Welcome, friends, to the fifth annual Japanuary Challenge on Letterboxd! What started as an initiative to celebrate Japanese cinema has blossomed into a cherished tradition for film enthusiasts worldwide. Each year, we come together to explore, discover, and share our love for the artistry, creativity, and cultural richness of Japanese cinema.

How It Works
This challenge is simple: immerse yourself in Japanese cinema by watching films throughout January. This year, the list features 31 directors and bonus categories, offering an exciting mix of the classic, contemporary, and experimental. The goal is to watch at least 10 films from 10 different categories, but as always, feel free to tailor the challenge to your schedule and interests.

How to Participate
Pick films from the 31 director categories or substitute them with selections from the bonus categories. If you'd like to approach the challenge differently, feel free to watch any Japanese films you'd like - these lists, in truth, are just a guideline for those less familiar with Japanese cinema! Other than that, please share your journey by tagging reviews with “Japanuary2025” on Letterboxd and engage with the community by reading, commenting on, and liking others’ reviews!

What's New for 2025
Fresh additions to the director lineup include: Juzo Itami, SABU, Koreyoshi Kurahara, Koji Shiraishi, Naoko Ogigami, Yuki Tanada, and Hideo Gosha.

As always, I try to create a list that balances a mix of lesser-known directors, the greats, and modern voices in Japanese cinema.

There are also curated bonus categories for those looking to branch beyond individual filmmakers and dive deeper into genres, themes, or cultural movements.

Celebrate Cinema Together
The beauty of Japanuary, in my experience and opinion, lies in its ability to bring us together through the shared joy of cinema. Take this opportunity to explore new genres, discover directors you’ve never seen before, or revisit old favorites with fresh eyes. Let’s honor Japanese cinema’s incredible legacy while continuing to champion the filmmakers shaping its future.

So grab your popcorn (or ramen 🍜), settle in, and let’s make Japanuary 2025 a month to remember.

Happy viewing, and thank you for keeping this tradition alive! ❤️

Japanuary 2025 Line-Up:

1. Shinya Tsukamoto (1/1/1960)

2. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

3. Koji Shiraishi

4. Takashi Miike

5. Hayao Miyazaki (1/5/1941)

6. Juzo Itami

7. Hideo Gosha

8. Koreyoshi Kurahara

9. Nobuhiko Ōbayashi (1/9/1938 — 4/10/2020)

10. Seijun Suzuki

11. Shōhei Imamura

12. Kinji Fukasaku (7/3/1930 — 1/12/2003)

13. Shinji Sōmai (1/13/1948 — 9/9/2001)

14. Masahiro Shinoda

15. Gakuryū Ishii (1/15/1957)

16. Nagisa Ōshima (3/31/1932 — 1/15/2013)

17. Toshiaki Toyoda

18. Takeshi Kitano (1/18/1947)

19. SABU

20. Hirokazu Koreeda

21. Ryūsuke Hamaguchi

22. Naoko Ogigami

23. Yuki Tanada

24. Shunji Iwai (1/24/1963)

25. Yasujirō Ozu

26. Akira Kurosawa

27. Masaki Kobayashi

28. Hiroshi Teshigahara (1/28/1927 — 4/14/2001)

29. Hiroshi Shimizu

30. Kenji Mizoguchi

31. Mikio Naruse

Bonus categories:

32. Anime (156-180)
33. Pinku/Pink Violence (181-190)
34. Samurai (191-200)
35. J-Horror (201-220)
36. Directed by Women (221-250)
37. Tokusatsu (251-270)
38. Short film (271-280)
39. Documentary (281-290)
40. Cyberpunk (291-300)
41. Yakuza (301-310)
42. LGBTQIA+ Films (311-320) (For the linked list, sort to Japanese films)
43. Recommendations from Ben (321-350)

Featured Directors for Japanuary 2021, Japanuary 2022, Japanuary 2023, Japanuary 2024, but not Japanuary 2025:

Kaneto Shindō, Katsuhito Ishii, Yasuzō Masumura, Kōji Wakamatsu, Shinji Aoyama, Satoshi Kon, Yoshishige Yoshida, Kon Ichikawa, Sion Sono, Naomi Kawase, Teruo Ishii (1/1/1924 — 8/12/2005), Mamoru Oshii, Ishiro Honda, Yukiko Mishima, Miwa Nishikawa, Keisuke Kinoshita, Kinuyo Tanaka.