The Japan Society Events

[mllNY]

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world. At Japan Society, we are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna (絆)–forging deep connections to bind people together. We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond. In over 100 years of work, we’ve inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S. We strive to convene important conversations on topics that bind our two countries together, champion the next generation of innovative creators, promote mutual understanding, and serve as a trusted guide for people everywhere who seek to more fully appreciate the rich complexities and abundance of Japan. From our New York headquarters, a landmark building designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura that opened to the public in 1971, we look forward to the years ahead, which will be defined by our digital and ideational impact through the kizuna that we build. Our future can only be enhanced by learning from our peers and engaging with our audiences, both near and afar.​

Connect With Us!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. For further information, please visit www.japansociety.org.​

 

[mllNY]

Japan Society Presents “Poupelle of Chimney Town” with Creator Akihiro Nishino In-Person
Acclaimed Japanese Film Screens with Talk About Its Upcoming
NYC Broadway Adaptation
Saturday, November 18, 2023
6:00pm
Japan Society
(333 East 47th Street)

Japan Society announces a special screening of “Poupelle of Chimney Town” on Saturday, November 18 with a rare appearance by creator Akihiro Nishino, who will discuss the creation of “Poupelle of Chimney Town” in Japan, its global success, and an upcoming Broadway run of a musical adaptation. Japan Society is a 116-year-old nonprofit organization focused on bringing the US and Japan together through art, culture, business, policy and education. This event is co-presented by Eleven Arts Studios and Anime NYC (animenyc.com), New York City’s largest Japanese popular culture festival, which runs Nov 17-19 in the Javits Center.​

This co-presentation is a powerful example of the artistry and heart of Japanese popular culture, and Japan Society looks forward to sharing it and its unique story with audiences in NYC.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town” was created by Japanese writer, comedian and media personality Akihiro Nishino. Starting as a bestselling book in Japan, Nishino would go on to expand the Chimney Town story through a Japanese stage play and musical as well as gallery exhibitions in Japan, Paris, and New York, before bringing it to the big screen - masterfully animated by Studio 4°C (Mind Game, Tekkonkinkreet, Children of the Sea). Largely crowdfunded outside of the traditional production system (The film raised 675,739,681 Yen from 106,072 backers), Nishino has remained central to Chimney Town’s evolution and creative path. He’s lauded as one of Japan’s most successful independent creators, and he continues to further the Chimney Town story with new projects around the globe.

Next up for “Chimney Town” is Broadway, the West End, and beyond, all of which Nishino is heavily involved in. He has spent the past several years working to bring Chimney Town to stages around the globe, and he will present new details about the creative process, adaptation, and upcoming New York launch during his talk at Japan Society.​

“’Poupelle of Chimney Town’ is a family film and parable for modern society,” said Japan Society Director of Film Peter Tatara. “Set in a smoke-clogged town where no one has seen the stars, it follows a young boy who believes in a sky beyond the smoke, and it is ultimately the story of believing in yourself despite the negativity of the modern world. We’re honored to present Studio 4°C’s lavishly animated film and even more honored for Mr. Nishino to join us in-person to share details about how “Chimney Town” will come to life in NYC.”

Tickets are $25 (general admission), $23 (students and seniors), and $20 (Japan Society members).

Screening takes place in Japan Society’s landmarked headquarters at 333 East 47th Street, one block from the United Nations. Lineup and other details subject to change. For complete information and to purchase tickets, click HERE.

​

“Poupelle of Chimney Town”
えんとつ町のプペル』

Entotsu-machi no Poupelle

Akihiro Nishino will appear in-person for a post-screening discussion on stage. “Poupelle of Chimney Town” is the story of Lubicchi, a boy who lives among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town and yearns to see the stars. One night, he meets Poupelle, a monster made of garbage, and together they seek out the clear sky. Brought to life by innovative animation studio STUDIO4ºC (Memories, Mind Game, Tekkonkinkreet, Children of the Sea), “Poupelle of Chimney Town” is based on a book by acclaimed Japanese actor and comedian Akihiro Nishino, who further wrote and executive produced this film. His “Poupelle of Chimney Town” has additionally been adapted into a stage play in Japan.

Dir. Yusuke Hirota, 2020, 100 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Mana Ashida, Masataka Kubota.​

 

[mllNY]

Godzilla Minus One
November 28, 2023, 7:00 pm
JAPAN SOCIETY
(333 E. 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Japan Society is honored to announce a special public preview screening of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One. Following its world premiere at the prestigious Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan Society will present the first Japanese Godzilla movie since 2016 to eager audiences in NYC on November 28 at 7:00 pm. The special public screening will take place at Japan Society (333 E. 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues) and is in partnership with Toho International, who will release Godzilla Minus One in theaters across the U.S. on December 1.

Ishiro Honda’s original 1954 Godzilla film defined a genre and invented a character who would go on to star in over 40 films and become a phenomenon across comics, toys, apparel, and games worldwide. In the franchise’s nearly 70 years of history, the “king of the monsters” has been reimagined multiple times from the grim creation of man’s scientific folly and vengeful ghost of Japan’s wartime dead, to a protector of the country and friend to children, to a harsh commentary on Japan’s response to Fukushima. An embodiment of Japan, its hope, and fears, Godzilla is also one of the country’s most identifiable ambassadors and as known as its other beloved popular culture exports including Pokemon, Hello Kitty, and Demon Slayer.

