Japanese Cinema's International Moments in Recent Years

From Oscar wins to a Cannes spotlight on Japan, here is a friendly guide to the recent moments that put Japanese films on the world stage.

Published October 26, 2026 at 12:09 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Japanese cinema has had a remarkable run on the world stage. Godzilla Minus One won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects and The Boy and the Heron won Best Animated Feature in March 2024, Kokuho earned an Oscar nomination in 2026, and Japan was the Country of Honour at the Cannes film market in May 2026.

Whenever Japanese films collect a major prize or break a box office record, travelers and film fans ask the same question: what exactly happened, and what should be watched first? This guide walks through the recent moments in plain language, from the Academy Awards to Cannes, and explains why they matter. It also shows how a film night can become a doorway into Japanese history, theater, and everyday life. Each section starts with the main point so you can jump to what interests you.

The Big Picture: Why These Moments Matter

Japanese cinema has been admired abroad for more than seventy years, but the last few years have felt especially busy. Films from Japan have won Oscars, played in competition at Cannes, and filled cinemas at home in record numbers. According to the Marche du Film, the market attached to the Cannes festival, Japan produces about 1,200 films a year and sells well over 150 million cinema tickets annually.

Those numbers help explain the confidence. A large home audience lets filmmakers try many styles, from quiet family dramas to giant monster spectacles. When a film connects overseas, it often grows from a base that already works for local viewers.

It is also worth remembering that this is not a brand new story. Wikipedia's overview of Japanese cinema notes that Rashomon won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1951, which many historians treat as Japan's arrival on the international scene. Recent successes build on that long tradition rather than replacing it.

March 2024: Two Oscars in One Night

The 96th Academy Awards in March 2024 gave Japan a double win. Godzilla Minus One, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, won Best Visual Effects, and The Boy and the Heron, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, won Best Animated Feature. News coverage at the time described it as the first year with two Japanese Oscar wins since 2009.

Godzilla Minus One was made to mark the 70th anniversary of the original 1954 monster film and is set in the years just after the war. Its win was widely noted because it was the first time a Japanese film took the visual effects prize. The film is admired for pairing a human story about recovery with large scale effects.

The Boy and the Heron was Miyazaki's first Oscar since Spirited Away in 2003. If you are new to his work, the Studio Ghibli introduction on this site is a gentle place to start before watching the newest film.

Drive My Car and Perfect Days: Quiet Films, Big Reach

Two quieter dramas show that international attention is not only about spectacle. Drive My Car, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, won the Oscar for Best International Feature at the 2022 ceremony. It also earned Best Screenplay at Cannes in 2021 and was nominated for Best Picture.

Perfect Days came from German director Wim Wenders but is set entirely in Tokyo and performed in Japanese. Koji Yakusho won Best Actor at Cannes in 2023 for playing a man who cleans public toilets in Shibuya, and the film was nominated for the International Feature Oscar. It was the first Japanese submission directed by a non-Japanese filmmaker to be nominated.

Both films share a patient, observant style. They reward viewers who enjoy small details such as a commute, a meal, or a conversation in a car, which makes them popular with travelers who want to feel the rhythm of daily life in Japan.

Kokuho: A Kabuki Story That Broke a Record

Kokuho, which means national treasure, became one of the most talked about Japanese films of 2025. Directed by Lee Sang-il and adapted from a novel by Shuichi Yoshida, it follows two kabuki actors devoted to an art form traditionally performed by men. It premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section at Cannes in May 2025 and opened in Japan in June 2025.

At home the film became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of all time, passing the previous record in November 2025 and later reaching around 20 billion yen. In January 2026 the Academy announced a nomination for Makeup and Hairstyling, the first Japanese-produced film to earn that nomination. The category was won by another film in March 2026, but the nomination itself was celebrated in Japan.

For many viewers the film sparked new curiosity about kabuki. If that is you, the kabuki guide on this site explains the stage, the onnagata actors who play female roles, and how to see a performance.

Cannes 2026: Japan in the Spotlight

In May 2026 Japan was the Country of Honour at the Marche du Film during the 79th Festival de Cannes. The market ran from 12 to 20 May and included an opening night co-hosted by Japan, industry panels, and a special day of Japanese screenings, with a focus on animation and genre cinema. It was the first time Japan held the honour, following India, Spain, Switzerland, and Brazil in earlier years.

The official selection also featured five Japanese films. Ryusuke Hamaguchi's All of a Sudden, Hirokazu Kore-eda's Sheep in the Box, and Koji Fukada's Nagi Notes played in competition. Yukiko Sode's All the Lovers in the Night screened in Un Certain Regard, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Kokurojo was a Cannes Premiere.

On the final weekend, Tao Okamoto shared the Best Actress prize with Virginie Efira for All of a Sudden, and news reports described her as the first Japanese actress to win that award at Cannes.

Animation and Monsters: Japan's Familiar Exports

Animation and monster movies remain Japan's most recognizable film exports, and the recent awards confirm their staying power. The Boy and the Heron carries a hand drawn tradition that goes back decades, while Godzilla Minus One shows that a character created in 1954 can still find a new audience.

This is why the Marche du Film chose animation and genre cinema as highlights of Japan's showcase. These are areas where Japanese studios have both a deep archive and a loyal international following.

If you want to understand the monster side, the Godzilla history guide on this site traces how the character began and how the series changed over the decades. Pairing a recent film with its roots is a fun way to watch.

How to Watch These Films as a Traveler

The easiest way to enjoy this wave is to watch before you fly or while you plan. Many of the titles above have been released in cinemas or on streaming services in different countries, but availability changes by region and platform, so check your local listings. Film festivals and art house cinemas often screen Japanese titles with subtitles.

In Japan itself, many cinemas show new releases in Japanese only, though some larger complexes and special events offer English subtitles. Check the cinema's website for details before buying a ticket, and remember that policies differ from theater to theater.

A film can also shape a trip. Perfect Days might inspire a stroll through Shibuya, Kokuho a kabuki matinee in Tokyo, and the Ghibli films a visit to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Planning around a favorite scene turns sightseeing into a story.

What These Moments Say About Japan

Taken together, these moments show how many kinds of stories Japanese filmmakers tell. There are monster epics, hand drawn fantasies, tender literary adaptations, and portraits of traditional arts, and each has found viewers far from Japan.

They also reflect strong support for craft. Visual effects teams, makeup artists, animators, and actors received international recognition, which shows that the whole production process matters, not only the director.

For travelers and culture fans, the takeaway is simple: Japanese cinema is a friendly way into the country. Watching one of these films before a trip gives you vocabulary, curiosity, and a few places to add to your list.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style How Japan Works is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Japanese films won Oscars in 2024?

Godzilla Minus One won Best Visual Effects and The Boy and the Heron won Best Animated Feature at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024. News coverage described it as the first year with two Japanese wins since 2009. Perfect Days was also nominated for Best International Feature but did not win that category.

Did Kokuho win an Oscar?

Kokuho received an Oscar nomination for Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards in March 2026, the first Japanese-produced film nominated in that category. It did not win, as the prize went to Frankenstein. The film was also shortlisted for Best International Feature but was not nominated there.

What was Japan's role at Cannes in 2026?

Japan was the Country of Honour at the Marche du Film, the business market of the Cannes festival, from 12 to 20 May 2026. Five Japanese films were in the official selection, and Tao Okamoto shared the Best Actress award for All of a Sudden, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Japanese Cinema: Kurosawa, Ozu and Beyond, Godzilla: Japan's Famous Movie Monster and Studio Ghibli Films: A Gentle Introduction.