Toei rising: Japan's production powerhouse

Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, has been home to many of Japan’s unique cultural traditions over the centuries. It is the birthplace of Japanese cinema where, in 1926, one of Japan’s first studios was built. Today, that space is known as the Toei Kyoto Studios, a sprawling studio complex where some of the best stories from Japan, and the world, are filmed.

Toei has amassed a library of more than 4,400 films and 40,000 television shows, ranging from period samurai epics to contemporary international series. Toei is now embarking on a strategy to offer expanded services to inter­national filmmakers.

Yuji Kojima, vice president and head of Toei Kyoto Studios, says: “We know Japan is a popular filming destination but for a long time the resources producers sought overseas were not available. We are dedicated to ensuring that they have exactly what they need when they work with Toei.”

As a part of this strategy, Toei is developing enhanced production services, expansion of experienced bilingual crews, upgrades to its facilities which include an LED virtual production soundstage in Tokyo.

History in the making

Toei Kyoto Studios is the gold standard for period drama and film in Japan. The facility, the second largest of its kind in the country, spans 392,000 square feet and includes 11 soundstages, including Japan’s third largest soundstage and largest permanent outdoor backlot.

In addition to its infrastructure, Toei Kyoto Studios’ in-house talent behind the camera offers best-in-class production support for period production, from artisanal clothing and wigs, its more than 200 full-time actors and its elite stunt team known for its samurai and ninja choreography.

Toei Kyoto Studios open air backlot, the largest in Japan

While Toei specialises in historical fiction, many modern productions also film at the studios using Toei’s location services including dramas like Apple TV+’s futuristic series Sunny and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s contemporary-set The Makanai: Cooking For The Maiko House for Netflix.

One essential advantage to Toei Kyoto Studios is its proximity to the beauty of Kyoto itself, including its many UNESCO World Heritage sites, shrines, temples, rivers and forests and its unique access to these locations with the help of its in-house production services.

Looking ahead

Juxtaposed with Kyoto’s history of craftsmanship and culture, Toei Tokyo Studios is doubling down on cutting-edge technology for virtual production.

Its latest LED virtual production wall is powered by some of the best software and equipment in the industry, allowing filmmakers to achieve realistic rendering which overcome traditional shooting limitations and streamline the post-­production processes. A seamless blend of technology with Toei’s artistry makes the Tokyo Studio a sandbox of imagination for filmmakers.

Toei Tokyo Studios virtual production LED wall

Toei continues to innovate, having committed to investing $14m (¥2bn) over five years from 2022-2027 to further expand the application of virtual production in its projects. This commitment positions the Tokyo Studio as a leading hub for digital filmmaking in Japan.

With its proximity to multiple international airports (Kansai, Haneda and Narita) and the country’s renowned bullet trains, Toei is a versatile and accessible base for productions wanting to shoot on-location in Japan.

In addition to production support, Toei also provides a range of financial services. Toei — as a partner in accessing Japan’s filming incentives and as the owner of its own nationwide theatre chain — is also able to distribute content to the Japanese market. In some special cases, Toei can co-invest in projects.

Toei has spent the last three quarters of a century expanding on filmmaking unique to Japanese culture. Now, “it’s time to be international,” Kojima says.

“With dedication and craftsmanship we are determined to succeed. Through collaborations with overseas partners, we will usher in a new era of storytelling in the same way we did more than 100 years ago.”

This article originally appeared in Screen Global Production's World Of Studios magazine.