Three Sisters (Rokugatsudou no Sanshimai) – Japanese Family Drama
Set against the soft glow of Kagoshima’s Rokugatsu-dō Summer Lantern Festival, Three Sisters (2014) is a cozy Japanese family drama directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe. It follows three sisters—one newly back in town, one amidst divorce proceedings, and one who recently called off her engagement—who move through both festival lights and emotional darkness as they strive […]
A Pale View of Hills: A Haunting Tale of Memory, Grief, and Inheritance
A Pale View of Hills by Kei Ishikawa is a beautiful adaptation of Japanese novelist Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel, which is very popular. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, and the story looks at trauma that passes down through generations, memory, and the […]
Film Spotlight: Ito (2021)
A shy teen from rural Aomori finds herself unexpectedly working at a Tokyo-style maid café—and slowly begins to bloom. Ito, directed by Yokohama Satoko, is a touching coming-of-age drama that blends the soulful tradition of shamisen music with the quirky world of cosplay cafés. Komai Ren plays Ito, a high school student who battles identity, […]
She Taught Me Serendipity – A Heartfelt Journey of Love and Fate
Directed by the brilliant Ohku Akiko, She Taught Me Serendipity is a tender and deeply moving romance that captures the magic of unexpected connections. Adapted from comedian Fukutoku Shusuke’s debut novel, the film beautifully portrays the fleeting yet unforgettable moments of youth. At the heart of the story is Konishi, a college student stuck in […]