Cinema of Japan
The kinetoscope first appeared in Japan in November 1896, just two years after Thomas Edison showed it commercially in the United States. This early technology arrived through businessmen like Inabata Katsutaro, who brought Vitascope and Lumière Brothers' Cinematograph to Japanese audiences in early 1897. Moving pictures were not entirely new to the Japanese people because of their rich tradition of pre-cinematic devices such as gentō or magic lanterns. The first successful Japanese film showing sights in Tokyo was released later that same year.
In 1898, ghost films emerged with titles like Bake Jizo and Shinin no sosei, marking early experimentation with supernatural themes. The first documentary Geisha no teodori appeared in June 1899, followed by Tsunekichi Shibata's Momijigari which recorded actors performing scenes from kabuki plays. These early works drew heavily from traditional theater forms including kabuki and bunraku. At theaters across Japan, benshi narrators sat beside screens telling stories for silent movies, continuing oral storytelling traditions from kabuki jōruri and kōdan storytellers.
Shōzō Makino began his influential career in 1908 with Honnōji gassen produced for Yokota Shōkai. He recruited Matsunosuke Onoe, a former kabuki actor who became Japan's first film star appearing in over 1,000 films between 1909 and 1926. The pair pioneered the jidaigeki genre while Tokihiko Okada served as popular romantic lead during this era. Film criticism grew among intellectuals in the 1910s through magazines like Katsudō shashinkai begun in 1909 and Yasunosuke Gonda's full-length book written in 1914. Critics chastised studios like Nikkatsu and Tenkatsu for being too theatrical and relying on benshi instead of cinematic techniques.
The Pure Film Movement emerged when writers in Kinema Record called for broader use of cinematic devices. Norimasa Kaeriyama directed The Glow of Life in 1918, one of the first films to use actresses including Harumi Hanayagi. Masao Inoue started using close-up shots and cut-back techniques in his 1917 film The Captain's Daughter based on Choji Nakauchi's play. New studios established around 1920 such as Shochiku and Taikatsu aided reform efforts. By mid-1925, actresses had replaced onnagata and films used more devices pioneered by Inoue. Silent films continued production well into the 1930s with a third of Japanese films remaining silent as late as 1938.
The 1950s became widely considered the Golden Age of Japanese cinema when three films from this decade appeared in top ten lists of Sight & Sound critics' polls for best films of all time in both 2002 and 2012. Tokyo Story released in 1953 dethroned Citizen Kane at the top of the 2012 directors' poll while Seven Samurai topped BBC's 2018 survey of the 100 Greatest Foreign-Language Films. Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon won the Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival in 1951 and received Academy Honorary Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1952.
Rashomon marked the entrance of Japanese cinema onto the world stage and launched Toshiro Mifune's legendary career. The year 1954 saw two influential releases: Kurosawa's Seven Samurai about hired samurai protecting villages from thieves, and Ishirō Honda's anti-nuclear monster-drama Godzilla featuring award-winning effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Godzilla became first ever Japanese film given wide release throughout United States where it was heavily re-edited with new footage added featuring actor Raymond Burr for its 1956 distribution as Godzilla King of the Monsters.
Kenji Mizoguchi ended his career with masterpieces including The Life of Oharu in 1952, Ugetsu in 1953 winning Silver Lion at Venice, and Sansho the Bailiff in 1954. His films often dealt with tragedies inflicted on women by Japanese society. Mikio Naruse made Repast in 1950, Late Chrysanthemums in 1954, Sound of the Mountain in 1954, and Floating Clouds in 1955. Yasujirō Ozu began directing color films beginning with Equinox Flower in 1958 followed by Good Morning in 1959 and Floating Weeds in 1958 adapted from earlier silent A Story of Floating Weeds shot by Rashomon and Sansho the Bailiff cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa.
The Blue Ribbon Awards were established in 1950 with Until We Meet Again by Tadashi Imai winning Best Film. Gate of Hell released in 1953 became first movie filmed using Eastmancolor film and won Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival while receiving Academy Honorary Award for Best Costume Design by Sanzo Wada. It was also Daiei's first color film and first Japanese color movie to be released outside Japan.
