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IMDbPro

Railroad Man

Original title: Poppoya
  • 19991999
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Railroad Man (1999)
  • Drama
The touching reminiscing of an elderly railroad-station manager is interrupted by the sudden appearance of some good-natured girls.The touching reminiscing of an elderly railroad-station manager is interrupted by the sudden appearance of some good-natured girls.The touching reminiscing of an elderly railroad-station manager is interrupted by the sudden appearance of some good-natured girls.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Yasuo Furuhata
  • Writers
    • Jirô Asada(novel)
    • Yoshiki Iwama
  • Stars
    • Ken Takakura
    • Shinobu Ôtake
    • Ryôko Hirosue
Top credits
  • Director
    • Yasuo Furuhata
  • Writers
    • Jirô Asada(novel)
    • Yoshiki Iwama
  • Stars
    • Ken Takakura
    • Shinobu Ôtake
    • Ryôko Hirosue
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 13User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 22 wins & 7 nominations

    Photos190

    Railroad Man (1999)
    Ryôko Hirosue in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura and Sakuya Yamada in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura and Sakuya Yamada in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura in Railroad Man (1999)
    Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ken Takakura in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ryôko Hirosue in Railroad Man (1999)
    Ryôko Hirosue and Ken Takakura in Railroad Man (1999)
    Nenji Kobayashi in Railroad Man (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ken Takakura
    Ken Takakura
    • Otomatsu Satoas Otomatsu Sato
    Shinobu Ôtake
    • Shizue Satoas Shizue Sato
    Ryôko Hirosue
    Ryôko Hirosue
    • Yukiko Satoas Yukiko Sato
    Hidetaka Yoshioka
    • Hideo Sugiuraas Hideo Sugiura
    Masanobu Andô
    Masanobu Andô
    • Toshiyuki Yoshiokaas Toshiyuki Yoshioka
    Ken Shimura
    Ken Shimura
    • Hajime Yoshiokaas Hajime Yoshioka
    Tomoko Naraoka
    • Mune Katoas Mune Kato
    Yoshiko Tanaka
    • Akiko Sugiuraas Akiko Sugiura
    Nenji Kobayashi
    • Senji Sugiuraas Senji Sugiura
    Eiji Bandô
    • Mailmanas Mailman
    Mitsuru Hirata
    • Kawaguchias Kawaguchi
    Hirotarô Honda
    • Mineras Miner
    Renji Ishibashi
    Renji Ishibashi
    • Town Mayoras Town Mayor
    Kitarô
    • Milkmanas Milkman
    Shigeo Kobayashi
    • Motormanas Motorman
    Masanori Machida
    Masanori Machida
    Rie Nakahara
    • Clerkas Clerk
    Ken Nakamoto
    • Iidaas Iida
    • Director
      • Yasuo Furuhata
    • Writers
      • Jirô Asada(novel)
      • Yoshiki Iwama
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Horomai is a fictional train station. Scenes were actually filmed at Ikutora Station, in Sorachi sub-prefecture, Hokkaido. This station - which still displays its fictitious, film name over the front entrance - is often visited by fans, who can see photos and props related to the making of the movie displayed in the waiting room and also board a preserved section of the train which featured prominently in the film.
    • Quotes

      Otomatsu Sato: This town is more like an old people's home.

    • Soundtracks
      Tennessee Waltz

    User reviews13

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    An Outstandng Production
    For many people this will be an emotional movie. I was one of them. It is a story of duty taking precedence over family. Unfortunately I know the situation intimately due to conflicts between military service and family. Like the station master I chose duty at the expense of family. The story of what his daughter would have been like is told over several episodes. First as a grade schooler, then a teenager and finally as a young adult. I found myself thinking the same thing - how would my child have developed. It was profoundly moving. You also see the respect that others had for the station master. It came from young railway men and fellow towns people old alike. The concluding scenes were as moving as any of the others in the film.

    For train buffs, the steam engines are excellent and even the 1 car diesels are good. In my part of Japan the diesels are quite common.

    Hokkaido is a place where towns are dying and railways are disappearing as the movie alludes to. I am writing this in a hotel lobby in Sapporo, Hokkaido, in weather similar to the movie. It has an added touch of reality.

    I recommend this film to all who have an interest in Japan and life in the far north.
    helpful•15
    0
    • saylesp-1
    • Feb 9, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 5, 1999 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Official site
      • Toei Group (in Japanese)
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • 鐵道員
    • Filming locations
      • Ikutora, Minamifurano, Sorachi, Hokkaido, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Asahi Shimbun
      • Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Nippan) K.K.
      • Shueisha
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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