#1 of 4 #1 Japanese-language movie of 1991
1991 · Drama, Romance
$610.8K worldwide · 53% of the chart's total
$453.2K US & Canada · 74% $157.6K elsewhere · 26%
Japanese box office · 1991
Japanese Box Office 1991: Highest-Grossing Japanese Movies
Only Yesterday (1991) is the highest-grossing Japanese-language movie released in 1991, with $610.8K worldwide, ahead of Rhapsody in August (1991) at $517.5K and Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991) at $17.4K. 4 Japanese-language films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $1.2M in all, 83% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 92% on 1990, whose releases took $15.4M.
- 1991 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $1.2M
- Only Yesterday (1991), the #1
- $610.8K
- vs 1990
- −92%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Japanese Hits of 1991?
Only Yesterday (1991) leads with $610.8K, 53% of the total. The top 4 together took $1.2M, almost all of what the 4 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Japanese Release of 1991, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1991.
- 1 Jul 20, 1991 US and Canada: $453.2K Rest of the world: $157.6K Worldwide: $610.8K
- 2 May 25, 1991 US and Canada: $516.4K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $517.5K
- 3 Mar 16, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.4K
- 4 Mar 16, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.4K
By release month
Which Month of 1991 Earned the Most?
July releases took the most, $610.8K from 1 film, led by Only Yesterday (1991). March was the quietest month ($34.8K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991) $34.8K Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Rhapsody in August (1991) $517.5K Rhapsody in August (1991)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul Only Yesterday (1991) $610.8K Only Yesterday (1991)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1991 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1988 earned the most: $58.3M from 5 films, led by My Neighbor Totoro (1988). 1991 took $1.2M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 4 films | 4 | $14.1M | – | Diner (1982) $14.1M |
| 1983 1 film · −100% | 1 | $87 | −100% | Golgo 13: The Professional (1983) $87 |
| 1984 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1985 7 films | 7 | $17.6M | – | Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1985) $9M |
| 1986 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1987 3 films | 3 | $3.7M | – | Dead Heat (1987) $3.6M |
| 1988 5 films · +1492% | 5 | $58.3M | +1492% | My Neighbor Totoro (1988) $30.4M |
| 1989 7 films · −71% | 7 | $16.9M | −71% | Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) $10.4M |
| 1990 6 films · −9% | 6 | $15.4M | −9% | The Witches (1990) $10.4M |
| 1991 4 films · −92% | 4 | $1.2M | −92% | Only Yesterday (1991) $610.8K |
Archive
Japanese Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1936 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2023 leads with $1.6B, led by The Boy and the Heron (2023).
2020s 7 years · $6.4B
- 2026 so far $117.5M #1 Exit 8 (2026)
- 2025 $1.3B #1 Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle (2025)
- 2024 $609.9M #1 HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle (2024)
- 2023 $1.6B #1 The Boy and the Heron (2023)
- 2022 $807.3M #1 One Piece Film: Red (2022)
- 2021 $1.2B #1 Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2021)
- 2020 $833.1M #1 Weathering with You (2020)
2010s 10 years · $8.1B
- 2019 $842.4M #1 Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2019)
- 2018 $667.3M #1 Code Blue: The Movie (2018)
- 2017 $1.1B #1 Your Name. (2017)
- 2016 $662.6M #1 Shin Godzilla (2016)
- 2015 $634.7M #1 Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015)
- 2014 $749.8M #1 Stand by Me Doraemon (2014)
