Tokyo Story (1953)
Tôkyô monogatari (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 2h 16min
- Drama
- 13 Mar 1972 (USA)
- Movie
An old couple visit their children and grandchildren in the city, but receive little attention.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 3 wins.
- See more »
Reviews:
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Chishû Ryû | ... |
Shukichi Hirayama
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| Chieko Higashiyama | ... |
Tomi Hirayama
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| Setsuko Hara | ... |
Noriko Hirayama
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| Haruko Sugimura | ... |
Shige Kaneko
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| Sô Yamamura | ... |
Koichi Hirayama
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| Kuniko Miyake | ... |
Fumiko Hirayama - his wife
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| Kyôko Kagawa | ... |
Kyôko Hirayama
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| Eijirô Tôno | ... |
Sanpei Numata
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| Nobuo Nakamura | ... |
Kurazo Kaneko
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Shirô Ôsaka | ... |
Keizo Hirayama
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Hisao Toake | ... |
Osamu Hattori
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| Teruko Nagaoka | ... |
Yone Hattori
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Mutsuko Sakura | ... |
Oden-ya no onna
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| Toyo Takahashi | ... |
Rinka no saikun
(as Toyoko Takahashi)
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| Tôru Abe | ... |
Tetsudou-shokuin
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Sachiko Mitani | ... |
Aparto no onna
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Zen Murase | ... |
Minoru Hirayama - Koichi's son
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Mitsuhiro Môri | ... |
Isamu Hirayama - Koichi's son
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Junko Anan | ... |
Biyouin no joshu
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Ryôko Mizuki | ... |
Biyouin no kyaku
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Yoshiko Togawa | ... |
Biyouin no kyaku
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Kazuhiro Itokawa | ... |
Geshuku no seinen
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Fumio Tooyama | ... |
Kanka no otoko
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Keijirô Morozumi | ... |
Junsa
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Tsutomu Niijima | ... |
Noriko's office boss
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Shôzô Suzuki | ... |
Jimuin
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Yoshiko Tashiro | ... |
Ryokan no jochuu
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Haruko Chichibu | ... |
Ryokan no jochuu
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Takashi Miki | ... |
Tuyauta-shi
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Binnosuke Nagao | ... |
Onomichi no ishi
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Directed by
| Yasujirô Ozu | ||
Written by
| Kôgo Noda | ... | (scenario) and |
| Yasujirô Ozu | ... | (scenario) |
Produced by
| Takeshi Yamamoto | ... | producer |
Music by
| Takanobu Saitô | ||
Cinematography by
| Yûharu Atsuta | ||
Film Editing by
| Yoshiyasu Hamamura | ||
Editorial Department
| Ryûji Hayashi | ... | film development |
Production Design by
| Tatsuo Hamada | ||
Art Direction by
| Tatsuo Hamada | ||
Costume Design by
| Taizô Saitô | ||
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Osamu Takahashi | ... | assistant director |
| Kouzou Yamamoto | ... | assistant director |
| Shohei Imamura | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Setsutarô Moriya | ... | set dresser |
| Toshio Takahashi | ... | set designer |
Sound Department
| Yoshiomi Hori | ... | sound assistant |
| Mitsuru Kaneko | ... | sound engineer |
| Yoshisaburô Senoo | ... | sound |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Takashi Kawamata | ... | assistant camera |
| Itsuo Takashita | ... | lighting technician |
| Takeshi Yakuwa | ... | lighting assistant |
Script and Continuity Department
| Tomiji Shimizu | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Don Brown | ... | english subtitle translation |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Shochiku (1953) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Shochiku Home Video (2003) (Japan) (DVD) (box-set)
- Shochiku Home Video (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
- Aito Mäkinen & Co (1964) (Finland) (theatrical)
- British Film Institute (BFI) (2010) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Carlotta Films (2018) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- Contemporary Films (1965) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Gutek Film (2010) (Poland) (theatrical)
