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Short by UMMMI.

In 1976, a year before the issue was still being discussed in the media, Yamamura and his crew visited Horie-cho, Edogawa-ku, the “town of hexavalent chromium,” and, based on Tsuchimoto's extensive data, traced the chromium that was dumped in various places in the Tokyo metropolitan area since the Taisho Era.

Biography of Kaneko Yanagi, alto singer, 1892-1984

Tadasu Takamine's “God Bless America”, a continuously looping stop motion/live action video of he and assistants modeling a huge and monstrous head with an unmistakable resemblance to George W. Bush and consequently accompanied by an appropriately garbled and fractured rendition of God Bless America. Shown in 2003 in the Arsenale during the 50th Venice Biennale.

Nao, who was born with a disability, was once told, "She won't live long." However, Nao has now turned 50 years old. Raised by her family and her community, and in turn, raising her family and community over the years... This is a human documentary spanning 50 years, dedicated to observing and cherishing the essence of "life."

Koki Tanaka questions the coordinates and the mechanisms that contribute to the formation of a family through his video work, where the notion of “family” is not one based on blood relation, but refers to a “quasi-family,” wherein a group of people who happen to share the same time and space are united.

A 300-ton Schnaveer type trailer created through the development of heavy goods transport technology at Nippon Express. This work records the work of transporting a 280-ton ultra-heavy transformer for substations in its complete state.

A captivating animal variety documentary that follows a full day in the lives of Ueno Zoo’s star pandas, Ri Ri and Shin Shin. Packed with irresistible footage for panda lovers, including self-introductions of the two pandas and their adorable napping scenes. With their charming faces and human-like gestures, you’re sure to become enchanted by these lovable pandas!

A rapid overview of the Keihin-Tohoku Line, traversing north to south through the metropolitan area, spanning one metropolis and two prefectures.

A short film showcasing Okinawan religious practices.

Educational film commissioned by Kansai Electric Power Company

At the time of the 2011 earthquake, Japan received from Taiwan, which has a population of less than 2.4 million people, more than 20 billion yen in relief donation. The following year, in 2012, the number of Japanese tourists to Taiwan reached a record high. Many Japanese people who visit Taiwan say they see traces of Japan on this island. If the colonial history isn't even a century old, many people tend to forget the complexity of the past and what links countries, lands, peoples, times, what brought us to the present we live in. This film is Atsuko Sakai's second documentary work collecting voices of the "Japanese generation" in Taiwan.

Separated for several years by time and culture, two sisters are hoping to reunite. For one of them, a trip to Japan turns into a journey of self-discovery thanks, in part, to a piano. This short experimental film has been developed into the feature-length essay documentary "My Dearest Sister". (HD & S8mm)

Takano Hospital is located in a town only 22 kilometers away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The 81-year-old hospital director, Dr. Hideo Takano, has continued to provide medical care during difficult times as an active physician. The program follows Dr. Takano over a period of 2,000 days as he struggles on alone.

The Kists are Georgian Chechens who live in the Pankisi Gorge. The local men are known for their bravery but also infamous for being ‘terrorists’. The documentary is a multi-threaded story of inhabitants of a little known place in the Caucasus.

Commissioned for S-AIR’s 2020 residency programme, Letter from Sapporo (2021) is a collage film offering a glimpse of daily life in the Japanese city of Sapporo. The film is the product of approximately 16 participants capturing material with their smartphones. Focusing on moments of stillness, intimacy, labour and humour, disparate material is wedded into a compelling and coherent whole by Quaintance’s subtle editing, original music and vivid sound design.

A contemporary update on a classic journey – the well-travelled route between Kyoto and Tokyo. Hiroshige meets Ruscha.

Ryuichi Sakamoto | async | International short film competition. This film is about the tomato ketchup manufacturing process.

Amateur's Riot (Shirōto no ran) is a Japanese association of activists, committed to the living conditions of the poor people (binbōnin) in Tōkyō. The association was founded in 2005 by Matsumoto Hajime, Yamashita Hikaru, Futatsugi Shin, Mochitsuki Rui and Ogasawara Keita. The protagonists of Shiroto no Ran played an important role in the anti-nuclear demonstrations that appeared in response to the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe.