- 2013 $724M #1 The Wind Rises (2013)
- 2012 $1B #1 Brave Hearts: Umizaru (2012)
- 2011 $844M #1 Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2011)
- 2010 $955.6M #1 Umizaru 3: The Last Message (2010)
2000s 10 years · $3.8B
- 2009 $903.9M #1 Ponyo (2009)
- 2008 $529.3M #1 Suspect X (2008)
- 2007 $447.9M #1 Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 (2007)
- 2006 $567.9M #1 Tales from Earthsea (2006)
- 2005 $431.5M #1 Yamato (2005)
- 2004 $278.1M #1 Be with You (2004)
- 2003 $366.5M #1 Bayside Shakedown 2 (2003)
- 2002 $162.9M #1 The Cat Returns (2002)
- 2001 $109.4M #1 Pokémon 3: The Movie (2001)
- 2000 $16.3M #1 Godzilla 2000 (2000)
1990s 10 years · $242.4M
- 1999 $164.1M #1 Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back! (1999)
- 1998 $1.7M #1 Cube (1998)
- 1997 $40.9M #1 Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997)
- 1996 $5.7M #1 Whisper of the Heart (1996)
- 1995 $1.5M #1 Pom Poko (1995)
- 1994 $169.4K #1 Sailor Moon S the Movie: Hearts in Ice (1994)
- 1993 $1.4M #1 Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan (1993)
- 1992 $10.2M #1 Once Upon a Crime... (1992)
- 1991 $1.2M #1 Only Yesterday (1991)
- 1990 $15.4M #1 The Witches (1990)
1980s 8 years · $115.3M
- 1989 $16.9M #1 Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
- 1988 $58.3M #1 My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- 1987 $3.7M #1 Dead Heat (1987)
- 1985 $17.6M #1 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1985)
- 1983 $87 #1 Golgo 13: The Professional (1983)
- 1982 $14.1M #1 Diner (1982)
- 1981 $777.5K #1 Lonely Heart (1981)
- 1980 $4M #1 Kagemusha (1980)
1970s 8 years · $763.7K
- 1979 $439.5K #1 Space Battleship Yamato: The New Voyage (1979)
- 1977 $223.9K #1 House (1977)
- 1976 $569 #1 In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
- 1975 $426 #1 Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
- 1974 $97.1K #1 Flower & Snake (1974)
- 1973 $637 #1 Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
- 1972 $585 #1 Ecstasy of the Angels (1972)
- 1970 $981 #1 Dodes’ka-den (1970)
1960s 10 years · $651K
- 1969 $231.3K #1 The Girl I Abandoned (1969)
- 1968 $1.2K #1 Nanami: The Inferno of First Love (1968)
- 1967 $15.5K #1 A Man Vanishes (1967)
- 1966 $35.9K #1 The Face of Another (1966)
- 1965 $628 #1 Resume of Love Affairs (1965)
- 1964 $1.2K #1 Onibaba (1964)
- 1963 $64.5K #1 High and Low (1963)
- 1962 $96.6K #1 Sanjuro (1962)
- 1961 $68.4K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $135.8K #1 When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
1950s 9 years · $1.1M
- 1958 $75.7K #1 The Hidden Fortress (1958)
- 1957 $65.6K #1 Throne of Blood (1957)
- 1956 $46.7K #1 The Burmese Harp (1956)
- 1955 $62.4K #1 I Live in Fear (1955)
- 1954 $599K #1 Godzilla (1954)
- 1953 $126.2K #1 Tokyo Story (1953)
- 1952 $6.9K #1 The Life of Oharu (1952)
- 1951 $139.8K #1 Rashomon (1951)
- 1950 $332 #1 The Munekata Sisters (1950)
1940s 3 years · $863.9K
FAQ
Japanese Box Office 1991: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing Japanese-language movie in 1991?
Only Yesterday (1991) leads with $610.8K worldwide, $453.2K of it in the US & Canada. Next come Rhapsody in August (1991) at $517.5K and Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991) at $17.4K.
How much did Japanese-language movies released in 1991 earn?
4 Japanese-language films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $1.2M in all, or $290.8K per film on average. 1990 releases took $15.4M.
How many Japanese-language movies released in 1991 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Only Yesterday (1991), earned $610.8K.
How is the 1991 Japanese box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1991. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 1991 Japanese box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.