Nippon Connection 2026

Photo: © Nippon Connection

Photo: © Jumpei Tainaka

26th Nippon Connection 2026

Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

The Nippon Connection Film Festival is the world’s largest platform for Japanese cinema and takes place annually over six days in early summer at various locations in Frankfurt am Main. The unique film and cultural program covers a wide range of events, including both traditional and modern aspects of Japanese culture. The 26th Nippon Connection Film Festival takes place from June 2 to 7, 2026, in Frankfurt am Main.

In 2025, more than 20,000 visitors attended the festival events. The festival was founded in the year 2000 and is organized mainly on a voluntary basis by the non-profit registered association Nippon Connection e.V.

In 2026, the festival is under the patronage of the Hessian Minister for Science and Research, Art and Culture, Timon Gremmels, the Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main, Mike Josef, and the Consulate General of Japan in Frankfurt am Main.

Cinema

Japan has one of the most innovative and diverse film cultures in the world. Every year, the Nippon Connection Festival presents a cross-section of current Japanese film production with around 140 films (festival 2026), from shorts and documentaries to animated and feature films, including many German, European, international and world premieres.

Numerous directors, actors, and producers attend the festival each year to present their films in person.

The festival presents seven awards: the Nippon Rising Star Award, the Nippon Cinema Award, the Nippon Visions Jury Award, the Nippon Visions Audience Award, the Nippon Docs Award, the Nippon Storytelling Award, and the Nippon Animation Shorts Award.

Music & artists

With over 80 events in its supporting program, the festival brings Japanese culture to life well beyond the film screenings—musically, culinarily, artistically, and discursively. For instance, the musical collective U-zhaan x Tamaki ROY x Chinza DOPENESS fuses traditional Indian rhythms of the tabla drum with Japanese hip-hop, while tenor Takumi Torio offers fresh interpretations of Japanese film scores in his crossover concert.

Photo: © Nippon Connection

Opening Night: Retro Videogames

Join us in celebrating the opening of the 26th Nippon Connection Film Festival! A diverse program awaits you in Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm: Play nostalgic retro videogames, experience traditional Okinawan Ryukyu dancing, challenge a sumo wrestler, or go on an auditory journey to Japan with DJ FloFilz. Entry is free of charge!

Grab a controller! The Gamer’s Connect has compiled the best retro games for Nippon Connection. You can look forward to playing any number of classics – with nostalgic pixel-perfect graphics on authentic CRT televisions.

Photo: © Jumpei Tainaka

Cooperation venues in Frankfurt am Main:

Produktionshaus NAXOS. Weitere Veranstaltungsorte: Eldorado Arthouse Kino, Cinéma Arthouse Kino, Kino des DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, Mal Seh’n Kino, Pupille – Kino in der Uni, Internationales Theater Frankfurt, Theater Die Käs, Saalbau Bornheim, Dr. Arthur Pfungst-Stiftung.

© Nippon Connection