10th Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Festival (第十届匹兹堡中华文化节), September 13.

Advance notice for the 10th Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Festival, scheduled for Mellon Park on September 13. Presented by the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center, the annual event features food, cultural performances, local vendors, and more.

1985 Akira Kurosawa film Ran (乱) in Pittsburgh, from May 24.

The 1985 Akira Kurosawa film Ran (乱) will play in Pittsburgh from May 24 through June 4, part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's occasional International Art House Classics series.

The 1985 New York Film Festival opened with Akira Kurosawa’s astonishing medieval epic, inspired by the life of Mori Motonari, a 16th-century warlord with three sons. It was only after he began writing that the filmmaker started to see parallels with King Lear. It took a decade for Kurosawa to bring his grand conception to the screen—he actually painted storyboards of every shot along the way, and made another great film, Kagemusha, as a dry run. The finished work he eventually gave us is, to put it mildly, a mind-blowing experience. Tatsuya Nakadai is the warlord, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, and Daisuke Ryu are his sons, Mieko Harada is the terrifying Lady Kaede, the score is by Toru Takemitsu, but the dominant force looming over every single element of this film, down to the smallest detail, is Kurosawa himself. The color palette of Ran is unlike that of any other movie made before or since, as you’ll see in this newly restored version.

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

1993 film The Joy Luck Club in Pittsburgh, from May 9.

The 1993 film The Joy Luck Club will play at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville from May 9 through 15, part of its "Thanks, MOM" film series around Mother's Day.

Adapted from Amy Tan’s best selling novel, Wayne Wang’s film artfully illustrates generational divides and universal truths through the stories of four Chinese women born in America and their respective mothers born in feudal China.

Tickets and showtimes are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

Japanese DJs Carpainter and Seimei in Pittsburgh, May 2.

Japanese electronic musicians, and brothers, Carpainter and Seimei will perform in Pittsburgh on May 2 as part of a mini US tour also reaching New York and Baltimore. They will perform at COBRA in Bloomfield (map) from 9:30 pm and tickets are available online.

2004 Japanese animated film Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) at Rangos Giant Cinema, May 9.

The 2004 Hayao Miyazaki film Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) will play at Rangos Giant Cinema at the Carnegie Science Center on May 9, the first in a four-part "Ani-May" series this month.

In Hayao Miyazaki’s . . . animated masterpiece, journey beyond imagination and enter a “breathtaking fantasy world” (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) filled with adventure, humor, and heart. Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a spell on Sophie. In a life-changing adventure, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent flying castle and enters a magical world on a quest to break the spell. Featuring the voice talents of Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, and Billy Crystal, Miyazaki’s artistry comes to life on DVD with inventive characters, unique storytelling, and richly detailed animation.

The Rangos Giant Cinema

boasts a 71-by 39-foot Certified Giant Screen, crystal-clear 4K images, brilliant colors, and rich surround sound. It features a premium Dolby Atmos® surround sound system with 49 speakers. (The average giant screen has 14.)

The movie starts 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).

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration in Cranberry, May 7.

The Cranberry Township Inclusion, Equity, Diversity Advisory (IDEA) team will present an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration on Wednesday, May 7.

Explore the history, cultural traditions, favorite foods, and contributions of the varied Asian and Pacific Islander countries! Guests will enjoy a hands-on Tai Chi lesson - a fun and relaxing way to experience a traditional art form - engaging storytelling that brings cultural legends and histories to life - and samples of traditional food.

The event is free and open to the public but registration is encouraged. It runs from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center, 2525 Rochester Rd (map).

Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar in Cranberry eyes June opening.

Togyu Asian Barbecue and Bar, coming soon to the Cranberry Mall spot formerly occupied by Lumberjaxes Axe Throwing (map), is aiming for a June opening. Ownership has recently opened an online survey to help inform the Togyu loyalty program.

Togyu is Pittsburgh’s newest destination for premium Korean and Japanese barbecue.

We’re opening this June, and as we prepare to launch, we’re building a loyalty program inspired by the spirit of community, ritual, and discovery — and we want your input.  

Share your thoughts below to help us create rewards, challenges, and experiences that you’ll actually be excited about.

Your feedback will directly influence the Togyu Scroll and the Togyu Warrior journey🔥(Only takes 5 minutes!)

Bonus: One lucky respondent will win a free appetizer and early access invite during our opening month!

Teen Time: Koinobori Japanese Carp Windsocks or Kites, at local Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branches from May 1.

via Morakami Museum

Many neighborhood branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host "Teen Time: Koinobori Japanese Carp Windsocks or Kites" workshops as part of the library's AANHPI Heritage Month 2025 programming.

This program will help teens learn about traditional culture in Japan and their forms of popular crafting for traditional celebrations. For teens in grades 6-12.

The events will take place at the following times and places; they're free and open to the target age demographic, with no registration required:

• CLP Mt. Washington - May 1, 4:30 - 5:30 pm
• CLP Squirrel Hill - May 6, 3:30 - 4:30 pm
• CLP Beechview - May 6, 4:30 - 5:30 pm
• CLP West End - May 8, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
• CLP Lawrenceville - May 9, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• CLP South Side - May 13, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
• CLP Hill District - May 14, 3:00 - 4:00 pm
• CLP Carrick - May 14, 3:30 - 4:30 pm
• CLP Allegheny - May 14, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• CLP Hazelwood - May 14, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
• CLP Woods Run - May 27, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• CLP Homewood - May 28, 4:00 - 5:00 pm

8 Star Cuisine opening May 1 in Gibsonia, with Japanese, Chinese, sushi, and buffet menu options.

Images via ownership.

8 Star Cuisine is planning to open soon in Gibsonia's Richland Mall on Route 8 (map). The menu includes Japanese, Chinese, and Asian staples, in addition to sushi, sashimi, and rolls. It also offers an all-you-can-eat sushi and seafood buffet. Owners are aiming for a soft open on April 28 and a Grand Opening on May 1.

Free "We Learn: Basic Japanese Language and Culture," Fridays at downtown Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, from May 2.

"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 May 2 through June 6, marking the return of free Japanese ourses at one of the local libraries after a several-year pause.

Enjoy learning the basics of the Japanese language and culture from a certified, native Japanese instructor.

1. Greetings
2. Etiquette, manners
3. Survival phrases for traveling to Japan
4. Interesting tourist locations
5. Ordering food and shopping
6. Reading and writing - Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, Emoji
7. Anime, Manga

Each session is designed to be interactive and fun. The agenda can vary based on the interests of the students. 

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).