Stay Tuned
There are no events planned for the near future. But don’t worry, there might well be more, and so: Stay tuned! Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. Of course, you can also take a look at the website every now and then. →
Demons (35 mm)
Mon 24/03/2025 – 8:00 PM
Art Cinema OFFoff presents: Toshio Matsumoto – Demons (35 mm) Experimental filmmaker and critic Toshio Matsumoto followed up his queer cult classic Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) with a “simple” samurai film, but beneath its seemingly traditional surface lurks just as much subversion. A Borgesian satire masquerading as samurai horror, this nocturnal masterpiece is one … →
Film Festival 2025 – Sponsors, photos, etc
19/03/2025 – 23/03/2025
Thank you! Sponsors, photos, … Photographer Rob Walbers, who traded Overpelt for Tokyo a few years ago, once again provided the poster image for the Japan-Square Film Festival this year. We thank our sponsors, generous donors and partners. Without their support, the Japan-Square Film Festival would not be possible. →
Hakkenden: Fiction and Reality
Sun 23/03/2025 – 2:30 PM
This year we present director Fumihiko Sori’s latest film Hakkenden: Fiction and Reality, an immersive blend of history and fantasy that blurs the lines between reality and story. Sori, known for films like Ping Pong and Fullmetal Alchemist, is renowned for his visually striking and narratively bold projects. The film centers around Kyokutei Bakin, an … →
Bento-lunch
Sun 23/03/2025 – 12:45 PM
The traditional Japan-Square Film Festival Bento! GOHAN brings the traditional lunch film bento to the Skoop Café again this edition! On Sunday 23/03 you can order a delicious bento lunch from 12:45 (before the start of the 14:30 film Hakkenden: Fiction and Reality). We are offering 2 different bento’s this year (quantity is limited!) Japan … →
The Friends
Sat 22/03/2025 – 10:00 PM
The Friends (夏の庭), directed by Shinji Somai, is a heartwarming and poignant story about friendship, loss, and the search for meaning. This 1994 Japanese film explores the lives of three young friends who, in the summer of their lives, are confronted with the complex reality of adulthood. The story follows three children who spend their … →
Castle of Wind and Clouds
Sat 22/03/2025 – 7:45 PM
This year, there is also a classic on the program. And this classic is about as old as it gets. Directly from the Royal Belgian Film Archive, we are proudly presenting Castle of Wind and Clouds. This silent film from 1928, directed by Toko Yamazaki, will be shown on Saturday accompanied by a live musical … →
Japanese Curry
Sat 22/03/2025 – 6:00 PM
GOHAN will be offering his delicious Japanese curry on Saturday March 22nd before the movie “Castle of Wind and Clouds” (with live guitar accompaniment by Alexander Makay)! You can choose between chicken and vegan! Prepared by GOHAN: https://gohan.be/ You can purchase your portion for a democratic additional price (+15 euros) via a combination ticket for … →
Let's Go Karaoke!
Sat 22/03/2025 – 5:00 PM
What would you do if a high-ranking member of the local yakuza, the Japanese mafia, suddenly asked you to teach him how to sing? Satomi Oka, the 14-year-old leader of the school choir, certainly wasn’t keen on the idea. Yet, he can’t resist helping Kyoji Narita, and before he knows it, Satomi is spending his … →
"Mini Matsuri" children's entertainment
Sat 22/03/2025 – 3:15 PM
Following the Komaneko animation short films and the Kamishibai performance, a fun children’s afternoon has been planned in and around the Skoop Café in collaboration with Japanese exchange students from Ghent University, including traditional Japanese games, origami and even a kimono photoshoot: children can dress up in colorful kimonos, a unique opportunity to capture a … →
Komaneko (+ kamishibai)
Sat 22/03/2025 – 2:30 PM
As every year, the youth will be put in the spotlight on Saturday. This year, the children’s afternoon will start with a “historical” selection of Komaneko stop-motion short films. Komaneko – The First Step Komaneko – Hands-on Camera Koma and Radi-bo Radi-bo’s Battle Komaneko – A New Journey Komaneko follows the story of Komaneko, a … →
The Box Man
Fri 21/03/2025 – 10:00 PM
The Box Man is an intriguing and psychologically charged film that you won’t want to miss. Based on the famous novel by Kōbō Abe, director Gakuryū Ishii takes you into a world of self-exploration and identity. The story follows a man who literally hides his life in a cardboard box, concealing his identity and observing … →
Kanasando
Fri 21/03/2025 – 7:45 PM
忘んなよーや 忘んなよー Don’t forget. Don’t forget. 我ね思とんどー かなさんどー I think of you, my dearest. These words from the text of an Okinawan folk song by the same name beautifully capture the essence of Kanasando. When Mika returns to Okinawa after seven years to accompany her father, who is suffering from dementia, in his final days, she is … →