Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop Rated MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop Rated ShowsMost Popular ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersGolden GlobesEmmysHispanic & Latino VoicesSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
    AllTitlesTV EpisodesCelebsCompaniesKeywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In

Lähtöjä

Original title: Okuribito
  • 20082008
  • K-12K-12
  • 2h 10min
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
51K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Okuribito (2008)
This is the trailer for Departures.
Play trailer1:52
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaMusic

A newly unemployed cellist takes a job preparing the dead for funerals.A newly unemployed cellist takes a job preparing the dead for funerals.A newly unemployed cellist takes a job preparing the dead for funerals.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
51K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Yôjirô Takita
  • Writer
    • Kundô Koyama(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Masahiro Motoki
    • Ryôko Hirosue
    • Tsutomu Yamazaki
Top credits
  • Director
    • Yôjirô Takita
  • Writer
    • Kundô Koyama(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Masahiro Motoki
    • Ryôko Hirosue
    • Tsutomu Yamazaki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 167User reviews
    • 179Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 40 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos1

    Departures
    Trailer 1:52
    Departures

    Photos417

    Masahiro Motoki in Okuribito (2008)
    Masahiro Motoki and Tsutomu Yamazaki in Okuribito (2008)
    Masahiro Motoki and Tsutomu Yamazaki in Okuribito (2008)
    Ryôko Hirosue and Masahiro Motoki in Okuribito (2008)
    Ryôko Hirosue and Masahiro Motoki in Okuribito (2008)
    Ryôko Hirosue and Kazuko Yoshiyuki in Okuribito (2008)
    Ryôko Hirosue and Masahiro Motoki in Okuribito (2008)
    Masahiro Motoki and Takashi Sasano in Okuribito (2008)
    Masahiro Motoki and Tsutomu Yamazaki in Okuribito (2008)
    Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, and Kimiko Yo in Okuribito (2008)
    Okuribito (2008)
    Okuribito (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Masahiro Motoki
    Masahiro Motoki
    • Daigo Kobayashias Daigo Kobayashi
    Ryôko Hirosue
    Ryôko Hirosue
    • Mika Kobayashias Mika Kobayashi
    Tsutomu Yamazaki
    Tsutomu Yamazaki
    • Ikuei Sasakias Ikuei Sasaki
    Kazuko Yoshiyuki
    Kazuko Yoshiyuki
    • Tsuyako Yamashitaas Tsuyako Yamashita
    Kimiko Yo
    Kimiko Yo
    • Yuriko Uemuraas Yuriko Uemura
    Takashi Sasano
    • Shokichi Hirataas Shokichi Hirata
    Tetta Sugimoto
    • Yamashitaas Yamashita
    Tôru Minegishi
    • Yoshiki Kobayashias Yoshiki Kobayashi
    Tatsuo Yamada
    • Togashias Togashi
    Yukari Tachibana
    Tarô Ishida
    • Sonezakias Sonezaki
    Sanae Miyata
    • Naomi Togashias Naomi Togashi
    Ryôsuke Ôtani
    • Tomeo's fatheras Tomeo's father
    Mitsuyo Hoshino
    • Kazuko Kobayashias Kazuko Kobayashi
    Tatsuhito Okuda
    Tatsuhito Okuda
    Akemi Fuji
    Miyako Hattori
    • Grandmotheras Grandmother
    Mari Hayashida
    • Director
      • Yôjirô Takita
    • Writer
      • Kundô Koyama(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    Daigo Kobayashi is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living. —Regent Releasing
    cellistfuneralfather son relationshippregnant wifeundressing someone152 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The gift of last memories
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Music
    • Certificate
      • K-12
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Masahiro Motoki also learned how to play a cello for the earlier parts of the film.
    • Goofs
      The main protagonist (Masahiro Motoki) has his cheek cut during the filming scene. This is covered in subsequent scene. In the next scene both the covering and the scar of the cut is gone.
    • Quotes

      Mika Kobayashi: What are you doing?

      Daigo Kobayashi: This one. Here.

      Mika Kobayashi: What?

      Daigo Kobayashi: A stone letter.

      Mika Kobayashi: Stone letter?

      Daigo Kobayashi: Long ago, before writing, you'd send someone a stone that suited the way you were feeling. From its weight and touch, they'd know how you felt. From a smooth stone they might get that you were happy, or from a rough one that you were worried about them.

      Mika Kobayashi: Thank you.

      Daigo Kobayashi: What did you feel?

      Mika Kobayashi: Not telling. That's a lovely story. Who told you?

      Daigo Kobayashi: My dad.

      Mika Kobayashi: You mean... that big rock?

      Daigo Kobayashi: Yep. I got it from him.

      Mika Kobayashi: I didn't know that.

      Daigo Kobayashi: He said he'd send me one every year, but that's all I ever got. That jerk!

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Worst Films of 2009 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 - 'Choral': IV. Presto, Allegro assai
      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

    User reviews167

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Meandering But Good Ultimately
    This is original and different, especially for Western audiences, but even for Japanese ones. The performances are engaging. The wife is very cool and lovable, becomes an alienating beatch and returns to be good again. By the way, very slender and appealing legs on her. Just wish she had long feminine hair, which the secretary does.
    helpful•15
    2
    • james-macdonough
    • May 22, 2021

    FAQ4

    • What is "Departures" about?
    • What does the Japanese title for the movie, "Okuribito", mean?
    • Is "Okuribito" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 13, 2008 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Japan)
      • Official site (United States)
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Departures
    • Filming locations
      • Sakata, Yamagata, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Amuse Soft
      • Asahi Shimbun
      • Dentsu
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,498,210
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $74,945
      • May 31, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $74,236,951
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 10min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    ‘Still Life’ Remake Heads for Japan-China Fund Backing
    ‘Still Life’ Remake Heads for Japan-China Fund Backing
    Oct 22Variety Film + TV
    Makoto Shinkai’s ‘Your Name’ Follow-Up Is Japan’s First Anime Oscar Entry in Over 20 Years
    Makoto Shinkai’s ‘Your Name’ Follow-Up Is Japan’s First Anime Oscar Entry in Over 20 Years
    Aug 26Indiewire

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Okuribito (2008)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Okuribito (2008) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View image
    Photos
    Child Stars, Then and Now
    See the entire gallery
    Image caption not available
    2:45
    What to Watch in November
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2021 by IMDb.com, Inc.