Hello Kitty Cafe Truck at Ross Park Mall, October 4.

via @HellyKittyCafeTruck

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will return to Ross Park Mall on October 4.

Hello Pittsburgh! The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is returning to Ross Park Mall on Saturday, 10/4! Come say hello to us near The Cheesecake Factory & LL Bean between 10am-7pm and pick up some supercute treats & merch, while supplies last! See you there!

More information about the truck and its tours available via Sanrio. Ross Park Mall is located in Ross Township in the North Hills, just off McKnight Road (map).

First batch of films for 2025 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, running September 20 through 28, announced.

SCREENSHOT has announced the first batch of films for its 2025 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival, running from September 20 through 28. The initial lineup consists of 12 films, with more to be announced later, including

• A Better Tomorrow (英雄本色) - 4K restoration of 1986 Hong Kong film
• A Useful Ghost (ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ) - 2025, Thailand
• Blue Sun Palace (蓝色太阳宫) - 2024, United States
• Daughter's Daughter (女兒的女兒) - 2024, Taiwan
• Missing Child Videotape (ミッシング・チャイルド・ビデオテープ) - 2024, Japan
• Mixed Modern (ミックスモダン) - 2025, Japan
• Pavane for an Infant (搖籃凡世) - 2024, Malaysia
• The Botanist (植物学家) - 2025, China
• Winter in Sokcho - 2024, France

Ticket and showtime information will be announced later, with screenings to be held around Oakland and the downtown Cultural District. SCREENSHOT: ASIA, which puts on the annual festival along with other Asian programming,

is a joint project from the Film and Media Studies Program and the Asian Studies Center that brings together students, faculty, and community members to create a shared awareness of Asian and Asian American experiences through contemporary film and media. Using film, video, and other on-screen arts, the series provides a forum to learn about Asian art, whether it is a classic work of cinema, a film by an emerging director, or a documentary addressing contemporary social concerns. The programming allows us to reflect on the importance of visual arts, current arts technology, and the place of cultural experiences in a global educational experience.

2008 Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) in Pittsburgh, from August 23.

The 2008 Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) will play in Pittsburgh from August 23 through 27, part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2025.

Ponyo is a spunky little goldfish who swims to the beat of her own tune. One day, Ponyo escapes the grip of her overbearing father and is found washed ashore by a human boy named Sosuke. But when Ponyo makes a wish to become human herself, she throws the entire balance of nature into turmoil. With direction from Academy Award® winner Hayao Miyazaki and a delightful score from Golden Globes® nominee Joe Hisaishi, Ponyo’s whimsical narrative and popping colors are masterfully woven with resonant themes of environmental preservation and self-actualization.

It plays locally at the Waterworks Cinema, the Chartiers Valley Luxury + PTX, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online; please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Oakland's Smile Thai & Sushi closes.

Smile Thai & Sushi, which opened in October 2024 in the spot formerly occupied by Spice Island Tea House, appears to have closed over the summer. It opened with great fanfare, replacing the 29-year-old restaurant Spice Island, but was beset by poor health inspection reports and bad reviews.

Free "We Learn: Basic Japanese Language and Culture," Fridays at downtown Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, from October 3.

"Osaka, Japan" by Pedro Szekely (Creative Commons).

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's downtown branch will host "We Learn: Basic Japanese Language and Culture" on Fridays from October 3 through November 7, after the previous session ended on June 6.

Enjoy learning the basics of the Japanese language and culture from a certified, native Japanese instructor. We will learn greetings, etiquette and manners, survival phrases for traveling to Japan, visiting interesting tourist locations, and ordering food and shopping. We will also learn reading and writing – Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, Emoji, Anime and Manga. Each session is designed to be interactive and fun. The agenda can vary based on the interests of the students.

 

We Learn groups are volunteer-facilitated peer learning groups. We Learn Groups meet in person but use a hybrid model with online learning materials. This Group meets on Fridays: Oct 3, Oct 10, Oct 17, Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 7.

Registration is required and can be completed online. The classes run from 11:00 am, and the library is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

2025 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編) in Pittsburgh area, from September 11.

The 2025 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from September 11.

