2025 Japanese movie 100 Meters (ひゃくえむ) in Pittsburgh, October 12 - 14.

The upcoming Japanese film 100 Meters (ひゃくえむ), to be released in Japan on September 19, will play in Pittsburgh October 12 through 14. A synopsis, from the distributor GKids:

100 METERS follows Togashi, a track star who is born to run. As a kid, he is naturally gifted and wins every 100-meter race without effort. But in sixth grade, he meets Komiya, a transfer student who is full of determination but lacks technique. In teaching him, Togashi gives Komiya a new purpose: to win no matter what. Years pass by, and Togashi and Komiya meet again as rivals on the track and reveal their true selves

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are available online. THe October 12 and 14 shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while the October 13 shows are dubbed in English.

2025 Japanese animated movie Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl (ヴァージン・パンク) in Pittsburgh, November 11 and 13.

The 2025 Japanese animated movie Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl (ヴァージン・パンク) will play in the Pittsburgh area on November 11 and 13.

Conditions for Receiving Bounty: Bring the brain of a wanted criminal possessing illegal Somadea to the authorities. Whether the target is alive or dead… is irrelevant. The year 2099. Humanity has overcome all injury and illness with the development of Medical Android Technology “Somadea.” Somadea grants superior physical, but by illegally modifying it, Somadea can be misused for criminal purposes. To handle these crimes, the government established the Bounty Hunter System. Registered civilians can kill wanted criminals and are rewarded with large bounties. In this unforgiving world, Ubu Kamigori hunts criminals as a bounty hunter. But one day, waiting in her home is the man she shares a sordid history with—Mr. Elegance. And so, her destiny begins to unravel. A tale woven by mechanical girls and gunpowder smoke, this suspenseful action begins! Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes content from Director Yasuomi Umetsu and SHAFT Animation Studio in theaters only!

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Westmoreland, and the Cinemarkt theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

2025 Japanese animated movie Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (劇場版 チェンソーマン レゼ篇) in Pittsburgh, from October 23.

The 2025 Japanese animated movie Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (劇場版 チェンソーマン レゼ篇) will play in the Pittsburgh area, from October 23.

For the first time, Chainsaw Man slashes his way onto the big screen in an epic, action-fueled adventure that continues the hugely popular anime series. Denji worked as a Devil Hunter for the yakuza, trying to pay off the debt he inherited from his parents, until the yakuza betrayed him and had him killed. As he was losing consciousness, Denji’s beloved chainsaw-powered devil-dog, Pochita, made a deal with Denji and saved his life. This fused the two together, creating the unstoppable Chainsaw Man. Now, in a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies, a mysterious girl named Reze has stepped into his world, and Denji faces his deadliest battle yet, fueled by love in a world where survival knows no rules.

At this point showtimes and tickets have been announced only for the Cinemark in Monroeville. Shows from the 23rd are in Japanese with English subtitles, while select shows on the 24th, 25th, and 26th are dubbed in English.

4K restoration of 1997 Satoshi Kon film Perfect Blue (パーフェクトブルー) in Pittsburgh area, from October 3.

A new 4K restoration of the 1997 Japanese animated film Perfect Blue (パーフェクトブルー) will play in Pittsburgh from October 3 through October 8.

“Who are...you?” Mima Kirigoe, a former pop idol, makes a bold transition into acting, taking on a role in a drama that includes a disturbing assault scene, and even releasing a provocative nude photo book. Her dramatic reinvention grabs public attention, but also provokes unease among her fans, her manager, and even herself as she struggles with the rapid shift from her days as a pop idol. As a stalker begins to shadow her, a screenwriter and a photographer are murdered one after another. "Did I kill them?" Mima begins to wonder if a split personality is gradually taking over, just like the character that she plays in the drama. Then "the other Mima" the pop idol who was supposed to have "graduated," appears in front of her…

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

2025 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編) stays in Pittsburgh area through (at least) October 9.

The 2025 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編), which opened in Pittsburgh-area theaters on September 11, will stay here through (at least) October 9.

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 at many local theaters, including the Waterworks Cinemas, the AMC theaters in Waterfront and South Hills, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and North Hills. Tickets, and a real-time listing of theaters, are available online.

Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 hiring a Japanese teacher.

