JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – Sushi-Con, ‘Yukio Mishima’s KINKAKUJI,’ ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle’
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
As the summer winds fade into fall colors, the weeks ahead are shaping up with these exciting events, ready to be enjoyed after Labor Day.
This month’s highlights include:
Now through September 7
Rolling Stone Presents: AMPLIFIED
ARTECHOUSE NYC, Chelsea Market, 439 West 15th Street
$31.20 (20% discount)
Rolling Stone Presents: AMPLIFIED brings the history of rock ‘n’ roll to life with a dynamic mix of music and visuals. The show is both a 50-minute guided tour and a “must-see immersive art exhibit” (New York Daily News) that explores how rock shaped fashion, language, and social movements. AMPLIFIED includes the work of 500 photographers and film directors who took risks and pushed boundaries, just like the musicians they immortalized. Drawing from rare live performances and behind-the-scenes footage, never-before-seen moments, exclusive portrait sessions, album art, and posters presented in a 270º immersive experience powered by the world’s most advanced 18K laser projection, attendees will experience one of the most comprehensive collections of rock ‘n’ roll imagery ever assembled, celebrating some of the biggest stars in music history!
GKIDS
Opens Friday, September 5
IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue
$15, $18
LINDA LINDA LINDA is an effervescent, tenderhearted snapshot of youth about the unparalleled joy of jamming out with your friends. The soundtrack fuses bangers from iconic Japanese bands The Blue Hearts and Base Ball Bear with original music composed by James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. The beloved classic from Nobuhiro Yamashita (Ghost Cat Anzu) has been called one of the greatest Japanese films of the 21st century (Indiewire). In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the utterly charming and timeless classic returns with an all-new 4K restoration! For Kei, Kyoko, and Nozomi, their dream of playing the final high school concert together is dashed when their lead vocalist quits the band. Desperate, they recruit the very first person they see: Korean exchange student Son, played by Doona Bae (The Host, Broker), whose comprehension of Japanese is limited at best. It’s a race against time as the group struggles to learn three songs in three days for the festival’s rock concert. Also starring Aki Maeda (Battle Royale), Yu Kashii (Death Note), and Shiori Sekine (of the hit band Base Ball Bear).
True World Foods
September 6-7
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street
$150 general admission, $200 VIP admission
The biggest sushi expo in the U.S. returns! Indulge in unlimited tastings of the freshest seafood, meats, sushi, and more, including the world’s finest-grade bluefin tuna, yellowtail, sea bream, salmon, sea urchin, wagyu beef, and much more! Globally renowned exhibitors from True World Foods, a pioneer in the seafood industry for over 40 years, will showcase the finest seafood purveyors from around the world. This year’s enhanced event will feature top-tier restaurants from New York and New Jersey. Watch an iconic tuna cutting demonstration and experience the incredible process as executive chefs expertly slice a giant 400-pound bluefin tuna, presenting the freshest premium tuna right in front of you!
© Koyoharu Gotoge/SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable
Opens Thursday, September 11
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
Various theaters
Various prices
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, the first feature film in the three-part cinematic trilogy, will come to theatres including Imax and premium large formats. This latest theatrical feature film in the epic saga is set in the same universe as the 2020 global phenomenon Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, which earned $507 million worldwide and remains the highest-grossing movie of all time. As the Demon Slayer Corps members and Hashira engaged in a group strength training program, the Hashira Training, in preparation for the forthcoming battle against the demons, Muzan Kibutsuji appears at the Ubuyashiki Mansion. With the head of the Demon Corps in danger, Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to the headquarters but are plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji. The destination of where Tanjiro and Demon Slayer Corps have fallen is the demons’ stronghold – the Infinity Castle. And so, the battleground is set as the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons ignites!
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2025 and Chiharu Shiota
September 11-20
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$30-$70
Part of the Yukio Mishima Centennial Series: Emergences and adapted from the novel Kinkakuji (The Temple of the Golden Pavillion) for the stage by Leon Ingulsrud and Major Curda with stage design by Chiharu Shiota, Yukio Mishima’s tour de force novel is now adapted as a feverish stage spectacle, created by a distinctive international team consisting of Ingulsrud (SITI Company co-founder), rising young Korean-American actor Major Curda, and Berlin-based Chiharu Shiota, one of the most celebrated visual artists of her generation. Mishima’s spiraling psychological drama, based on a true and horrific post-war act of arson in which an alienated young Buddhist monk set fire to the sacred, gold-leaf clad 14th-century Kinkakuji temple, dissects the motivations of disaffected youths yearning to “burn it all down.” In this rare stage production of the novel, Curda stars as the titular monk under Ingulsrud’s direction, while Shiota’s starkly beautiful stage design–brought to the U.S. for the first time–offers an unprecedented level of immersion in a Mishima dreamscape. The September 11 opening night performance with opening reception coincides with the opening of the Fall Gallery exhibition Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries, a newly commissioned, site-specific installation by Chiharu Shiota commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Courtesy of Feverup.com
Opens September 19
ARTECHOUSE NYC, Chelsea Market, 439 West 15th Street
$18-$28
SUBMERGE: Beyond the Render transforms Chelsea Market’s historic boiler room turned digital art hub into a kaleidoscope of cinematic worlds from Emmy winners Maciej Kuciara & pplpleasr, FVCKRENDER, Gavin Shapiro, and more. Powered by Render Network’s decentralized GPU platform, this exhibition features short-form digital works that blend art and cinema into captivating environments that surround you. Explore fifteen bold digital worlds in stunning 18K resolution to see how emerging technologies are shaping the future of storytelling. From surreal dreamscapes to data-driven worlds, each work invites you to step beyond the screen. Plus, sip exhibition-inspired cocktails at the ARTECHOUSE XR Bar as part of your visit! Come discover how today’s leading creators are redefining what it means to experience a story—and get a glimpse of what’s coming next.
GKIDS
September 20-24
Various theaters
Various prices
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, comes the Academy Award-nominated fantasy adventure for the whole family. 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 curse on Sophie and turns her into a 90-year-old woman. On a quest to break the spell, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent moving castle and into a new life of wonder and adventure. But as the true power of Howl’s wizardry is revealed, Sophie finds herself fighting to protect them both from a dangerous war of sorcery that threatens their world. Featuring the voice talents of Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Emily Mortimer, and Jean Simmons.
GKIDS
September 28-30
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Various theaters
Various prices
4K theatrical remaster! 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 Mamou 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.
For more JQ articles, click here.