What was my first japanese film? I don't know, but I remember, the main cast was Hiroyuki Sanada. I think 8 samurai, or something...?
By the way, the fav movie is MoonChild. But there are some more gorgeous...Shinobi, Ringu series, Kagen no tsuki, Lovely Complex, Gegege no Kitaro, Azumi(first episode), Ashura(that was so funny).
And some dorama series:
Gokusen, Dragonzakura, Densha otoko, You'll Under arrest.
And I love all of Takeshi films!
I think the film you saw with Hiroyuki Sanada was 里見八犬伝 (SATOMI HAKKENDEN), a supernatural Jidaigeki (period feature) also starring Hiroko Yakushimaru, Shinichi Chiba (Sonny Chiba) and Etsuko Shihomi and others.
I remember watching that when it first came out in the theaters.
My favorite Japanese film would have to be a triple-tie between the 3 films 大林信彦 (Nobuhiko Oobayashi) directed ; 転校生 (Tenkousei), 時をかける少女 (Toki Wo Kakeru Shoujo, whose animated sequal was released a few years back and was a big hit) and さびしんぼう (Sabishinbou).
These 3 films are considered a trilogy as they all take place and filmed on location in a city called 尾道 (Onomichi）in 広島県 (Hiroshima Prefecture). While all three of them have supernatural themes, the portrayals of highschool students' everyday, mundane lives are very real and dream-like at the same time. The location is just SO beautiful. It is funny it makes you feel nostalgic about a place that you have never been to.
「転校生」 Two highschool students at a HS in Onomichi (one of which has just transferred there) one day find that they have switched bodies. The boy is trapped inside his female classmate's body and and she in his. 尾美としのり (Toshinori Omi) and 小林聡美 (Satomi Kobayashi) in the lead roles.
「時をかける少女」 A teeange girl discovers that she can travel through time. She finds out that not all of her memories are real but rather planted by someone who holds the key to the strange occurances around her. Are her childhood friends really what they seem? The first film starring the actress 原田知世 (Tomoyo Harada).
「さびしんぼう」 A shy teenage boy, a son of a priest, is in love with a beautiful girl but thinks she is totally out of his league. There is something about her, though. She is mysterious.... like she is hiding something behind her beautiful smile. Then one day, this "thing" shows up in his room. IT looks ridiculous with a face painted white like a clown. It appears out of nowhere and the next second, it is gone. Is there a connection between the object of his affection and this creature? Both characters are played by the same actress (富田靖子、Yasuko Tomita). The ending is so bitter-sweet it makes me teary-eyed everytime I watch it. 尾美としのり, again, stars as the boy.
I don't know the availablity of these films on DVDs outside Japan. If you can find them, check them out.