Welcome to the first of three trailer posts.
The next two posts will follow over the next two days.
Well, I’m planning on watching and reviewing a diverse selection of films in the run-up to the spring festival season. I’ve got to put together a preview of the 2025 edition of the Japan Foundation’s Touring Film Programme to go out next week as well, so that’s immediately on the horizon for this blog.
What are the first trailers for this week?
The Solitary Gourmet Movie 
劇映画 孤独のグルメ 「Gekieiga Kodoku no Gurume」
Release Date: January 10th, 2025
Duration: 110 mins.
Director: Yutaka Matsushige
Writer: Yutaka Matsushige, Yoshihiro Taguchi (Screenplay), Masayuki Qusumi, Jiro Taniguchi (Original Manga),
Starring: Yutaka Matsushige, Yuki Uchida, Anne Watanabe, Joe Odagiri,
Website Twitter: @tx_kodokugurume IMDB
Since making his debut as the scary sumo wrestling serial killer in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s The Guard from Underground (1992), Yutaka has carved out a career as a supporting actor in a huge variety of films.
One constant in his career is the long-running TV adaptation of the Solitary Gourmet manga wherein he plays a businessman visiting small real-life eateries to try out specialties. It was first broadcast on TV Tokyo in 2012 and reached its 10th season in 2023. I tapped out after two seasons but it has its charm for relaxing a viewer with its dry comedy and epicurean interests. Matsushige finally takes the show to the silver screen in a project that marks his debut as a feature film director.
This was first screened at Busan 2024.
Synopsis: Goro, a travelling salesman who enjoys delicious food in various restaurants across Japan, goes international when the daughter of an old friend asks him to track down his favourite soup before he dies. Goro goes abroad to France and South Korea in his search.
Salaryman Kintaro Akatsuki-hen 
サラリーマン金太郎【暁】編 「Sarari-man Kintaro Akatsuki-hen」
Release Date: January 10th, 2024
Duration: 101 mins.
Director: Ten Shimoyama
Writer: Shinichi Tanaka (Screenplay), Hiroshi Motomiya (Original Manga),
Starring: Nobuyuki Suzuki, Yu Shirota, Nicole Ishida, Ayane, Yuka Kageyama, Atsuko Asano,
Website Twitter: @s_kintaro_movie
This is the first part of a two-part film adaptation of Hiroshi Motomiya’s classic manga “Salaryman Kintaro, and it was directed by Ten Shimoyama (St. John’s Wort).
Synopsis: Kintaro Yajima is a businessman with a difference: in a past life he was the former leader of a motorcyle gang. He was also a tuna fisherman! He brings his wild style to the world of business in the Japan of now.
366 Days 
366日 「366-nichi」
Release Date: January 10th, 2024
Duration: 89 mins.
Director: Takehiko Shinjo
Writer: Kaho Fukuda (Screenplay),
Starring: Eiji Akaso, Moka Kamishiraishi, Tina Tamashiro, Junpei Mizobata, Tetta Sugimoto, Kurumi Inagaki, Hikari Ishida,
Website Twitter: @366movie IMDB
The film found life in a song of the same name by the Okinawan band “HY” and was developed into a love story that spans 20 years and is set in Okinawa and Tokyo. Lead actors Eiji Akachu and Moeka Kamishiraishi portray their characters from their teen years to their 30s.
Synopsis: Aspiring musician Minato and a girl named Miu meet in their high school in Okinawa. He might be a couple of years older than her but when they discover that they love the same music, they fall in love with each other. When, Minato’s mother dies from a disease, Miu is the one who encourages him to keep chasing his dream and go to a university in Tokyo and, two years later, Miu follows him to pursue her own dream of becoming an interpreter. It looks like their happiness will last but, one day, Minato suddenly breaks up with Miu and disappears.
Omi Mission Negai to Inori to Yorokobi To
近江ミッション 願いと 祈りと 喜びと 「Omi Misshon Negai to Inori to Yorokobi To」
Release Date: January 10th, 2024
Duration: 100 mins.
Director: Masayuki Mozobuchi
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: This is a documentary looking at hospice care at the Vories Memorial Hospital in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. Director Mizobuchi had previously filmed a documentary there which was released in 2013. In his latest one, he looks at the changes following COVID on top of how staff and patients go about their days. The hospital is also renowned for its architecture, it seems.