TOKYO – “ Honnoji Hotel ,” a time-travel fantasy featuring top model-actress Haraka Ayase as a contemporary women arriving in the court of a 16th century feudal lord via an elevator in the title hostelry, opened atop the Japanese box office for the Jan. 14-15 weekend.
Directed by Masayuki Suzuki from an original script by Tomoko Aizawa, with Toho distributing, the film earned $1.8 million from 167,000 admissions on 282 screens. This is some 18% down from the opening weekend of “Princess Toyotomi,” a 2011 mystery/fantasy made by the same above-the-line talents, including Suzuki, Aizawa, Ayase and Tsutsumi. “Hotel” is expected to finish near the $15 million mark.
Now in its 21st week on release, the megahit animation “Your Name” rose from third to second place on the chart, making $1.5 million. Its cumulative total has risen to $203 million.
Also ascending in the rankings was the sleeper hit “In This Corner of the World.” Now in its 10th week on release, with Tokyo Theatre distributing, this animation about a young woman’s coming-of-age boosted its screen total to 200 from 177 the previous week. It was also voted the best Japanese film of 2016 by the prestigious Kinema Junpo critics’ poll. *