Anime rose in popularity during the 1980s when new animated movies were released every summer and winter often based upon popular anime television series. Mamoru Oshii released landmark film Angel's Egg in 1985 while Hayao Miyazaki adapted his own manga series Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind into feature film of same name in 1984. Katsuhiro Otomo followed suit adapting his own manga Akira into feature film of same name in 1988.
As of 2025, top 16 highest-grossing Japanese films worldwide are all anime with top 10 including four from Studio Ghibli all released in 21st century. Princess Mononoke released in 1997 remains among Studio Ghibli's highest-grossing films alongside Spirited Away from 2001 winning Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003. Howl's Moving Castle appeared in 2004 followed by Ponyo in 2008 and The Boy and the Heron in 2023 which won Best Animated Feature Film at 81st Golden Globe Awards as first non-English-language animated film to do so.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train broke all box-office records in Japan becoming highest-grossing film of all time in country and highest-grossing film of 2020 when released in October 2020. A direct sequel Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba , The Movie: Infinity Castle based on Infinity Castle arc of manga series broke all box-office records again in July 2025. Anime films now accounted for 60 percent of Japanese film production during early 21st century making Japan one of world's leading producers of animated cinema.
Mamoru Oshii released internationally acclaimed philosophical science fiction action film Ghost in the Shell in 1996 while Satoshi Kon directed award-winning psychological thriller Perfect Blue. Hideaki Anno gained considerable recognition with The End of Evangelion in 1997. In 2004 Mamoru Oshii released anime movie Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence receiving critical praise around world. His 2008 film The Sky Crawlers met similarly positive international reception.
Japanese horror films existed since post-war era beginning in 1945 gaining recognition with kaiju such as Godzilla from 1954 but genre did not experience popularity boom until late 1990s. Films including Ringu released in 1998, Kairo in 2001, Dark Water in 2002, Ju-On: The Grudge in 2002, Yogen in 2004, and One Missed Call in 2004 garnered commercial success marking significant shift in global perception of Japanese horror.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa gained international recognition following release of Cure in 1997 while Takashi Miike launched prolific career with titles including Audition in 1999, Dead or Alive in 1999, and The Bird People in China in 1998. Beginning in late 1990s J-horror film genre began to boom as these films met with commercial success both domestically and internationally.
Takeshi Kitano emerged as significant filmmaker with works including Sonatine in 1993, Kids Return in 1996, and Hana-bi which received Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival in 1997. Shōhei Imamura won Palme d'Or again this time for The Eel in 1997 becoming fifth two-time recipient joining Alf Sjöberg Francis Ford Coppola Emir Kusturica and Bille August. Hirokazu Koreeda launched acclaimed feature career with Maborosi in 1996 and After Life in 1999.
Japan's primary film studios are Toho Toei Shochiku and Kadokawa nicknamed Big Four and only members of Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. The Japan Academy Film Prize hosted annually by Nippon Academy-shō Association was created in 1978 considered Japanese equivalent of Academy Awards. Total audience declined from 1.2 billion in 1960 to 0.2 billion in 1980 due to spread of television causing film companies losing money.
Film companies fought back through bigger budget films of Kadokawa Pictures or including increasingly sexual or violent content and language not shown on television resulting pink film industry becoming stepping stone for many young independent filmmakers. Seventies also saw start of idol eiga films starring young idols bringing audiences due to fame and popularity. By 1980s decline of major Japanese film studios and associated chains of cinemas occurred with major studios Toho and Toei barely staying in business while Shochiku supported almost solely by Otoko wa tsurai yo films and Nikkatsu declining even further.
Number of movie theaters steadily decreased since 1960s reaching under 2,000 in 1993 compared to more than 7,000 in 1960. 1990s saw reversal of trend introducing multiplex in Japan while popularity of mini theaters continued. Mini theaters characterized by smaller size and seating capacity gained popularity during 1980s helping bring independent arthouse films from other countries as well as films produced in Japan by unknown Japanese filmmakers to Japanese audiences.
After surrender of Japan in 1945 wartime controls and restrictions on Japanese film industry were abolished when Supreme Commander for Allied Powers established Civil Information and Education Section managing industry. All film proposals and screenplays processed approved by CIE then processed by Civil Censorship Detachment under direct control American military. Pre-war and wartime films subject to review with over 500 condemned half burned including Toho and Daiei pre-emptively destroying films thought incriminating.
