Kokuho is now showing in UK cinemas from 8 May 2026. This three-hour kabuki epic is the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of all time, earning over $125 million in Japan. The film won 10 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Key Details
| Info | Details |
|---|---|
| UK Release | 8 May 2026 |
| Runtime | 2 hours 54 minutes |
| Certificate | 15 (strong sex) |
| Language | Japanese with English subtitles |
| Distributor | Vue Lumiere |
What Is Kokuho About?
Kokuho (meaning “national treasure”) spans 50 years in the life of a kabuki performer. The story begins in Nagasaki, 1964, when 14-year-old Kikuo witnesses his yakuza father’s murder. He’s taken in by Hanjiro, a renowned kabuki master played by Ken Watanabe, and raised alongside Hanjiro’s son Shunsuke.
Both boys train as onnagata, male actors who specialise in playing female roles, a kabuki tradition dating back to the 17th century. The film follows their decades-long journey through acting school to the grandest stages in Japan, charting rivalry, brotherhood, scandal, and betrayal as one rises to become a living legend.
Director Lee Sang-il (Rage, Villain, Pachinko Season 2) adapted the film from Shuichi Yoshida’s novel of the same name, with a screenplay by Satoko Okudera.
Cast
- Ryo Yoshizawa as Kikuo Tachibana (adult)
- Soya Kurokawa as Kikuo (young)
- Ryusei Yokohama as Shunsuke Ogaki
- Ken Watanabe as Hanjiro Hanai II
- Mitsuki Takahata
- Nana Mori
- Shinobu Terajima
- Min Tanaka
Ryo Yoshizawa trained for 18 months in kabuki techniques, including the posture, movement, and dance required for onnagata performance. His portrayal won the Japan Academy Award for Best Actor.
Awards and Recognition
Japan Academy Awards (10 wins):
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Lee Sang-il)
- Best Actor (Ryo Yoshizawa)
- Best Supporting Actor (Ryusei Yokohama, Ken Watanabe)
- Best Supporting Actress (Mitsuki Takahata)
- Plus four additional technical awards
Academy Awards:
- Nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Japan’s official submission for Best International Feature Film (shortlisted)
Festival Selections:
- Cannes Film Festival 2025 (Directors’ Fortnight premiere)
- Toronto International Film Festival 2025
- AFI Fest 2025
- Busan International Film Festival 2025
Where to Watch
Kokuho is showing at cinemas across the UK, including Vue, Picturehouse, Curzon, Barbican, BFI, and independent cinemas.
Cities confirmed: London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Cambridge, Leicester, Norwich
London cinemas showing Kokuho:
- Vue Leicester Square, Vue Westfield Stratford, Vue Islington
- Picturehouse Central, Picturehouse Finsbury Park, Picturehouse Hackney
- Curzon Soho, Curzon Bloomsbury
- Barbican Cinema
- The Garden Cinema
- BFI Southbank
- Riverside Studios
Check your local cinema for showtimes. With a nearly three-hour runtime, screenings are typically scheduled once or twice per day.
Box Office Performance
Kokuho became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of all time, breaking a 22-year record previously held by Spirited Away director Hayao Miyazaki’s films. The film earned over $125 million (approximately 19 billion yen) in Japan.
The success surprised industry observers, given kabuki’s niche appeal in modern Japan. The film has been credited with sparking renewed interest in kabuki theatre among younger audiences.
Why Kabuki Matters
Kabuki is a 400-year-old form of Japanese theatre, recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The art form is known for its elaborate costumes, stylised movement, and the tradition of onnagata, where male actors play all female roles.
Kokuho explores this world in detail, showing the gruelling training, the hierarchy of kabuki families, and the physical and emotional demands of a lifetime dedicated to the art. The film also touches on how kabuki has struggled to attract audiences and apprentices in modern Japan.
For viewers unfamiliar with kabuki, the film works as both an introduction to the art form and a standalone drama about ambition, identity, and the cost of greatness.
Should You Watch It?
If you’re interested in Japanese culture, traditional arts, or epic character dramas, Kokuho is essential viewing. The nearly three-hour runtime demands commitment, but the film rewards patience with stunning visuals, powerful performances, and a story that spans half a century of Japanese history.
Ken Watanabe delivers a commanding performance as the kabuki master, while Ryo Yoshizawa’s transformation across decades is remarkable. The kabuki sequences are visually spectacular, offering a rare cinematic window into an art form few outside Japan have experienced.
The film is rated 15 for strong sexual content. It’s in Japanese with English subtitles throughout.
More Japanese films in UK cinemas: AKIRA 4K returns to UK cinemas through June 2026, and horror game adaptation Exit 8 is showing at 200+ screens nationwide.