Celebrating its 15th year, the Toronto Japanese Film Festival again presents a diverse range of films that explore the depths of Japanese filmmaking, from heartfelt dramas and captivating comedies to gripping thrillers and thought-provoking documentaries!
For Immediate Release – TORONTO (ON) – Wednesday, April 15, 2026– The Toronto Japanese Film Festival (TorontoJFF), scheduled to take place from June 11th to 26th at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s Kobayashi Hall will feature 24 films that highlight the multifaceted range of one of the world’s largest film industries.
According to Festival Director, James Heron, “This year’s line-up reflects the emotional and social currents of contemporary Japan. We have films exploring love, loss, survival, resilience, and human connection. We have stories of grief, memory, renewal, and community, unfolding in both the restless streets of Japan’s major cities and quieter spaces of ritual and reflection. These selections are complemented by examples of popular entertainment releases that continue to bring Japanese audiences to the cinema in large numbers.”
The festival opens with the North American Premiere of Yoji Yamada’s award-winning TOKYO TAXI [TOKYO タクシー], a heartwarming celebration of life’s enduring joys and sorrows in the ever-evolving metropolis of Tokyo. Adapted from the Belgian-French film, Driving Madeleine, it is the 91st film from 93-year-old director Yamada Yoji who has long been a meticulous observer of the essence of life in Japan. A love letter to Tokyo, it is the director’s finest of the decade and stars Chieko Baisho (who won the Japanese Academy Prize for Best Actress) and Takuya Kimura.
It is followed by the International Premiere of Ren Akiba’s TOKYO STRAYERS [東京逃避行] in which runaways Asuka and Hiyori are forced to flee Tokyo’s red light district, setting off a wild and dangerous night of pursuit involving gangs, desperate choices, and the police.
Other North American Premieres include:
Yuya Ishii’s ONE LAST LOVE LETTER [人はなぜラブレターを書くのか] Based on a true Tokyo subway disaster, Haruka Ayase leads an all-star cast in this tender reflection on memory, loss, and the enduring power of words to carry love across time.
Ayako Tsukahara’s FIRST KISS [ファーストキス] This critical and popular hit combines comedy, romance and fantasy as a wife travels through time, Groundhog Day-style, in an attempt to avert the death of her husband. By turns hilarious and heart-wrenching, it also proves that Takako Matsu and Hokuto Matsumura are very engaging comedians.
In Eiji Ueda’s high-octane NIGHT FLOWER [ナイトフラワー ] Natsuki turns to drug dealing to support her daughter and enlists Tamae, an amateur kickboxer as protector and the operation’s enforcer. A harrowing exploration friendship and the extreme lengths a mother will go to protect her children in the dark shadows of the Tokyo underworld. Keiko Kitagawa and Misato Morita were nominated for multiple Japanese Academy Prizes with Moita taking Best Supporting Actress.
Takahiro Miki’s UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN [ほどなく、お別れです] introduces Misora (Minami Hamabe), a young woman who can hear the voices of the dead. She interns with Urushibara (Ren Meguro), a seasoned funeral planner and together they strive to create the perfect funeral: a ceremony that satisfies not only the bereaved, but the deceased as well. The film combines fantasy elements with Japanese traditional funeral practices explored in the Academy Award-winning Departures.
In ARUKU - I WALK [あるく] filmmaker Shiho Kataoka captures the stories of four contemporary pilgrims on the centuries-old Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage (Shikoku Henro), each burdened, in different ways, by exhaustion, solitude, or quiet disillusionment. A meditative documentary in which walking itself becomes a form of listening: to others, to the self, and to the possibility of living more fully. Director Kataoka will join the festival to introduce her film.
Nobuhiro Doi’s A MOON IN THE ORDINARY 平場の月 finds Aoto (Masato Sakai) and Yoko (Haruka Igawa, two people who once shared first love in middle school, crossing paths again many years later. Adapted from Kasumi Asakura’s award-winning novel, it is a delicate and quietly devastating portrayal of cautious emotion, hope and second chances.
Yoshiyuki Okuyama’s 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND [秒速 5 センチメートル] is a live action adaptation of Makoto Shinkai’s (Your Name, Weathering with You) celebrated animated classic. Spanning adolescence to adulthood, the film explores the delicate pace at which hearts drift apart - five centimeters per second - the same speed at which cherry blossom petals fall. With delicate performance and beautiful visuals, the film captures the aching beauty of love shaped by time, chance, and spaces. Hokuto Matsumura, Mitsuki Takahata lead an all-star cast.
Takuro Ijichi’s VICISSITUDE [郷] is a lyrical coming-of-age drama follows the emotional struggles and renewal of a 17-year-old high school baseball player. Conceived over a ten-year period, this cinematic tone poem is an achingly beautiful meditation on youth, innocence and the nature of mindfulness.
