10 Must-see feature films from the 26th Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival 2026

By Asian Film Festival on June 2, 2026 • ( Leave a comment )

These are ten feature films you shouldn’t miss at the Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival, which will take place from June 2 – 7, 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany.

A New Dawn by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya – Japan, France | 2025 – 76 minutes

Keitaro lives in a fireworks factory that is about to be shut down. He is determined to unravel the mystery of the Shuhari, a mythical firework created by his father before he disappeared without a trace – and launch it before the factory closes. (Mubi)

Trailer:

ALL GREENS by Takashi Koyama – Japan | 2025 – 119 minutes

Hidemi and Miruku live in a town with no future in sight. To chase their dreams and leave this place behind, there’s only one way out—striking it rich! They form a club called “All Greens” and embark on a forbidden extracurricular adventure… (Mubi)

Trailer:

AnyMart by Yusuke Iwasaki – Japan | 2026 – 88 minutes

Sakai works at a convenience store with routine efficiency but no enthusiasm. However, strange events and unexplained deaths soon break up the monotony. Yusuke IWASAKI’s satire lampoons a cold and dehumanized society, mixing dry humor and gore in a pointed critique of toxic social structures. (NipponConnection 2026)

Trailer:

Dawn Chorus by Yoshinori Sato – Japan | 2025 – 113 minutes

In search of his mother, eighteen-year-old Yuki visits his aunt Noriko who runs a small campground nestled in the woods – a place that holds many memories. But past traumas and worries make it difficult for Yuki and Noriko to connect. Yoshinori SATO’s superbly cast drama shows the obstacles that often must be overcome in order to bond with others. (NipponConnection 2026)

Screening Dates:
June 5, 2026 | Friday | naxos Kino | 11:45 am

Trailer:

Dear Tomorrow by Kaspar Astrup Schröder – Denmark, Sweden, Japan | 2025 – 83 minutes

Three isolated individuals in Japan find solace through a government-sponsored chat service, leading them to explore meaningful connections in the real world. (Mubi)

Trailer:

Guardians of the Harvest by Riko Hiro – Japan | 2025 – 98 minutes

Suwa Taisha is one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Nestled in a breathtaking natural setting, it has served for centuries as the spiritual center for rites and festivals. The deer is an important sacrificial animal for these ceremonies. Filmmaker Riko HIRO explores these longstanding religious practices, which express a deep bond with nature. (NipponConnection 2026)

Trailer:

KOKUHO by Sang-il Lee – Japan | 2025 – 174 minutes

After the death of his yakuza father, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken in by a famous kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, he wholly dedicates himself to theater. For decades, the two young men grow and evolve together, but only one will become the greatest Japanese master of kabuki. (Mubi)

Trailer:

Night Flower by Eiji Uchida – Japan | 2025 – 124 minutes

A mother of two children, who works part-time during the day and at a bar at night, makes the fateful decision to sell drugs to make her children’s dreams come true. (Mubi)

Trailer:

SAI: Disaster by Yutaro Seiki and Kentaro Hirase – Japan | 2025 – 128 minutes

Four people lead ordinary lives in different places, their paths never crossing. A mysterious man appears in each story, always as someone else. One moment, a cram school instructor; the next, a truck driver, a barber; his identity constantly shifting. Then, death strikes. (Mubi)

Trailer:

SUZUKI=BAKUDAN by Akira Nagai – Japan | 2025 – 137 minutes

After a drunken scuffle with a vending machine, a man predicts bombings in Tokyo during a police interrogation—and moments later, one goes off. (Mubi)

Trailer: