Asia Society presents Kyoko Kagawa Rarities, a series of five remarkable films starring the beloved Japanese actress, in partnership with Anthology Film Archives, from August 13-16, 2026.

Discovered in a “New Face” contest run by the Tokyo Shimbun in 1949, Kyoko Kagawa joined upstart film studio Shintoho at age 17, initiating a steady stream of appearances that would establish in her image an aptitude for projecting brightness and “pure feeling.” Going freelance early in her career in 1952, she would quickly become a staple of Japanese Cinema’s Golden Age, becoming immortalized especially as the youngest daughter in the Yasujiro Ozu masterpiece Tokyo Story (1953). With the distinction of working with all of Japan’s “Big Four” directors (Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Akira Kurosawa, and Mikio Naruse) and many more of its greats (Hiroshi Shimizu, Kozaburo Yoshimura, Hirokazu Kore-eda, to name a few), and in a career spanning over 70 years and 130 films, Kagawa’s filmography can read like a roadmap to Japan’s cinema, her characters meaningful guides in its living history.

The greatness in Kagawa’s filmography overflows, but many of her most widely-circulated roles are in support of other leads or larger ensembles. Composed entirely of imported celluloid, “Kyoko Kagawa Rarities” looks at the rich history from another vantage point, and puts Kagawa, deservedly, in the center lane. Highlighting discovery and revelation (special mention for the U.S. premiere of Farewell to the Highland Station), and postulating a new set of classics, the series looks to give fresh color to this dear and familiar face. —Joseph Eusebio

“I am truly delighted and grateful that audiences in New York will have the opportunity to see this selection of films in which I appeared as part of this special retrospective. New York holds a special place in my heart, as I once lived there for about three years because of my husband’s work, and I remember the city with great fondness. I was still young in some of these films, but I hold deep gratitude for the exceptional source material and for the guidance of the distinguished directors with whom I was fortunate enough to work. It is thanks to them that these films endure and can continue to be met by audiences today. I hope that you will enjoy watching the different ways in which each of the women in these films chooses to live her life. “ —Kyoko Kagawa, June 2026

Note: The first film in this series, Mikio Naruse’s Little Peach (Anzukko), will screen at Anthology Film Archives on August 13, 2026. Click here for information and tickets. 

Guest curated by Joseph Eusebio and Akinaru Rokkaku.

Programmed with support from the Japan Foundation, New York.