The Demon Slayer Corps plunge into Infinity Castle to defeat Muzan. However, the remaining Hashiras and the Demon Slayers who survived Tanjiro's Final Selection are pitted against the remaining members of the Twelve Kizuki first.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Classic Westmoreland and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, and the North Hills. Tickets are available online.

Moochi & You, a new dessert place featuring mochi donuts, corndogs, and boba, set to open August 15 in Bellevue.

Moochi & You, an Asian dessert place, is set to open in Bellevue tomorrow. It will be located at 601 Lincoln Ave. (map), in what was most recently Valkyrie Doughnuts.

The shop, located in the heart of the neighborhood, will feature donuts as well as Korean corn hot dogs. Also on the menu will be classic boba, also known as bubble tea, a popular Asian drink that often consists of a milky sweet tea and tapioca pearl balls.

Moochi & You will offer a variety of flavors.

Moochi & You uses Ghirardelli chocolates and top the donuts with pistachios, Oreos and other goodies. The hot dogs are all beef and they have spicy options.

Also on the menu will be coffee and different tea flavors. All of the tea is brewed fresh. The fresh milk tea is made with organic whole milk.

Signage went up earlier this summer. The Moochi & You owner was one of the co-founders of China Star in the North Hills, which expanded to a second location in Squirrel Hill that eventually rebranded to become Sichuan Gourmet.

Tickets still remain for "Joe Hisaishi Conducts the PSO," September 13 and 14.

Japanese conductor and composter Joe Hisaishi will conduct the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) on September 13 and 14.

Globally renowned award-winning composer, musical director, conductor and pianist, Joe Hisaishi, make his long-awaited debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Hisaishi, who is best known for his epic concert works as well as enchanting film scores, takes to the podium to conduct his own compositions including a new concert version of music from the 2023 Golden-Globe winning Studio Ghibli Film, “The Boy and the Heron,” and the US Premiere of Hisaishi’s work, The End of the World. The PSO will be joined onstage by the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.

The suite The End of the World by Joe Hisaishi was inspired by his visit to New York in the fall of 2007. He began composing the work in 2008. The suite explores the theme of "anxiety and chaos" resulting from the collapse of world order and values caused by the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Joe Hisaishi says : “I am honored to join Pittsburgh Symphony this Fall for the first time. The centre of the concert, my End of the World Suite was written for the people of the USA and I’m excited to make the US premiere of this work in Pittsburgh alongside pieces that reflect on this mood as well as new music which I hope this audience will enjoy”

The performances will be September 13 at 7:30 pm and September 14 at 2:30 pm at Heinz Hall in downtown's Cultural District (map). Tickets are available online.

1963 Japanese film High and Low (天国と地獄) in Pittsburgh, August 14 to 20.

The 1963 Japanese film High and Low (天国と地獄) will play in Pittsburgh from August 14 through 20, the third in a series of five classic Kurosawa films at the Harris Theater July through September.

Shoe company exec Toshiro Mifune is in the midst of a mortgage-everything takeover battle when the phone rings with a giant ransom demand for his son — but then in walks... Adapted from an Ed McBain 87th Precinct novel, this is the ultimate kidnap movie, with Kurosawa at the peak of his filmmaking powers: moral battles rage in a first hour almost totally confined to a single room jammed with distraught family, cynical advisers, and recorder-wielding cops led by super-cool detective Tatsuya Nakadai; the de rigueur money transfer aboard the Shinkansen (bullet train); sweaty police conferences shot in deep focus; a near-invisible drug pass in a jammed dance hall; and the jailhouse interview punctuated by the heaviest steel door closing in film history. High and Low is a virtuoso work that’s also a deeply moral one, exploring the meaning of “justice” in a society defined by vast economic disparity.

Tickets for the film are available online. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

University of Pittsburgh to host Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) in December.

The University of Pittsburgh will host the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on December 7, offering a rare opportunity for test-takers in and around western Pennsylvania. Registration is set to open August 13 for the highest level, N!, with other levels to open throughout the month.

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) was developed in Japan, and has been offered since 1984 in countries all around the world as a means of evaluating the proficiency of non-native learners of Japanese.

1988 film Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) in Pittsburgh, August 10 - 12.

