2026 Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival opens on March 13 with two screenings of TAMALA 2010: A Punk Cat in Space.

The 2026 Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival opens on March 13 at the Row House Lawrenceville with two screenings of the 2002 animated film TAMALA 2010: A Punk Cat in Space.

Opening night of the Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival is for cats… and boy do we have a title for you this year!

“Japanese art collective t.o.L. (Tree of Life) have taken the hipster kitsch of Hello Kitty to a delirious extreme.”
-LA Weekly

Tamala is a cat living on Planet Cat Earth in the Feline Galaxy. In attempt to leave the Feline Galaxy, which is practically owned by a mega corporation called Catty & Co., she crashes on the violence-ridden Planet Q where she meets Michelangelo. Together they have fun, while Tamala searches for her connections to Catty & Co. and her mysterious homeworld Orion.

Opening night tickets include:
– Gift bags
-A welcome drink
– Popcorn with a full bar of sweet/savory Japanese toppings

Tickets are available online. The festival runs from March 13 through March 26 at the Row House Lawrenceville, a single-screen theater at 4115 Butler St. (map).

4K restoration of 1989 Japanese animated movie Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) in Pittsburgh, from March 12.

A 4K restoration of 1989 Japanese animated movie Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) will play in the Pittsburgh area from March 12.

It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. Don’t miss this delightfully imaginative and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world[.]

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets went on sale today.

Omakase at Okane Sushi downtown now open.

Photos via taken by Tran Le and sent by management.

The omakase service at Okane Sushi, a new sushi restaurant downtown, is now open. Omakase is a higher-end sushi dining experience where the chef decides the menu.

Our Omakase experience is now available for guests seeking something truly special. Omakase is a curated tasting where our chef selects the freshest fish and seasonal ingredients of the day. Each course is thoughtfully prepared and served to highlight balance, flavor, and craftsmanship. Join us for an intimate dining experience that celebrates the art of sushi.

Prices range from $88 to upwards of $188, and can be reserved online. 

Okane Sushi opened in January at 245 4th Ave. downtown (map). Its omakase space is on the second floor, above the first-floor restaurant featuring sushi tacos and other Japanese dishes and appetizers.

Spring Semester Kpop Drop-in Classes at Yanlai Dance Academy, starting April 25.

Yanlai Dance Academy will hold its Spring Semester Kpop Drop-in Classes Saturdays from April 25 through June 6. These courses are classified Level 2 and are for beginner/intermediate-level students. Classes run 5:45 to 7:15 pm, and the cost is $20 per drop-in class or $120 for all seven in the semester.

Yanlai Dance Academy is a dance school in the North Hills that has long specialized in traditional and contemporary Chinese dances for all ages, as well hosting as Kpop sessions and adult dance troupes. It is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. (map).

2025 Amy Wang film Slanted returns to Pittsburgh, from March 12.

The 2025 Amy Wang film Slanted will play in Pittsburgh from March 12.

As a senior in high school, Joan Huang idolizes winning Prom Queen as the embodiment of popularity, beauty and the ultimate form of acceptance into American life. In her relentless pursuit for the crown, she undergoes an experimental racial transformation to become White and win Prom Queen. However, what she thought was a dream come true soon reveals itself to be an emotional and physical nightmare. "Slanted" offers a searing and unapologetically satirical view on race and the uncomfortable journey of learning to love yourself and your culture.

It played in Pittsburgh on November 12 as part of the 2025 Three Rivers Film Festival. It plays locally now at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Matsuri 2026 with the Japanese Student Association at Pitt, March 21.

The Japanese Student Association at the University of Pittsburgh will host Matsuri 2026 on March 21.

🌸 Matsuri 2026 🌸

Our biggest event of the spring semester is finally here!! 🌷

Our theme for Matsuri this year is Sanrio! 💞Please come to see all of the cute decorations 🎨 made by our wonderful committee! 💗

Get excited for a night of student performances 💃🏻, games 🎯, FREE snacks and sushi 🍣, and a performance by the one and only @takayoshimusic !!!

The event is open to everyone! We can’t wait to see you there! 🌸💕

🩷 Details 🩷
Date: 3/21
Time: 4-7pm
Location: WPU Assembly & Kurtzman

It runs 4 to 7:00 pm in the Assembly and Kurtzman rooms on the 1st floor of the William Pitt Union (map).  