More than four years after the Fukushima Dai-Ichi disaster, the invisible radioactivity is still omnipresent, but gradually vanishing from the locals 's mind.

At 3,776 m high, Mt. Fuji is Japan's highest mountain. With nothing comparable surrounding it, the beautifully shaped Mount Fuji towers in splendid isolation and has become the symbol of Japan. But do you know the real beauty of Mount Fuji? NHK knows Mt. Fuji as well as anyone. Masterfully capturing Mt. Fuji in high-definition, this program presents Mt. Fuji as a splendid visual poem. Sheathed in orange, red, brown, blue, white, black and sometimes shimmering like a diamond, Mt. Fuji shows her many faces, which change with the time of day, season and weather. In this program, you will see and enjoy Mt. Fuji as you never have before.

Based on 50 years of footage shot in Africa, director Susumu Hani's latest work vividly shows the wisdom of the animals and the circle of life that they weave together. The director himself stands in the same line as the animals and questions life, death, freedom, and what it means to be human.

Traditional Japanese cuisine, French cuisine and sushi. Through the beautiful seasons of Hokkaido, we follow the daily lives of four chefs who pursue their culinary arts, alongside the farmers, citizens and culture of Northern Japan.

Government-made hate against foreign schools, technical intern trainees, refugees, immigration authorities, etc. The essence of discrimination against foreigners. In March 2021, a Sri Lankan woman, Wishma Sandamali, 3, died at the Nagoya Immigration Bureau. Her death reveals the darkness of immigration that has been veiled for many years, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is an incident that symbolizes the history of discrimination against foreigners by public authorities. After the war, the Japan government enacted the Alien Registration Law, which was mainly aimed at managing Koreans, who accounted for 9% of the foreigners living in Japan. In later years, as the number of residents from other countries increased, legal and institutional immigration policies for all foreigners were strengthened. Foreigners suffering from human rights violations complain unanimously. "We are not animals, we are humans!"Read less

Toshio Matsumoto's video on decommunization in Eastern Europe.

Waichi OKUMURA, a 80- year-old WWII veteran and other 2600 ordered to stay on in China and fight along with the Chinese nationalists in the post-1945 civil war. Racing against the time, he powerfully campaigns to expose the secret military orders that kept them in China years after Japan had surrendered. His journey starts from the hot spot of Asia, the Yasukuni shrine. His quest takes him to China, where he had once become the killing machine, and finds truths about the Japanese military as well as himself under the long spell by it. During his journey, he meets a Chinese old lady who was kidnapped, raped, and confined by the Japanese soldiers. From her, he hears a story of human evils - and even forgiveness.

A documentary about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

An ancient monk imagines that a day of modern people's life. The one man who respects for the great-nature practices Zen spirit through a day.

An exploration of both the production process and historical-cultural meanings of ink—the most basic material of writing, capturing the making of sumi calligraphy ink, a centuries-old craft passed down from master to apprentice at Kobaien studio in Nara, Japan.

DIR EN GREY streamed the final performance of their hall tour, which took place across 16 shows in 14 locations nationwide.

A documentary on children's song composer Megumi Ohnaka

The documentary is a record of a marriage ceremony that took place in April 1971 and was performed in accordance with Ainu traditions at the request of the young bride. There were two hurdles to overcome in the realization of the ceremony: first, a group of Ainu had to be convinced, who were against a revival of the tradition. Secondly, there were only a few members of the community who knew the details of the ceremony at all, since most of them had already been celebrating a wedding in their own style for over 80 years.

They are obsessive, insatiable and extremely imaginative. Meet the Japanese Star Wars fanatics and their passion for collecting items of this epic saga.