The 1988 film Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from August 10 through 12, the next installment of Ghibli Fest 2025. A synopsis, from the distributor:

When an American air raid kills their mother in the final days of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his 4-year-old sister Setsuko are left to fend for themselves in the devastated Japanese countryside. After falling out with their only living relative, Seita does his best to provide for himself and his sister by stealing food and making a home in an abandoned bomb shelter. But with food running short, the siblings can only cling to fleeting moments of happiness in their harsh reality.

Based on the personal accounts of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki, Grave of the Fireflies is hailed as one of the most stunning contributions to animation and cinematic history. Deftly depicting the beauty of the human spirit as well as its devastating cruelty, Grave of the Fireflies is a singular work of art from Academy Award-nominated director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, Waterworks Cinema, Chartiers Valley Luxury 14, and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

1959 film Hiroshima mon amour in Pittsburgh, August 10.

Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace will host a screening of the 1959 film Hiroshima mon amour on August 10.

A special screening hosted by Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace, a group dedicated to creating events that commemorate the tragic atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This screening will feature a short introduction by the group, and following the screening they will host a panel discussion.

A cornerstone of the French New Wave, the first feature from Alain Resnais is one of the most influential films of all time. A French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) and a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada) engage in a brief, intense affair in postwar Hiroshima, their consuming mutual fascination impelling them to exorcise their own scarred memories of love and suffering. With an innovative flashback structure and an Academy Award–nominated screenplay by novelist Marguerite Duras, Hiroshima Mon Amour is a moody masterwork that delicately weaves past and present, personal pain and public anguish.

It plays at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online.

2024 Japanese film Cloud (クラウド) in Pittsburgh, August 15 - 21.

The 2024 Japanese film Cloud (クラウド) will play in Pittsburgh from Auguat 15 through 21.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Pulse) delivers one of his most chillingly prescient films with this riveting fusion of social satire, techno-thriller, and survival-action. Yoshii (Masaki Suda), a T-shirt factory worker, supplements his income by flipping merchandise online—dubious medical devices, counterfeit designer handbags, collectible figurines—until disgruntled customers begin organizing against him on an anonymous message board. As his profits grow and he quits his day job (even hiring an assistant), he becomes the target of a coordinated vendetta that ratchets into something increasingly brutal, absurd, yet eerily plausible. At once a pulse-pounding provocation and a cautionary tale for our atomized, hustle-economy era, Cloud—Japan’s official submission for the 97th Oscars—is a genre-bending vision of virtual grievances mutating into real-world terror, orchestrated with Kurosawa’s signature precision and nerve.

It plays at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online.

Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) in 4K, in Pittsburgh-area theaters from August 13.

The 2016 Japanese movie Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) will play in 4K in Pittsburgh-area theaters from August 13.

Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves. The government scrambles to assemble a task force to research and combat the monster. The next morning, an envoy from the US Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents bearing the name: “GODZILLA.” From visionary directors Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno, Shin Godzilla offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid-fire dialogue, Shin Godzilla is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.

It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theater in Robinson and the AMC Westmoreland 15 in Greensburg, and tickets are available online.

Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar in Cranberry to hold Grand Opening today, August 4.

Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar in Cranberry, which ran its soft opening from July 23 through August 3, will hold its Grand Opening today, August 4, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. It is located in the Cranberry Mall spot formerly occupied by Lumberjaxes Axe Throwing (map).

Welcome to Togyu Asian Barbecue & Bar—Pittsburgh’s premier destination for refined Korean and Japanese-style barbecue. Conceived by two brothers with a profound appreciation for the artistry of authentic Asian cuisine, Togyu was born from a desire to introduce an elevated culinary experience unlike any other in the city.

Drawing inspiration from the vibrant dining culture of cities like Seoul and Tokyo, we’ve curated an environment where elegance meets tradition.

Guests are invited to indulge in the highest quality Angus Prime beef, expertly paired with the freshest locally sourced vegetables, all prepared to perfection at the table. Every detail is designed to enhance the senses—from the richness of the ingredients to the ambiance that surrounds each meal.

Initially announced in March, it is one of several all-you-can-eat Korean-style BBQ places announced for the Pittsburgh area in the last couple years, but the first for Cranberry.

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginner Workshop, August 10.

