Japan’s first permanent cinema in an airport is called the Family Mart Lovers Theatre…but why?

We’ve seen a lot of things in Japan, but one thing we haven’t seen is a mini cinema inside an airport. That all changed on 1 October, though, when the Faminchu Theatre opened inside Okinawa’s Naha Airport.

While New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido is home to a full-size cinema, the Faminchu Theatre is Japan’s first-ever permanent mini cinema inside an airport terminal, and it gives audiences an intimate viewing experience, with 28 seats inside.

Located on the third floor of the domestic terminal, the Faminchu Theatre aims to create a cultural experience for domestic and international tourists, giving them a new way to while away their wait time before flights. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and with 5-10 minutes between shows, the cinema screens roughly five films twice a day. Most are shorts lasting around 30-35 minutes long, with a couple of longer feature films sprinkled in between.

▼ Some of the movies on the roster include 2019 American short Master Maggie…

▼ …the 2017 British sign language short film The Silent Child…

▼ …Oscar nominated shorts Knight of Fortune, from Denmark, and…

▼…The Red Suitcase, from Nepal.

Screenings are provided by Tokyo-based Samansa, a streaming service specialising in short films, with selections rotating monthly. Foreign films feature heavily in the lineup, alongside Okinawa-centic titles to promote the local culture and inspire a sense of wanderlust in the viewer.

Okinawa remains at the heart of the new venture, with locally based Chao Japan Trading operating the cinema, and the name, “Faminchu” being a nod to the popular Okinawan slang nickname for Family Mart. An amalgamation of the words “Fami” for Family Mart, and “-nchu”, a common suffix in the Okinawan dialect meaning “person” or “people”, Faminchu literally means “Family Mart People”, but has been officially translated by the chain as “Family Mart Lovers“, referring to its local community of fans.

The word is so entrenched in the local vernacular that the chain frequently uses it in the branding of its regional products, taking pride in the fact that it tailors to the island’s culture and tastes.

▼ An ad for the Faminchu (“ファミんチュ”) range of foods at a Family Mart in Okinawa.

Image: ©SoraNews24

So why on earth is the airport cinema in Naha called Faminchu Theatre? Well, because Family Mart secured the naming rights, and it chose to crown the cinema with its local moniker.

▼ Faminchu even has its own “TV” channel on YouTube, where they introduced viewers to the new theatre.

As you might expect from a cinema named by a top convenience store chain, the Faminchu Theatre is a convenient way to catch a film before or after a flight. Now if only they served up Famichiki with a side of whisky…that would make for the ultimate Family Mart cinema experience.

Cinema information

Faminchu Theatre / ファミンチュシアター
Address: Okinawa-ken, Naha-shi, Kagamizu 150, Naha Airport, Domestic Terminal 3F
沖縄県那覇市鏡水150 那覇空港旅客ターミナルビル 国内線エリア３F
Open: 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Admission: Short Films 1,000 yen flat rate; Feature Films 2,000 yen (adults), 1,500 yen (seniors/students), 1,000 yen (disabled)
No mid-program entry allowed; tickets bought at the counter (credit cards OK) or online, no advance sales for some shows
Website

Source, images: Press release unless otherwise stated
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