To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Shunji Iwai’s directorial debut Love Letter, the film will be re-released in a 4K remaster starting on April 4th (Friday).
Iwai, known for directing critically acclaimed works such as Swallowtail, All About Lily Chou-Chou, and Hana and Alice, has made a significant mark in the world of visual arts since 1988. His distinctive filmmaking style, often referred to as “Iwai Aesthetic,” has garnered widespread attention in various genres, including drama and music videos.
Love Letter, which stars Miho Nakayama, Etsushi Toyokawa, Miki Sakai, and Takashi Kashiwabara, was first released in 1995. The film earned major accolades, including the Best Film Award at the 19th Japan Academy Awards. Toyokawa won the Best Supporting Actor Award and the Popularity Award (Actor Category), while Sakai and Kashiwabara took home the Newcomer Actor Award. The film’s music, composed by REMEDIOS, also won the Best Music Award. Miho Nakayama, who played dual roles, was awarded Best Actress by various film festivals, including the Blue Ribbon Award, Hochi Film Award, Yokohama Film Festival, and Takasaki Film Festival.
After its release in Japan, Love Letter was shown in over 20 countries and regions worldwide. In January 2025, its 9th revival screening surpassed 100,000 viewers, proving its lasting appeal. The film continues to be celebrated as a cornerstone of romantic cinema, both in Japan and abroad.
The 4K remaster of Love Letter will be screened in more than 40 theaters across Japan. Additionally, a limited-edition anniversary T-shirt is available for pre-order through the online store “En-to-Shi-ba” until April 11th (Friday) at noon. Shunji Iwai has also shared a comment in anticipation of the screening.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since the theatrical release. At the time, I had worked on a few TV dramas, but this was my first feature film, and my first experience shooting on 35mm. The focus required was completely different from using a video camera. The theme of “letters” was particularly challenging, and I spent countless hours pushing my brain to its limits, unsure until the very end if I was succeeding. But when Miho Nakayama watched the first cut and tears filled her eyes, I finally felt a sense of relief—like the film had truly come together.
Just recently, Miho and I were talking about visiting Otaru, the filming location, to mark the 30th anniversary, so when I heard the news, I was both shocked and speechless. Learning that Love Letter would be screened again in theaters as a 4K remaster made me realize just how beloved the film has been over the years. Even now, I get messages on social media from young people and fans worldwide who are still discovering the movie.
For the 4K remaster, we’ve worked on parts that were hard to adjust in the original film, and the sound has been upgraded to 5.1ch digital surround—though the center channel still carries the original film’s audio. I’m truly excited to see Love Letter return to the big screen, and I hope you’ll experience it again in theaters, 30 years later.
Shunji Iwai
Love Letter [4K Remaster]
Love Letter [4K Remaster]
National Release on April 4 (Friday) at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya and other theaters
Cast
Hiroko Watanabe / Tree Fujii: Miho Nakayama
Shigeru Akiba: Etsushi Toyokawa
Girl/Tree: Miki Sakai
Boy/Tree: Takashi Kashiwabara
Akiko Fujii: Fumie Kashiyama
Gōkichi Fujii: Katsuyuki Shinohara
Yasuyo Fujii: Mariko Kaga
Seiichi Fujii: Keiichi Suzuki
Staff
Producer: Koichi Murakami
Planning: Kazuo Shigemura, Toshikazu Horiguchi
Executive Producers: Chiaki Matsushita, Hideki Abe
Producers: Jiro Komaki, Tomoki Ikeda, Masahiko Nagasawa
Director/Screenplay: Shunji Iwai
Cinematography: Noboru Shinoda
Lighting: Yuki Nakamura
Art: Terumi Hosoishi
Music: REMEDIOS
Line Producer: Hiroyuki Kamei
Associate Producer: Takaaki Kada
Co-Producer: Shinya Kawai
Production: Fuji Television
Co-Production: ROBOT
Distribution: TOHO NEXT
© Fuji Television