Aya Matsuki’s TOKYO MER: MOBILE EMERGENCY ROOM NANKAI MISSION [TOKYO MER 走る緊急救 命室 南海ミッション] sends the Tokyo MER (Mobile Emergency Room) team to Japan’s southern islands to rescue 79 people trapped by a massive volcanic eruption. An all-star cast brings the hit series to the big screen with non-stop action, heroics and entertainment.
Baku Kinoshita’s THE LAST BLOSSOM [ホウセンカ] is a critically acclaimed anime which follows an elderly yakuza serving a life sentence in solitary confinement. Awaiting death in silence, he is suddenly confronted by an unlikely visitor—a talking balsam flower offering the delicate possibility of personal redemption.
Canadian and Toronto Premieres include HOW DARE YOU? [ふつうの子ども] in which Mipo O provides a witty examination of politics and environmental issues based in a classroom on 10-year-olds. It is an observant and bittersweet cautionary tale for audiences of all ages with Director Mipo O in attendance to introduce her film. Kasho Iizuka’ BLUE BOY TRIAL [ブルーボーイ事件] dramatizes a true LGBTQ+ rights incident and trial in 1960s Tokyo; Yutaro Seki and Kentaro Hirase’s SAI – disaster [災] casts Teruyuki Kagawa in an intense psychological suspense film about a mysterious man who slips into the ordinary lives of six unrelated people bringing catastrophe in his wake.
Other highlights include Junji Sakamoto’s CLIMBING FOR LIFE [てっぺんの向こうにあなたがいる], based on the true story of mountaineering pioneer Junko Tabei; Sho Miyake’s internationally acclaimed TWO SEASONS, TWO STRANGERS [旅と日々] inspired by the manga of Yoshiharu Tsuge, blends humour and melancholy to capture the primal joys of journey and the quiet absurdity of being human. It is the latest masterpiece by one of Japan’s finest filmmakers and won the Golden Lion, top prize at the Locarno International Film Festival and the Kinema Jumpo Awards for Best Film and Best Actress; and Jun Akiyama’s ONE LAST THROW [栄光のバックホーム], inspiring drama chronicling the extraordinary true story of Shintaro Yokota, a rising baseball star whose promising career was cut short by a brain tumor at the age of 21.
Also featured are Kazuaki Seki’s BLANK CANVAS: MY SO-CALLED ARTIST’S JOURNEY [かくかくしかじか], a comic drama about a young aspiring manga artist; Takashi Miike’s SHAM [でっちあげ 殺人教 師と呼ばれた男], a gripping courtroom drama based on a true story of school bullying; and Lee Sang-Il’s soaring kabuki epic KOKUHO [国宝], receives an encore screening following its box-office breaking run and receiving 11 Japanese Academy Awards including Best Film, Actor, Director and Screenplay.
The festival closes with Kaoru Haga’s PUREHEARTED [風のマジム] the story of a Majimu (Sairi Ito), a young women working against the odds to start a rum industry in Okinawa using local cane sugar. Funny, warm-hearted and full of charming performances, it is a joyful, crowd-pleasing film for everyone, rum-lovers and tea-totallers alike. Based on a true story made famous by Maha Harada’s popular novel.
August special summer showcase will include the North American Premiere of Junpei Matsumoto’s NAGASAKI: IN THE SHADOW OF THE FLASH [長崎 閃光の影で] a drama following three young nursing students in the days following the attack which offers not a comforting fiction, but a clear-eyed and deeply human portrait of atomic horror. The screening will take place on the 81st anniversary of the bombing. More titles to be announced.
In addition to film screenings, the festival offers numerous opportunities for attendees to immerse themselves in Japanese culture through music and dance performances, art exhibitions, martial arts classes, and a variety of authentic Japanese foods before all screenings.
Multi-film passes and individual tickets for all TorontoJFF screenings will go on sale starting May 13. For more information and to stay updated on the festival lineup, please visit https://www.jccc.on.ca/torontojff
ABOUT THE TORONTO JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL
The Toronto Japanese Film Festival (TorontoJFF) is proudly presented by the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) and has established itself as one of the largest film events of its kind globally. Held annually at the JCCC's Kobayashi Hall, the festival is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for showcasing Japanese cinema to international audiences. Dedicated to promoting cultural exchange and appreciation, the TORJFF features a diverse lineup of films that reflect the rich tapestry of Japanese storytelling, ranging from contemporary works to timeless classics. Through film screenings, panel discussions, and cultural events, the festival aims to foster a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and its cinematic contributions that celebrate the artistry of Japanese filmmakers and the vibrant cultural heritage of the Japanese Canadian community.
For more information, https://www.jccc.on.ca/torontojff
Media requiring festival accreditation, interviews, artwork, screeners or more information, please contact:
James Heron, Festival Director
jamesh@jccc.on.ca | 416-460-2426
Yuko Matsuki, Marketing Lead
yukom@jccc.on.ca | 416-441-2345