Kraze Kpop Night in Pittsburgh, from You Had 2 Be There, March 21.

City Winery Pittsburgh will host Kraze Kpop, from You Had 2 Be There, on March 21.

City Winery Pittsburgh presents KRAZE KPOP live on Saturday, March 21st, part of a multi-show series. Please note this event is 18+.

Dance to your favorite KPOP songs all night long at City Winery Pittsburgh! Party all night to your favorite hits from BTS, BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, TWICE, NCT, NewJeans, and more! Local dance cover groups will also be taking the stage throughout the night.

Doors open at 4:30 pm and the show starts at 6:00 pm. Tickets are available online, ranging in price from $18 to $35, though there is an additional $25 food & beverage minimum. City Winery Pittsburgh is located at 1627 Smallman St. in the Strip District Terminal (map).

Studio Ghibli Series at Rangos Giant Cinema, in the Kamin Science Center, from May 1.

Rangos Giant Cinema will screen five Japanese animated movies from Studio Ghibli Fridays in May, starting with My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) on May 1.

• May 1 - My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ)  In post-war Japan, sisters Satsuke and Mei move into an old, rural home with their father while their mother recovers from an illness in the hospital. The two explore the wonders and curiosities of their new home, making friends with the mysterious and playful spirits that share the environment.
• May 8 - Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) Welcome to a world where anything is possible. Hayao Miyazaki’s “Ponyo” is a visual delight and narrative joy, following the story of Sosuke and the friendship he forges with a goldfish unlike any other – and now you have the chance to be immersed in the ocean of colors like never before with a special screening at the Rangos Giant Cinema 
• May 15 - Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) The peace between humankind, animals, and gods is at risk of collapsing when a young prince begins a journey to find the cure for a curse placed upon him. This misadventure leads to miscommunication as he struggles to bring peace between an industrial town and the mysterious Princess Mononoke. 
• May 22 - The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) The enchanting legacy of Studio Ghibli continues with the newest addition to their catalogue of masterpieces. “The Boy and the Heron” takes us on a magical and surreal journey through a world beyond our own as young Mahito Maki battles grief and loss with his unusual guide, a talking gray heron. 
• May 29 - Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) In Hayao Miyazaki’s unforgettable film, “Spirited Away,” audiences are transported with Chihiro to an otherworldly bath house occupied by strange spirits. Join her on her journey to reunite with her parents and return to her own world

All movies start at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available online. The Kamin Science Center, formerly known as the Carnegie Science Center, is located at 1 Allegheny Ave. on the North Shore (map).

American Chinese restaurant Dragon City coming soon to Bellevue, replacing Dragon Town.

American Chinese restaurant Dragon City is coming soon to Bellevue. It will be located at 503 Lincoln Ave. (map), what was previously the home of Dragon Town.

Hello, Bellevue! 👋
​The secret is officially out! We are thrilled to join the neighborhood and bring a fresh spark to the local food scene. Dragon City is officially on the way to 503 Lincoln Ave! 🐉✨
​We are currently hard at work perfecting our menu and getting the kitchen fired up to bring you the best American Chinese comfort food in town. 🥡🧧🐎
​📅 Current Goal: Opening in the beginning of April
Will be Available on Grubhub, Doordash, Ubereats, Ezcater 饭团外卖Fantuan, 熊猫外卖HungryPanda

GNARLY: A K-pop Dance Night, March 21 at Bottlerocket Social Hall.

Bottlerocket will present "GNARLY: A K-pop Dance Night" on March 21.

🤔 They could describe this dance party with one single word... you know?

Calling all 💖INTERNET GIRLS💖 to the dance floor because everything’s GNARLY at this dance party! It’s a KPOP and global pop night heavily featuring your favorite LADIES OF KPOP!

DJ Rodeo Starr spins....KATSEYE, JENNIE, BLACKPINK, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, BABYMONSTER and MORE!!!! 💞

It’s only $5 to party, but you must be 21+.

Don’t be so out of TOUCH.... see you at GNARLY!🤮

The 21+ event starts at 10:00 pm and tickets are available online. Bottlerocket Social Hall is located at 1226 Arlington Ave. in the Allentown neighborhood (map).