Written and directed by award-winning director Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus One presents a new focus for the saga and is set in a devastated post-war Japan. It follows the country still recovering from the scars of the past as a new threat appears, and it asks the question of what happens when a disarmed and defenseless Japan encounters Godzilla. The film features an all-star cast including Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.

“Godzilla is one of Japan’s most iconic creations, and Japan Society is honored to present Toho’s latest Godzilla film for the first time in New York” said Japan Society Director of Film Peter Tatara. “We’re eager to share with New York audiences this latest reinterpretation of Toho’s venerable series - a stark film set in the past but prescient for audiences today.”​

Japan Society will present the special public preview screening of Godzilla Minus One on November 28, following a year of major events which have included a preview screening of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, East Coast Premiere of The First Slam Dunk, North American Premiere of Shin Kamen Rider, North American Premiere of Blue Giant with composer Hiromi Uehara in-person, rare screening of Angel’s Egg with Yoshitaka Amano in-person, first major U.S. retrospective on director Shinji Somai, centennial retrospective on director Seijun Suzuki, and post-COVID relaunch of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Cinema, the largest contemporary Japanese film festival of its kind. A center for Japanese film in New York City since the 1970s, Japan Society has previously welcomed cinema greats including Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune, Hideko Takamine, and Nobuhiko Obayashi.

Tickets for the November 28th screening of Godzilla Minus One at Japan Society are currently on sale HERE. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $20 for Japan Society members.

This screening takes place in Japan Society’s landmarked headquarters at 333 East 47th Street, one block from the United Nations. For complete information, visit www.japansociety.org.

FILM DESCRIPTION​

Godzilla Minus One

『ゴジラ-1.0』​

Gojira Mainasu Wan
Special Screening on November 28

Japan Society is honored to welcome the King of the Monsters for a special screening of the first Japanese Godzilla film since 2016. Written and directed by award-winning director Takashi Yamazaki and produced by Toho Studios, the film features an all-star cast lead by Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando and Kuranosuke Sasaki. Set in a devastated post-war Japan, it follows the country recovering from the scars of the past as the new threat of Godzilla appears. What happens when Godzilla comes to Japan completely disarmed and defenseless? Presented in partnership with Toho International. Godzilla Minus One comes to theaters on December 1 nationwide.

Dir. Takashi Yamazaki, 2023, 125 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe.​

 

[Billy Talent]

Too many amazing posters, too little money!
the Godzilla art is the best I have ever seen!

 

[mllNY]

Anime NYC, the East Coast’s largest Japanese popular arts festival, and Japan Society, a 116-year-old art and culture organization, today mutually announced a significant partnership, underscoring a dynamic relationship between Japan’s popular and traditional arts, and fostering an ongoing collaboration with the goal of enriching the cultural fabric of the vibrant communities they both serve.

Since its founding in 2017, Anime NYC has rapidly become a major force in anime, manga, and Japan’s popular arts across the US. The event attracts over 60,000 attendees each year, world premieres, major anime and manga brands, and some of the biggest creators in the Japanese popular arts world. Anime NYC’s mission is to bring anime fans together with the content and creators they love – and to help guide them into greater discovery of Japan.

Furthering this mission as never before, Anime NYC has named Japan Society its “official non-profit partner” and will work with Japan Society year-round in celebrating and promoting Japanese culture in the heart of New York City.

From its start in 1907, Japan Society has been a pioneering organization fostering mutual understanding and cultural exchange between the US and Japan, and it is renowned for this dedication spanning Japan’s performing arts, lectures, language instruction, exhibitions, business and policy sessions, education, and film. The organization presents hundreds of events all year and has welcomed Japanese Prime Ministers, US Presidents, and Nobel Prize winners to its landmarked headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.

While both Anime NYC and Japan Society serve different audiences, both provide immersive and authentic experiences - and through this new relationship - both organizations will offer audiences an even greatly variety of programming.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Japan Society to bring an even richer cultural experience to Anime NYC and give our patrons a year-round home at Japan Society,” said Anime NYC Event Director MK Goodwin. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to fostering a deep appreciation for Japanese culture and building bridges of understanding.”

“Japan Society is honored to partner with Anime NYC, said Peter Tatara, Japan Society’s Director of Film. “Our goals deeply connect with their commitment to celebrating Japanese culture, and we look forward to collaborating all throughout the year.” Prior to joining Japan Society, Tatara founded Anime NYC, and he will act as a conduit between both organizations as they co-promote and co-create new events together.

In the near-term, Anime NYC will provide all attendees an opportunity to donate to Japan Society as part of the ticket purchase process for the convention’s 2024 event. Ticket sales will launch on January 17th for the convention’s upcoming edition - August 23-25, 2024. This will be Anime NYC’s largest festival to date, with the event adding over 200,000 new square feet of exhibition and programming space.

Japan Society will help program this new space, and fans can anticipate an even wider array of engaging and culturally enriching activities as well as other cultivated events year-round at Japan Society. Joining Japan Society as one of the key supporters of its 2024 film season, Anime NYC will help brin new popular arts audiences and events into the organization. While already presenting over 60 screenings a year, ranging from the silent era through to today, Japan Society will now become a home to leading classic and premiere anime events.

Audiences are encouraged to follow Anime NYC (@animenyc) and Japan Society (@japansociety) on social media and to look for more details in the coming months as Anime NYC and Japan Society work collaboratively to curate an unparalleled experience across Japanese traditional and popular culture.​