Pittsburgh Obama 6-12, a public middle and high school in East Liberty, is hiring a Japanese teacher. The job ad is not especially descripted for this particular role, but is as follows; those interested in applying should do so via the posting:

The position of teacher is directly supervised by the School Principal and is responsible for effectively educating and supporting students by ensuring they are learning academically, developing strong character, and gaining skills that prepare them for college and career. The teacher is responsible for planning lessons that target specific skills, managing classroom behavior, and engaging students in lessons. The position of teacher cultivates student’s interest in education and incorporates culturally responsive pedagogy into their classroom.

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).

Phipps Conservatory Fall Flower Show "Visions of Japan" opens October 4 and runs through October 26.

The Fall Flower Show "Visions of Japan" opens October 4 at Phipps.

Starting Sat., Oct. 4, Phipps’ Fall Flower Show: Visions of Japan celebrates the prominence of the chrysanthemum in Japanese culture through vibrant autumnal displays. Mums in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors will be presented alongside evocative props including jewel-toned fans, a moon gate, a pagoda, foot bridges and a celebratory ryuu, or dragon, whose brightly colored body floats from end to end of the glasshouse’s iconic Sunken Garden. These mums will be grown using traditional Japanese techniques like disbud and cascade.

The narrative will focus on how the human-nature connection is manifested in Japan. Highlights include the joyous festivals (aki matsuri) and parades that celebrate the autumn harvest season, the symbolism of chrysanthemums in Japanese garden culture and more. Broadly, the show presents an opportunity to discuss some of the unique strategies originated in Japan to promote horticulture as therapeutic, including Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).

Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program Information Session, October 2 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will hold its annual Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program Information Session on October 2.

Are you interested in living and working abroad?

Have you been studying Japanese and looking to apply your skills after graduation?

Do you want to make an impact on the lives of young people?

Would you like to find out where the ultimate ramen shop is found?

If any of these questions apply to you, then please join the Asian Studies Center and JET Alumni group in Pittsburgh for an information session to learn more about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. This hybrid Information Session will be in room 4130 Posvar Hall, on the 4th floor of W. Wesley Posvar Hall on October 2, 2025 starting at 6:00pm. Learn about the requirements of the JET Program and learn from your future-JET Program sempai with our JET Alumni Panel.

The hybrid event starts at 6:00 pm and registration is required; the in-person component is held in 4130 Posvar Hall.

Pitt Surplus auctioning Japanese kei van.

The University of Pittsburgh Surplus Property is auctioning a 2000 Mitsubishi Minicab Microvan GD-U62V that had been used by Pitt-Johnstown dining.

Used. Runs but has extensive rust issues.

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) stays in Pittsburgh area through (at least) October 2.

The 2025 movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編), which opened in Pittsburgh-area theaters on September 11, will stay here through (at least) October 2.

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 at many local theaters, including the Waterworks Cinemas, the AMC theaters in Waterfront and South Hills, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and North Hills. Tickets, and a real-time listing of theaters, are available online.

2025 Japanese film Mixed Modern (The Longing) (ミックスモダン), followed by Director Q & A, September 25, part of SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

The 2025 Japanese film Mixed Modern (The Longing) (ミックスモダン), followed by Director Q & A, will play in Pittsburgh on September 25, part of this year's SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

Hiro yuki (Toshizo Fujiwara) and his wife Sono ko (Rino Tsuneishi) run an okonomiyaki restaurant which employs ex-youth offenders to help support their rehabilitation. Since an incident with a former employee a year ago, Hiro has been hounded by hate speech online. Nevertheless, he sticks to his principles at the restaurant. When he interviews the 18-year-old Yuto (Daiki Ido) in the detention center, the young man tells him: “I want the chance to start over!”, and Hiro hires him. After receiving his first pay packet, Yuto returns to his hometown to buy his father a gift but discovers that he has left town. Yuto’s mother already abandoned him when he was a child and now his father is gone, too. While out at a club, Yuto becomes fascinated with Yukiha (Sasha), a 17-year-old dancer at the club who was also recently released from juvenile detention.

Tickets are free for those with a Pitt ID card---registration and promo code required---and $11 for everyone else. The movie begins at 8:00 pm at the Harris Theaer in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Free screening of 2024 Japanese horror film Missing Child Videotape (ミッシング・チャイルド・ビデオテープ), September 23, part of SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

SCREENSHOT: Asia will present a free screening of the 2024 Japanese horror film Missing Child Videotape (ミッシング・チャイルド・ビデオテープ) on September 23, part of this year's SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival around the city of Pittsburgh.