Pittsburgh Taiko is offering several beginner workshops this late-summer and fall, the first being Sunday, August 10.

Try taiko drumming with Pittsburgh Taiko!

Pittsburgh Taiko is offering several beginner workshops this fall. They’re designed for people who just want to give taiko a try, or folks who might be interested in joining our performing group. 

No experience is necessary! 

Taiko combines energetic hits with calm focus, balances group unity with individual expression, and requires both power and subtlety.  

Each workshop is a 3-hour introduction to taiko, including some taiko history and culture and focusing on hands-on basics. You’ll learn how to stand, how to hit, and some simple patterns that come together to make a percussion melody.  

Workshops are from 11 am to 2 pm at our studio in Bellevue. The workshops are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older). 

Our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.

Please read the information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes before registering.

Sessions are $40 for the general public and $30 for JASP members and students. Registration may be completed online. The studio is located at 2 N. Balph Ave., second floor in Bellevue (map).

4K restoration of 1957 Kurosawa film Throne of Blood (蜘蛛巣城) in Pittsburgh, August 9 and 10.

The 1957 Kurosawa film Throne of Blood (蜘蛛巣城) will play in Pittsburgh on August 9 and 10, the second in a series of five classic Kurosawa films at the Harris Theater July through September.

A vivid,visceral Macbeth adaptation, THRONE OF BLOOD, directed by Akira Kurosawa, sets Shakespeare’s definitive tale of ambition and duplicity in a ghostly, fog-enshrouded landscape in feudal Japan. As a hardened warrior who rises savagely to power, Toshiro Mifune gives a remarkable, animalistic performance, as does Isuzu Yamada as his ruthless wife. THRONE OF BLOOD fuses classical Western tragedy with formal elements taken from Noh theater to create an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Tickets for the film are available online. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto in Pittsburgh, October 3.

Guitarist and composer Hiroya Tsukamoto will perform at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh on October 3.

Hiroya Tsukamoto (https://hiroyatsukamoto.com/) is a one-of-a-kind composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan. He began playing the five-string banjo when he was thirteen, and took up the guitar shortly after.

In 2000, Hiroya received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the United States. He formed his own group in Boston “INTEROCEANICO (inter-oceanic)” which consists of unique musicians from different continents including Latin Grammy Colombian singer Marta Gomez. The group released three acclaimed records (“The Other Side of the World”, “Confluencia” and “Where the River Shines”). Hiroya has released five solo albums.

Hiroya has been leading concerts internationally including several appearances at Blue Note(NYC), United Nations and Japanese National Television(NHK). Hiroya is a two time 2nd place winner of International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship in 2018 and 2022.

“…chops, passion and warmth. Zealously recommended!” -Jazz Review.com

“The fingerpicking is delicate, fluid, and beautifully detailed” -Acoustic Guitar Magazine

More detail will be available at uusongspace.com as the date nears.

Ticket information will follow. The First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh is located at 605 Morewood Ave. in Shadyside (map).

Umai Thai & Sushi coming soon to Bellevue.

Umai Thai & Sushi is coming soon to Bellevue. It will open at 172 Lincoln Ave (map), in the spot occupied by Thai Tamarind until it relocated to 513 Lincoln Ave., a few blocks away, and rebranded as Thai Tamarind Noodle & Rice in June. A menu is available online but the restaurant, which draws its name from a Japanese word meaning delicious, isn't aiming to open until the fall.

Fujiya Ramen to open location in Robinson.

Fujiya Ramen, a Japanese ramen restaurant located in Shadyside, is planning to open a second location in Robinson. It will be located at 210 McHolme Dr (map), in what was the home of the Sushi Atarashi revolving sushi restaurant from September 2024 to January 2025. Fujiya Ramen, says the official site,

is the result of a passion for Japanese cuisine and collaboration between father and son, Minoru and Zen Yoshida. Minoru worked for more than 40 years making delicious ramen in both Tokyo and its surrounding Japanese prefectures. When he began his business in Tokyo in the 1960’s, ramen at the time only cost $1.40. Minoru’s business has come very far as his dream of opening a ramen shop in America has finally come true. We hope you will enjoy our family’s authentic ramen every time you visit.