CIE announced November 1945 forbidding films infused militarism showing revenge legitimate motive nationalistic chauvinistic anti-foreign distorting historical facts favoring racial religious discrimination portraying feudal loyalty contempt life desirable honorable approving suicide directly indirectly dealing subjugation degradation women depicting brutality violence evil triumphant anti-democratic condoning exploitation children or at variance spirit letter Potsdam Declaration any SCAP directive.
Major consequence production jidaigeki films especially those involving samurai became effectively impossible. Notable case censorship war film Escape at Dawn written Akira Kurosawa Senkichi Taniguchi re-written dozen times request CIE largely erasing original content story. On other hand CIE favored production films reflecting policies Occupation such agricultural reform organization labor unions promoting peaceful redevelopment Japan rights individuals. Significant movies included Setsuko Hara appearing Akira Kurosawa's No Regrets for Our Youth in 1946 Kōzaburō Yoshimura's A Ball at Anjo House in 1947 Tadashi Imai's Aoi sanmyaku in 1949 gaining national popularity as star symbolizing beginning new era.
In March 2011 Japanese film television industry afflicted by Tohoku earthquake tsunami subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster greatly suffered due ongoing triple disaster. Many Japanese studios officially closed reorganized prevent triple disaster resulting many began reopen increasing production rates. In early 2020 Japanese media industry afflicted COVID-19 pandemic greatly suffered health requirements giving nation worst day film television industry impacted health crises since end World War II.
From first health lockdowns until end September 2021 many Japanese studios closed reorganized suit legal requirements spread prevention ultimately resulting suspension filming many movies however did not stop people wanting see movies. Despite pandemic occurring many films slowly reintroduced Japanese cinemas changing how Japan approach cinema following years. From 2021 to 2022 reinstating Japanese cinema to Japanese audiences occurred theater attendance increased from original 54.5 percent from 2020 about 78 percent by 2022. In 2022 alone though significant decrease from 2019 numbers there were 590 movie theatres open available public allowing public reengage normal activities amid pandemic.
As of 2022 Japan fourth largest by number feature films produced 634 third largest terms box office revenue $1.5 billion. Godzilla Minus One released in 2023 became first foreign-language film win Academy Award Best Visual Effects while Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron won award at 96th Academy Awards garnering critical acclaim. Drive My Car won Best Foreign Language Film 79th Golden Globe Awards received Academy Award Best International Feature Film 94th Academy Awards in October 2021.
Common questions
When did the kinetoscope first appear in Japan?
The kinetoscope first appeared in Japan in November 1896. This technology arrived through businessmen like Inabata Katsutaro who brought Vitascope and Lumière Brothers Cinematograph to Japanese audiences in early 1897.
Who was Japan's first film star and how many films did he appear in?
Matsunosuke Onoe became Japan's first film star appearing in over 1,000 films between 1909 and 1926. He worked with Shōzō Makino to pioneer the jidaigeki genre while Tokihiko Okada served as a popular romantic lead during this era.
Which year marked the Golden Age of Japanese cinema according to Sight & Sound polls?
The 1950s became widely considered the Golden Age of Japanese cinema when three films from this decade appeared in top ten lists of Sight & Sound critics' polls for best films of all time in both 2002 and 2012. Tokyo Story released in 1953 dethroned Citizen Kane at the top of the 2012 directors poll while Seven Samurai topped BBC's 2018 survey of the 100 Greatest Foreign-Language Films.
When was Godzilla King of the Monsters distributed in the United States?
Godzilla became the first ever Japanese film given wide release throughout the United States where it was heavily re-edited with new footage added featuring actor Raymond Burr for its 1956 distribution as Godzilla King of the Monsters. The original film was directed by Ishirō Honda and featured award-winning effects by Eiji Tsuburaya.
What percentage of Japanese film production did anime account for during the early 21st century?
Anime films accounted for 60 percent of Japanese film production during the early 21st century making Japan one of world's leading producers of animated cinema. As of 2025 the top 16 highest-grossing Japanese films worldwide are all anime with the top 10 including four from Studio Ghibli all released in the 21st century.