A scene from Shohei Imamura's "Dr. Akagi."

The Japan Society will present a film series, “Timeless Japan,” on Friday evenings in October at 6:30 p.m. at the Mechanics’ Institute, 57 Post St., San Francisco.

The schedule is as follows:

• Friday, Oct. 3 — “Tampopo” (1986), 104 minutes. Directed by Juzo Itami; starring Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto. The comic possibilities of food are on the menu when a truck driver and a widow set out to open the perfect noodle shop.

• Friday, Oct. 10 — “The Eel” (1997), 117 minutes. Directed by Shohei Imamura; starring Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu. Paroled after serving eight years for killing his cheating wife, a man gradually re-enters rural society. Japanese title: “Unagi.”

• Friday, Oct. 17 — “After Life” (1998), 118 minutes. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda; starring Arata, Erika Oda. Counselors help the recently deceased choose and film a memory they’ll keep for eternity. Japanese title: “Wandafuru Raifu.”

• Friday, Oct. 24 — “Dr. Akagi” (1998), 128 minutes. Directed by Shohei Imamura; starring Akira Emoto, Kumiko Aso. In this earthy, droll film set during World War II, a devoted country physician fighting a hepatitis epidemic assembles a ragtag group of assistants. Japanese title: “Kanzo Sensei.”

• Friday, Oct. 31 — “Seance” (2000), 128 minutes. Directed by Kyoshi Kurosawa; starring Koji Yakusho, Jun Fubuki. In the spirit of Halloween, this off-kilter psychological thriller concerns a psychic housewife involved in the police hunt for a kidnapped girl. Japanese title: “Kourei.”

The event is co-sponsored by the Asia Society of Northern California and the Mechanics’ Institute. The cost is $10 general, free for members of the sponsoring organizations.
For more information, call (415) 986-4383 or visit www.usajapan.org.