The Japanese film festival started on Thursday evening at the Goethe Institut in Kiyovu, Kigali. The three-day event will feature two movies every day.

Japanese Ambassador to Rwanda, Kazuya Ogawa, told The New Times, that the main purpose of the occasion is to showcase Japanese culture. "Japan has rich cultural values that we have to share with Rwanda and the rest of the world,” he says.

The ambassador added that much as such films will expose Rwandans to Japanese culture, Japanese are also interested in learning the Rwandan culture.

 "Over 100 Rwandans go to Japan every year to study in various fields, but that is not enough. That’s why some events have to be brought here,” he said.

Ogawa explained that the Japanese movie industry started over 100 years ago and is the 4th largest in the world. "We have famous directors like Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano.”  Miyazaki is famous for his children’s animation movies, while Kitano is well-known for his understated but violent Yakuza movies like Hana-Bi).

This is the 3rd Japanese film festival in Rwanda.