In the feature film debut of director Kondo Ryota, winner of the Grand Prize at the Japan Horror Film Competition, and produced by legendary J-Horror director, Shimizu Takashi, this film’s quiet horror allows viewers to experience slow-burning dread trapped in the coarse image of a VHS tape. One day, Keita (Rairu Sugita) unexpectedly receives an old videotape from his mother. As the tape plays, the grainy images reveal the moment of his brother’s mysterious disappearance years earlier forcing Keita to reckon with a past he has long tried to forget. As unforgettable and ghastly as this revelation might be, Keita decides to confront the incident once more and retrace the past, heading to the ruins of a mountain that should never have existed.

Tickets are free but registration is required. The 7:00 pm screening will be held at Kelly Strayhorn Theater's Alloy Studios in East Liberty (map).

4K remaster of 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda (リンダ リンダ リンダ) in Pittsburgh, September 27.

The 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda (リンダ リンダ リンダ) will play in PIttsburgh on September 27, part of the Harris Theater's International Art House Classics series.

A cult favorite and a hidden gem of Japanese cinema, Linda Linda Linda returns in a stunning 4K remaster to celebrate its 20th anniversary!

In a quiet provincial town, a high school festival is just days away when an unexpected setback threatens a student rock band’s performance. The group’s guitarist suffers a finger injury, and tensions within the band lead to their vocalist quitting. Left in disarray, the remaining three members—Kei (Yu Kashii), Kyoko (Aki Maeda), and Nozomi (Shiori Sekine)—find themselves at a crossroads. On a whim, they invite Son (Bae Doona), a Korean exchange student with little musical experience, to take on the role of lead singer. Together, they form a makeshift cover band dedicated to performing Linda Linda by The Blue Hearts. As they rehearse tirelessly in the days leading up to the festival’s grand finale, their journey becomes one of unexpected friendships, quiet perseverance, and the exhilarating spirit of youth. Featuring music by James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins).

Tickets for the 2:00 pm show are available online. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ), Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ), and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) at Row House Cinema for Takahata Week, from September 26.

The Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville will present four Japanese animated films in "a celebration of Isao Takahata – one of Japan’s greatest directors/screenwriters" from September 26 through October 2. Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ), Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ), and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) will comprise this fall's Takahata Week. Special evens for this week consist of "Tissues with Grave of the Fireflies on September 27th and a one-evening-only showing of The Tale of Princess Kaguya on October 2. Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

Umai Thai & Sushi to soft open today in Bellevue.

Umai Thai & Sushi will hold its soft opening today in Bellevue from 4:00 pm. It is located 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 for the restaurant, which draws its name from a Japanese word meaning delicious, and offers a variety of Thai entrees and sushi platters, plus bento boxes, soups, rolls, poke, ramen, and many other Asian dishes.

Fujiya Ramen shares designs of new location coming to North Fayette.

On Sunday, Fujiya Ramen shared some renderings of its second location. As reported in July, Fujiya plans to open a new spot at 210 McHolme Dr. (map) in Robinson township, in the storefront most recently occupied by Sushi Atarashi's revolving sushi place last year.

Pocha by Kye-won named Best Korean restaurant in 2025's Pittsburgh City-Paper reader's poll.

Pocha by Kye-won, located in Saxonburg, was named Best Korean restaurant by the 2025 Pittsburgh City-Paper reader's poll. From the official restaurant of the place that opened in February:

We're so excited to bring a brand-new spot in Sprankles grocery store in Saxonburg to share authentic Korean food paired with amazing Grist House beer. Everything we serve is handmade, and we're the only place offering an authentic Korean BBQ experience, if you don't know what this is, see our Korean BBQ section! Whether you're a vegetarian or meat lover, we have something for everyone on our menu that's sure to make you feel right in Korea!

Other winners relevant to PennsylvAsia include Chengdu Gourmet for Best Chinese, Little Tokyo for Best Japanese and Best Sushi, Pho Van for Best Pho, Ramen Bar for Best Ramen, Tram's for Best Vietnamese, Lotus for Best Asian Grocer, and Panda Supermarket for Best International Grocery Store. These lists were for a long time notorious for their uninspired winners at the expense of smaller or more authentic restaurants, but in recent years have expanded beyond the small list of usual suspects.

Running Dish now called Bombing Pot, coming eventually to Waterfront.

Bombing Pot is the new name of the all-you-can-eat revolving sushi, CHinese-style hot pot, and Korean-style BBQ coming eventually to the Waterfront. When it was announced for the area in September 2024 it was known as Running Dish, a concept with a Sterling, VA location from the team behind Sushi Bomb in Robinson. According to the directory, it will go into the spot across from Starbucks formerly occupied by Versona, Charming Charlie, and American Eagle.