free-spirited nature and explores the themes of family, unconditional love, and resilience through hardship, painting a poignant portrait of his life and legacy.

1:00am: Nagaoka Grand Fireworks - The launch begins now

The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, symbolizing remembrance, recovery, and peace, is a powerful event for the people of Nagaoka, who have endured air raids and natural disasters. The 2023 festival is captured in a captivating documentary film, showcasing stunning visuals and sound, including unique perspectives from over 20 cameras. Narrated by Shiori Sato and directed by Akikazu Sakagami, this film, supported by Niigata Prefecture and Nagaoka City, offers a cinematic experience conveying hope and peace.

Date: March 8-9, 2025

Cost: Free

Location:
Hawaii Convention Center - 3rd Floor Room 311,
1801 Kalakaua Avenue,
Honolulu, HI 96815.

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