Japanese swords fascinate collectors around the world. A special kind of steel called tamahagane is required to make them. This miraculous material is strong, flexible, rust-resistant, and produced through the ancient process of "tatara" ironmaking which takes place over three days and nights. Due to the COVID pandemic, there was only one production run in 2022, which was hit by a series of problems. Did the team meet the challenge? This documentary captures the essence of Japanese craftsmanship.

Concert film recorded throughout the 2002 - 2004 world tour for Cornelius' album 'Point', featuring on-stage visuals directed by Koichiro Tsujikawa.

This work depicts the sculptor Kiuchi Masaru's creative studio and the work without any verbal explanation.

Mizunami City has many attractive qualities with its beautiful and abundant nature and delicious foods. However, what we are most proud of is the people of Mizunami City. Unique people who love their town and what they do. Once a person starts talking about the city, it’s like they can't stop themselves they love it so much. There's no way you wouldn't enjoy the shops and experiences run by such personable people. A joyous place, not a tourist spot. A place that you won’t easily forget once you’ve visited. Please come to experience our joy and love, here in Mizunami City.

Grandfather’s retirement means the loss of another craftsman who has the traditional technique. Before they discard the atelier where he has been working for years and his precious tools, I want to capture them in the film as a memento of how he worked.

In February 1969 activists and students gather on the Underground Square between East and West exit of Shinjuku Station. They declare the place a greek 'agora', a place where people connect and debate about politics. When they collide with anti-protesters the police closes the gathering place down.

The virtual dinner series from Japan's K-Network aims to offer lonely guys lessons in dinner date etiquette in the privacy of their homes... or Mom's basement, as the case may be. Features a variety of everyday-type attractive women enjoying a meal and making small talk at the camera, er, at the viewer. The view is face-to-face, as if you were really sharing a tabletop with the sweet young thing. Fortunately you won't have to pick up the check later, but unfortunately she won't be inviting you up for coffee even more later. You win some, you lose some.

who are you... I travel... A wanderer... A stranger... A founder... A questioner... Like you... or... ?

This is a documentary about Japanese GID / GD / Transgender people and the problems they face in their daily life. In Japan, in 2004, the Gender Identity Disorders Special Cases Act was enacted, allowing people to change their legal sex if they met certain requirements. However, many of them still struggle to change their sex, as the requirements are very restrictive and difficult to meet.

Dancer Nonoko Sato at Gallery Kaos No Ma in Kyoto. Shot in ambient light on 30 year old Kodachrome and developed in Caffenol, each frame of the film was exposed for up to a second. Nonoko Sato (Japan) is a member of Kiraza Butoh Company and is also active as an independent artist. Special thanks to Matuo Sunamoto of Gallery Kaos No Ma, Kyoto.

A documentary on Incapacitants, composed of live footage and interviews.

From my two-week trip to Japan in November.

The unique testimony of a physician who, thanks to a series of coincidences, survived the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, brings to life the horror of such an act of mass destruction, even after more than 70 years. The mechanics of the forces that could no longer be stopped once they were set in motion are revealed in a cinematic essay that deconstructs petrified historical interpretation.

This documentary follows Ishihara Hitoshi, a Japanese kaiseki chef whose highly acclaimed restaurant in Kyoto has three Michelin stars. This is one year in the life of a chef who pursues perfection but always insists he’s not yet there.

A Chinese family from a poor rural village in Fujian Province continues to bring other family members to Japan via smuggling and bigamous marriages. Undeterred by the uncertainty of their status as illegal immigrants, they continue to send money to their extended family waiting back home. They experience sudden illness, arrests, and deception by Japanese. They manage to scrape by running a beauty parlor and an internet café, but language and visa problems make life difficult. At their ancestral home in China, their family waits for them with mixed feelings. The director, a student from China, offers us a glimpse of the unknown corners of the international city of Tokyo.

A Sony a7IV cinematic exploring the diverse streets of Japan. From rainy, neon lit Tokyo streets at night, to cycling with Mount Fuji on the horizon. This short film was shot with the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 in 4K with SLOG3 and some post video stabilization.

This is a documentary film that explores the life, art, and legacy of the rakugo master Danshi Tatekawa.