Asako I & II | 寝ても覚めても J-Film

Romance, Drama

Presented by JICC, Embassy of Japan and Japan Commerce Association of Washington, D.C., Inc.

02 MAY 2020 SAT, 7:00 PM Online

One of the Ten Best Movies of the Year

K. Austin Collins, Vanity Fair

Critic’s Pick! Bewitching and sometimes unsettling…

Glenn Kenny, The New York Times

Join us for the JICC's very first virtual weekend screening and online post-film discussion!

The link to our discussion will be sent with the streaming access code in a follow-up email prior to the screening.



Asako I & II | Official Trailer from Grasshopper Film on YouTube.

A mysterious and intoxicating pop romance based on a 2010 novel by Shibasaki Tomoka about a woman who falls in love with two men who have the same face but completely opposite personalities.

Hamaguchi Ryūsuke’s first commercial debut film since his critically acclaimed Happy Hour (2015) saga begins with Asako, a young woman who meets and falls madly in love with a drifter, Baku, who one day drifts right out of her life.

Two years later, working in Tokyo, Asako sees Baku again — or, rather, a young, solid businessman named Ryohei who bears a striking resemblance to her old flame. They begin building a happy life together until traces of Asako’s past start to resurface.

In Japanese with English subtitles | Not Rated | 2018 | 119 min | Directed by Hamaguchi Ryūsuke

This event is free and open to the public, however registration through EventBrite is required in order to receive an exclusive access code to the virtual screening and link to our post-film discussion. Online program begins at 4:00PM. Post-film discussion will be hosted on Facebook from 9:00PM to 10:30PM.

To modify your registration, please email jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp. Your registration is not transferable.

Photo & Video Policy

The Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by JICC, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. JICC may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted by JICC including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, newspapers, magazines, television, social media, websites, etc. To ensure the privacy of individuals and children, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject, parent or legal guardian. A person attending a JICC event who does not wish to have their image recorded for distribution should make their wishes known to the photographer/videographer, and/or the event organizers.