- Sherlock Films (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1964) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- trigon-film (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
- trigon-film (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
- trigon-film (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (re-release)
- A Contracorriente Films (2013) (Spain) (DVD)
- BBC Two (1991) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- BBC Two (1995) (United Kingdom) (tv)
- BFI Video (2010) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Ciné+ (2021) (France) (tv)
- DeAPlaneta (2003) (Spain)
- Epoca (Argentina) (VHS)
- Gutek Film (2012) (Poland) (DVD)
- Leopardo Filmes (2013) (Portugal)
- Madman Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2006) (New Zealand)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1966) (Finland) (tv)
- New Yorker Films (1972) (United States) (subtitled)
- Raro Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
- Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
- Sandrews (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Shochiku Home Video (2013) (Japan) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Tartan (2004) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- The Criterion Collection (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2013) (United States) (DVD)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1981) (Finland) (tv)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2005) (Finland) (tv)
- trigon-film (2007) (Switzerland) (DVD)
- trigon-film (2013) (Switzerland) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Haiyuza (courtesy: Chieko Higashiyama, Eijiro Tono)
- Bungakuza (courtesy: Haruko Sugimura, Nobuo Nakamura, Nagaoka Teruko)
- Gekidan Chidori (courtesy: Zen Murase)
- Gekidan Wakakusa (courtesy: Mitsuhiro Mouri)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Elderly couple Shukishi and Tomi Hirayama live in the small coastal village of Onomichi, Japan with their youngest daughter, schoolteacher Kyoko Hirayama. Their other three surviving adult children, who they have not seen in quite some time, live either in Tokyo or Osaka. As such, Shukishi and Tomi make the unilateral decision to have an extended visit in Tokyo with their children, pediatrician Koichi Hirayama and beautician Shige Kaneko, and their respective families (which includes two grandchildren). In transit, they make an unexpected stop in Osaka and stay with their other son, Keiso Hirayama. All of their children treat the visit more as an obligation than a want, each trying to figure out what to do with their parents while they continue on with their own daily lives. At one point, they even decide to ship their parents off to an inexpensive resort at Atami Hot Springs rather than spend time with them. The only offspring who makes a concerted effort on this trip is Noriko Hirayama, their widowed daughter-in-law, whose husband, Shoji Hirayama, was killed eight years earlier in the war. Following the vacation, each child comes to some conclusion of their general behavior toward their parents, not only on this trip but throughout their entire adult lives. For some, this realization may come too late. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | As long as life goes on, relationships between parents and children will bring boundless joy and endless grief. See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film is notable for its use of the "tatami-mat" shot, in which the camera height is low and remains largely static throughout. See more » |
| Goofs | (At around 1hr 45 mins) When the children are visiting their mother at home and leave the room to talk with the father in an adjoining room, just as they sit on the floor, the shadow of the boom-mic can be seen to drop into the scene and back out again, just over the son's head on the top right of the screen. This shadow is well into the frame against the edge of what appears to be a bookshelf and should not be considered a masking mistake of the projectionist. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Tokyo-Ga (1985). See more » |
| Quotes |
Kyoko:
[after the rest of the family had left]
I think they should have stayed a bit longer. Noriko: But they're busy. Kyoko: They're selfish. Demanding things and leaving like this. Noriko: They have their own affairs. Kyoko: But you have yours too. They're selfish. Noriko: But Kyoko... Kyoko: Wanting her clothes right after her death. I felt so sorry for poor mother. Even strangers would have been more considerate! Noriko: But look Kyoko. At your age I thought so too. But children do drift away from their parents. A woman has her own life, apart from her parents, when she becomes Shige's age. She meant no harm I'm sure. They have to look after their own lives. Kyoko: I wonder: I won't ever be like that. Then what's the point of family? Noriko: But children become like that, gradually. Kyoko: Then... you, too? Noriko: I may become like that in spite of myself. Kyoko: Isn't life disappointing? Noriko: Yes, it is. See more » |