: Famous for his "low-angle" camera style and poignant domestic stories. His masterpiece, Tokyo Story (1953)

The NFAJ houses over 80,000 films, alongside millions of film-related items like posters, scripts, and production stills. Its collection spans the earliest surviving Japanese moving images to modern independent films.

Fans of specific studio styles and collectors of physical media restorations.

Navigating these archives requires a mix of physical and digital strategies. Use this quick roadmap to start your exploration:

Beyond high-art dramas, Criterion features Japanese noir, Godzilla kaiju marathons, and the iconic Zatoichi blind swordsman series.

What is your (online streaming or academic research databases)?

The National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ) is the country's only national institution dedicated specifically to the art of cinema. Formerly the National Film Center, it became an independent national museum in 2018.