Japan’s only public institution devoted to the art of cinema, the National Film Archive of Japan (NFAJ) was founded in 1952 and became independent as the sixth branch of the National Museum of Art in 2018. Headquartered in Kyobashi, Chuo City, the archive is located a short walk away from Tokyo Station though it’s far from a busy tourist spot.

As its name suggests, its main purpose is to preserve and restore films, and is most notably credited for restoring *The Dull Sword *(1917), the oldest anime film known to exist, which was once considered lost but rediscovered at an antique shop in Osaka in 2008. The archive now boasts more than 90,000 films in its collection.

The seventh floor of the building is home to a permanent exhibition, Nihon Eiga: The History of Japanese Film. It chronologically follows the development of cinema in Japan through an intriguing collection of movie posters, props, award trophies, film cameras and projectors. Short film footage is also shown at intervals.

Even if you aren’t so well-versed in Japanese cinema, recognizable names and titles are sure to pop up every now and then, from Akira Kurosawa to Yasujiro Ozu and Godzilla. Learning their backgrounds and how they influenced today’s popular culture may lead you down a rabbit-hole, encouraging you to start watching classics.

There is also a theater on the second floor of the NFAJ headquarters, where the institution regularly holds 35mm screenings, not only limited to Japanese films but also various pieces of international cinema. This Nagase Memorial Theatre OZU is equipped with the only 35mm/70mm dual projector in Japan as well as projectors for 16mm films and 4K DCP screenings.