Welcome, friends, to the sixth annual Japanuary Challenge on Letterboxd!
What began as a way to explore and celebrate Japanese cinema together has become a cherished January tradition for film lovers around the world. Over the years, this challenge has grown into a community of curious, passionate, and thoughtful viewers—each of us finding new favorite films, directors, and even friends along the way.
How It Works
The challenge is simple: watch Japanese films throughout January.
This year’s list features 31 directors, offering a curated blend of canonical masters, cult figures, overlooked voices, and emerging talents. In addition, several bonus categories return for those looking to dive into specific genres, movements, or themes.
⭐️ The “official” goal: Watch 10 films from 10 different categories.
⭐️ But as always: follow your own path! This list is a guide, not a rulebook.
How to Participate
Pick any film from the 31 director categories, or swap in a selection from one of the bonus categories.
If you're just starting out, or you’re not sure where to begin with Japanese cinema, use the list as a loose roadmap.
Tag your reviews with "Japanuary2026" on Letterboxd to connect with others and make your journey discoverable.
Comment on, like, and engage with other participants’ reviews—we’re here to explore together!
What’s New for 2026
This year’s lineup features several new additions to the director list, including:
Mari Asato, Mika Ninagawa, Masato Harada, Masao Adachi, Rintaro, Takeshi Koike, Heinosuke Gosho, Yoji Yamada, Yūzō Kawashima, and Toshiharu Ikeda.
Two new categories include "Watch a Film Starring Tatsuya Nakadai" to honor the legendary actor following his passing in November 2025, and "Watch a Japanese Film Scored by Ryuichi Sakamoto" to honor the late composer on his birthday.
As always, I’ve tried to balance the list across eras and styles—featuring the historic, the radical, the genre-defying, and the quietly profound.
You’ll also find a growing collection of bonus categories (like LGBTQIA+ films, Cyberpunk, Pinku, Yakuza, Directed by Women, and more) to help you discover films beyond specific directors.
Celebrate Cinema Together
The beauty of Japanuary is in its shared experience: the late-night rewatches, the unexpected discoveries, the comments that help you see a film in a whole new light. It’s a reminder that cinema can challenge, comfort, thrill, and connect us—no matter where we are in the world.
So whether this is your first Japanuary or your sixth, welcome. Grab some tea or ramen 🍜, queue up a film, and let’s make Japanuary 2026 one to remember.
Happy viewing, and thank you all for being part of this growing tradition. ❤️
Japanuary 2026 Line-Up:
1. Shinya Tsukamoto (1/1/1960) or Teruo Ishii (1/1/1924 - 8/12/2005)
Tsukamoto (List position 1-5)
Ishii (List position 6-10)
2. Watch a Film Starring Tatsuya Nakadai (12/13/1932 - 11/8/2025)
(List position 11-15)
3. Masahiro Shinoda (3/9/1931 - 3/25/2025)
(List position 16-20)
4. Masato Harada (7/3/1949 - 12/8/2025)
(List position 21-25)
5. Hayao Miyazaki (1/5/1941)
(List position 26-30)
6. Lee Sang-il (1/6/1974)
(List position 31-35)
7. Yūzō Kawashima
(List position 36-40)
8. Hirokazu Kore-eda
(List position 41-45)
9. Nobuhiko Ōbayashi (1/9/1938 - 4/10/2020)
(List position 46-50)
10. Takashi Miike
(List position 51-55)
11. Toshiharu Ikeda
(List position 56-60)
12. Kinji Fukasaku (7/3/1930 - 1/12/2003)
(List position 61-65)
13. Shinji Sōmai (1/13/1948 - 9/9/2001)
(List position 66-70)
14. Toshiaki Toyoda
(List position 71-75)
15. Gakuryū Ishii (1/15/1957) or Nagisa Ōshima (3/31/1932 - 1/15/2013)
Ishii (List position 76-80)
Oshima (List position 81-85)
16. Masao Adachi
(List position 86-90)
17. Watch a Japanese film Scored by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1/17/1952 - 3/28/2023)
(List position 91-95)
18. Takeshi Kitano (1/18/1947)
(List position 96-100)
19. Mari Asato
(List position 101-105)
20. Mika Ninagawa
(List position 106-110)
21. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
(List position 111-115)
22. Rintaro (1/22/1941)
(List position 116-120)
23. Masaki Kobayashi
(List position 121-125)
24. Shunji Iwai (1/24/1963) or Heinosuke Gosho (1/24/1902 - 5/1/1981)
Iwaii (List position 126-130)
Gosho (List position 131-135)
25. Yasujirō Ozu
(List position 136-140)
26. Takeshi Koike (1/26/1968)
(List position 141-145)
27. Akira Kurosawa
(List position 146-150)
28. Hiroshi Teshigahara (1/28/1927 - 4/14/2001)
(List position 151-155)
29. Kenji Mizoguchi
(List position 156-160)
30. Mikio Naruse
(List position 161-165)
31. Yoji Yamada
(List position 166-170)
Bonus categories:
(Links will take you to other lists you can use as resources for finding films)
32. Anime List 1 and Anime List 2
(List position 171-185)
33. Pinku/Pink Violence List 1 and Pinku/Pink Violence List 2
(List position 186-195)
34. Samurai
(List position 196-205)
35. Japanese Horror (Not exclusively "J-Horror" films)
(List position 206-220)
36. Directed by Women
(List position 221-235)
37. Tokusatsu
(List position 236-250)
38. Short Film List 1 and Short Film List 2
(List position 251-260)
39. Documentary List 1 and Documentary List 2
(List position 261-270)
40. Cyberpunk List 1 and Cyberpunk List 2
(List position 271-280)
41. Yakuza
(List position 281-290)
42. LGBTQIA+ Films (For this linked list, sort to Japanese films)
(List position 291-300)
43. Recommendations from Ben
(List position 301-350)
Previously Featured Directors from Japanuary 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, & 2025, but not Japanuary 2026:
Kaneto Shindō, Katsuhito Ishii, Yasuzō Masumura, Kōji Wakamatsu, Shinji Aoyama, Satoshi Kon, Yoshishige Yoshida, Kon Ichikawa, Sion Sono, Naomi Kawase, Mamoru Oshii, Ishiro Honda, Yukiko Mishima, Miwa Nishikawa, Keisuke Kinoshita, Kinuyo Tanaka, Shohei Imamura, Seijun Suzuki, Hiroshi Shimizu, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, Koji Shiraishi, Juzo Itami, Hideo Gosha, Koreyoshi Kurahara, SABU, Naoko Ogigami, and Yuki Tanada.
