National Film Archive of Japan Calendar (April, 2026 – March, 2027)
*NFAJ will be closed on Mondays, during screening preparation, between exhibitions; Dec. 27, 2026 -Jan. 4, 2027.
*Please take a look at Note to visitors before your visit.
*Schedule and titles of the programs may change.
*Further updates on our screening and exhibition events will be announced on this page.
Nagase Memorial Theatre OZU
Cinema: Lost and Found 2026
April 7 – May 10, 2026
This is the 12th installment of “Cinema: Lost and Found,” the series that showcases valuable films newly collected and restored by NFAJ.
EU Film Days 2026: Classic Selection (tentative)
May 19 – 24, 2026
EU Film Days is a series showcasing films from the member states of the European Union (EU). This year, EU Film Days simultaneously takes place at NFAJ and Image Forum (at Shibuya, May 16-29). Diverse films from seven states will be shown at NFAJ.
Hirokazu Kore-eda Retrospective (tentative)
June 2 – 28, 2026
Starting his career in television documentaries, Hirokazu Kore-eda has gained high reputation home and abroad since his first fiction feature film Maborosi (1995). Almost all of his films straightforwardly deal with contemporary themes such as family, individual and collective, and social systems. This program traces his filmography, exploring his distinctive style.
Animation Program (tentative)
An animation film screening program is scheduled.
48th Pia Film Festival 2026
September 18 – 26, 2026
Co-organizer (tentative): PFF General Incorporated Association
Pia Film Festival, which has been supporting young and upcoming filmmakers and introducing new talent to audiences both in Japan and overseas, now its 48th edition, holds again the “PFF Award Competition” for “self-produced films (aka Jishu-Eiga)”, special programs and screenings with film personalities as guest lecturers.
Sotoji Kimura Retrospective (tentative)
October 13 – 25, November 3 – 15, 2026
Sotoji Kimura (1903-1988) debuted as a socially conscious director in 1930, and then became one of the principal directors of P.C.L. (Photo Chemical Laboratory, predecessor of Toho, exercising his ability in various genres ranging from musical comedy to adaptations of literary classics. This program selectively screens his works, including the precious films such as Shinsengumi the version of rensageki (連鎖劇: combination of stage and screen) , wartime propaganda films, and children’s movies produced by independent companies in his later years.
TIFF/NFAJ Classics (tentative)
October 27 – November 1, 2026
Co-organizer: Tokyo International Film Festival
In cooperation with the Tokyo International Film Festival, this program presents domestic or foreign films which are expected to gain international recognition.
Carte Blanche 2026 (tentative)
December 1 – 27, 2026
For this program, cineastes in the spotlight and film scholars select films from our collection and give lectures.
Silent Film Days: Film Treasures from San Francisco Silent Film Festival (tentative)
January 12 – 24, 2027
In cooperation with San Francisco Silent Film Festival, FIAF’s associate, this program presents masterpieces, newly found films, and hidden gems in the silent era with musical accompaniment.
Azuma Morisaki Retrospective in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of His Birth (tentative)
Feburary 2 – March 7, 2027
Because of his unique style, director Azuma Morisaki (1927–2020) has sometimes been called a master of dogeki (anger drama). This program revisits his one-and-only artistry through his works, which portray desperate anger, frustration, and vitality of marginalized people in Japan with destructive humor and overwhelming dynamism.
Films from the NFAJ Collection 2027
March 9 – 21, 2027
This program introduces the variety of the NFAJ collection.
B1 Theatre
Repatriated Film Collection [Part 4]: Cultural Films, Newsreels, and Animations (tentative)
August 4 – September 6, 2026
This program features the Japanese cultural films, newsreels, and animations repatriated from the Library of Congress between 1967 and the 1970s.
Kyobashi-za（tentative）
October 18, 2026 – March 21, 2027 (Irregularly on Sundays during this period)
Designed for those eager to experience the art of cinema and its history, this program presents a diverse selection of films, from classics to hidden gems.
As for the educational programs held at B1 Theatre, please see the following page.
Educational Programs
Kids’ Cinema: The Summer Vacation of 2026
July 24 – 25, July 31 – August 1, 2026 @B1 Theatre
This is the program for children up to junior high school students. It intends to cultivate their aesthetic sensibility and image literacy through the wonder and joy of films on screen.
V4 Countries Kids Film Festival
December 12, 2026 @B1 Theatre
Co-organizers: The embassies and the cultural institutions of V4 countries
The V4 Kids Film Festival brings short movies from the Visegrad Four (V4: Slovakia, Czechia, Poland and Hungary) to young audiences in Japan, showcasing the unique storytelling and culture of these countries.
Gallery
Temporary Exhibitions
The Art of Film Posters in Japan: Revisited
April 7 – July 26, 2026
※Closed: May 12 – 17, May 26 – 31, 2026
Among the film posters in Japan, many of which have been designed and published by the anonymous staff of distribution companies, there are some posters which could be called works of art. Based on the exhibition “The Art of Film Posters in Japan” (FY2011), and selecting the posters collected after that, we explore the junctions of films and graphic design, focusing on renowned designers such as Kiyoshi Awazu, Tadanori Yokoo, Makoto Wada, and Eiko Ishioka. Exhibited works will be mainly from the period between the 1960s and the 1980s.
Film Director Kenji Mizoguchi
August 11 – December 13, 2026
※Closed: September 8 – 17, October 6 – 11, November 24 – 29, 2026
Kenji Mizoguchi (1898-1956), one of the greatest directors in the film history of Japan, had a major influence upon cineastes internationally, including the directors of the French New Wave, and is still revered globally. Seventy years after his decease, we explore the quintessence of his art hidden under the mythic veil, through the artefacts and items related to his crew.
Japanese Cinema and E-konte (Storyboard): The Works of Kenji Hashizume (tentative)
January 5 – March 21, 2027
In the filmmaking in Japan, e-konte (storyboard) artists have been increasing their presence since the 1980s. Their hand drawings make direction more precise, and are indispensable especially to composited scenes of tokusatsu (special effect) films. Following the donation of the materials owned by Kenji Hashizume (1963-2023), one of the leading artists of e-konte, to NFAJ, we focus on this undiscovered art to dive into the depth of contemporary Japanese films.
Permanent Exhibition
Nihon Eiga: The History of Japanese Film
From the NFAJ Non-film Collection
Japanese cinema has already had a history of over one century with two golden ages. This exhibition surveys the history through posters, still photographs, documents, cameras, the personal items that belonged to noted film personalities and other materials from the NFAJ Collection.
*Captions in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean