New sushi restaurant Sushi I aims to open downtown on April 25.

[Update, 4/23/2025: Soft opening delayed until Monday, April 28.]

Sushi I, a new sushi place coming soon to downtown Pittsburgh from the Hong Kong Dim Sum, aims to open on April 25 according to the ownership team. It will be located at 245 4th Ave., a short distance from Market Square in the former Harris Grill (map). The development team sent a few photos earlier this month:

2006 Japanese animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女) in Pittsburgh-area theaters in 4K, September 28 - 30.

The 2006 Japanese animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女) in Pittsburgh-area theaters in 4K from September 28 through 30.

Makoto is a typical teenage girl who spends most of her days slacking off with friends. One day while rushing to meet her aunt, she nearly gets hit by a train, but at the last second, finds herself jumping backwards in time to before the accident. She immediately makes use of her newfound ability to re-do every minor inconvenience– from poor exam results to awkward confessions of love. However, when faced with the consequences of tampering with time, Makoto must do everything she can to avoid a dire future that can’t be reversed. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a beloved early film from Mamoru Hosoda, the Academy Award-nominated director behind BELLE, Wolf Children, Summer Wars, and more. Hosoda weaves together the timeless, breathtaking visuals he is known for with a tender-hearted story of a girl navigating first love, time travel, and the perilous choices that come with both.

It is scheduled to play locally (so far) at the Cinemark in McCandless, though other theaters are likely to be announced later. Tickets for the September 28 and 30 shows in Japanese with English subtitles and the September 29 show dubbed in English are available online.

Maridon Museum presents "Story Time at the Museum: Suki’s Kimono," June 7.

The Maridon Museum in Butler will present "Story Time at the Museum: Suki’s Kimono" on June 7.

Celebrate the beauty of tradition and individuality at this special Story Time at The Maridon Museum!

We’ll be reading Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki, the heartwarming story of a young girl who proudly wears her beloved kimono to school, sharing its memories and meaning with her classmates. This inspiring tale encourages children to embrace what makes them unique.

After the story, children will enjoy a hands-on art project inspired by the story’s themes, and have the chance to explore the museum’s exhibits.

Event Details:

• Ages 3–8 (adult must accompany child)
• Free admission (donations welcome)
• Reservations required: Call 724.282.0123
• Location: The Maridon Museum, 322 N. McKean Street, Butler, PA 16001 (map)

The event runs from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. 

1997 animated film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) continues in Pittsburgh through April 21 with 4K IMAX screenings.

The 1997 animated film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), which opened in Pittsburgh on March 26, will continue here through (at least) April 21 in a series of 4K IMAX screenings.

While defending his village from a demonic boar-god, young warrior Ashitaka becomes afflicted with a deadly curse that grants him super-human power in battle but eventually will take his life. Traveling west to find a cure and meet his destiny, he journeys deep into sacred depths of the Great Forest where he meets San (aka Princess Mononoke), a girl raised by wolf-gods. Mononoke is a force of nature, riding bareback on a great white wolf and terrorizing the human outpost of Iron Town on the edge of the forest.

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 lineup announced, bringing eight films to Pittsburgh from May.

The lineup for Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 was announced today, bringing eight animated Japanese films to Pittsburgh from May through November.

• Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) - May 17 - 21
• The Secret World of Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ) - June 22 - 24
• My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) - July 19 - 23
• Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) - August 10 - 12
• Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) - August 23 - 27
• Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) - September 20 - 24
• Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) - October 18 - 22
• The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) - November 15 - 19

Tickets and showtime information is now available online, though more theaters are likely to be announced later.

2009 Japanese animated movie Summer Wars (サマーウォーズ) coming to Pittsburgh in 4K, July 27 - 29.

The 2009 Japanese animated movie Summer Wars (サマーウォーズ) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters in 4K from July 27 through 29.

Kenji is a shy, part-time moderator for OZ, the virtual reality world that powers everyday life, until pretty and popular Natsuki recruits him to be her fake boyfriend. While posing as an affluent suitor to Natsuki’s family, Kenji finds that a rogue A.I. program has stolen his online identity, and Kenji is accused of hacking OZ and causing real-world catastrophes. As the destruction in OZ throws Natsuki’s family into disarray, Kenji must unite his newfound connections to overcome an impending cyber apocalypse. Against a backdrop of stunning countryside vistas and virtual spaces bursting with color, Summer Wars is a timeless epic that explores life in the digital age from Academy Award®-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda (BELLE).

It is scheduled to play locally (so far) at the Cinemark in McCandless, though other theaters are likely to be announced later. Tickets for the July 27 and 29 shows in Japanese with English subtitles and the July 28 show dubbed in English are available online.

2025 Japan Lecture Series with The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania, Then and Now: Japanese Performing Arts, April 17.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will present "Then and Now: Japanese Performing Arts" on April 17, part of its 2025 Japan Lecture Series.

As Artistic Director, Yoko Shioya has carried out the Japan Society’s Performing Arts Program mission of presenting works inspired by the arts and culture of Japan in New York City and beyond. Her award-winning curation of about 200 programs of Japanese theater, dance, and music spans the very traditional to the most cutting edge. In this year of special programming celebrating her accomplishments over the past twenty years, Yoko will join us in Pittsburgh to share an update on her perspective of the evolutions in the field to ways in which artists are innovating and keeping traditions alive.

Join the JASP on April 17, 2025 for a lecture about the performing arts landscape inside and outside of Japan. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided.

Yoko Shioya became head of Japan Society’s Performing Arts program in 2004 and Artistic Director in 2006. Her many contributions including increasing commissions for new non-Japanese works about Japanese culture, expanded North American tours, readings for contemporary plays in English, and the JAPAN CUTS film festival. Shioya received BAs in musicology and dance history from Tokyo University of the Arts. In Japan, she is known as a writer and researcher on the arts, presenting at various symposia, TV programs, cultural institutions, and as a writer for the Asahi Newspaper.

The event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the JVH Auditorium in Thayer Hall at Point Park University downtown (map). The event is free, but registration is required.

2012 Japanese animated movie Wolf Children (おおかみこどもの雨と雪) in Pittsburgh-area theaters in 4K, May 11 - 13.

The 2012 Japanese animated movie Wolf Children (おおかみこどもの雨と雪) in Pittsburgh-area theaters in 4K May 11, 12, and 13.

College student Hana falls in love with a “wolf man” and together they have two half-human, half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. The young family’s happy but humble life comes to an abrupt end when the father is tragically killed during a hunt. After struggling to raise her children in the busy city, Hana boldly decides to move to a dilapidated house in the countryside, in hopes that her children may one day decide their own path to happiness – whether “human” or “wolf.” This heart-wrenching modern fairy tale is a staggering work of beauty and emotion from Academy Award®-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda. Rich with gorgeous animation and set to a poignant musical score, Wolf Children is a sweeping tale about self-discovery and the bonds of family.

It is scheduled to play locally (so far) at the Cinemark in McCandless, though other theaters are likely to be announced later. Tickets for the May 11 and May 13 shows in Japanese with English subtitles and the May 12 show dubbed in English are available online.

Hong Kong Dim Sum in Oakland eyes April 15 soft opening.

Hong Kong Dim Sum management confirms it is working on some finishing touches and aiming for an April 15 soft opening. It will be located at 4520 Centre Ave. in North Oakland's One on Centre complex (map). The space features a large dining room plus three private rooms for events. Announced back in September 2023, Hong Kong Dim Sum was to help fill in one of the remaining gaps in Pittsburgh's Asian food scene, though dim sum offerings have expanded around town since then.

The management team shared a few additional photos of dishes and sauces its working on.

Rangos Giant Cinema at Carnegie Science Center adds three more Japanese animated films in May.

The Rangos Giant Cinema at Carnegie Science Center, which had previously announced a May 9 screening of Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城), has added three more Japanese animated movies to May: 

• The End of Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン劇場版 Air/まごころを、君に) - May 16
• A Silent Voice (聲の形) - May 23
• Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) - May 30

Tickets and showtimes are available online. The movies start at 7:00 and tickets are available online: $10 for members and $12 for non-members. The Carnegie Science Center is located at 1 Allegheny Ave. on the North Shore (map).