Kawabe Ichiko (Sugisaki Hana) happily accepts when her boyfriend Hasegawa (Wakaba Ryuya) asks her to marry him.

But the very next day, she’s vanished without a trace, and Hasegawa contacts the police only to find out that there is no record of Kawabe Ichiko ever existing.

Who is Ichiko, and where has she gone?

Determined to find her, Hasegawa tracks down people from her past, listening to their stories and piecing together fragments of the woman he knew.

Little by little, the truth of Ichiko’s life emerges… and the shocking, heart-wrenching extent of her suffering is brought to light.

Adapted from director Toda Akihiro’s own critically acclaimed stage play, Ichiko is an arresting and powerfully human exploration of many important social issues, including poverty, abuse and the holes in the Japanese family register system.

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025

Am I Right? Justice, Justification and Judgement in Japanese Cinema

The UK’s biggest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP), is back for its latest and greatest instalment!

Featuring everything from thought-provoking hidden gems to laugh-a-minute entertainment, UK audiences are invited to join us in questioning the very concepts of justice, justification, and judgement against today’s backdrop of ever-changing values and perspectives. 

See all our The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 screenings!

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Image Credits: ©2023 “Ichiko” Film Partners