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Poster for Tokyo Story

Tokyo Story

Seen it?

1953 | 137 min | Drama

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (8.2 out of 10), it was a solid box office hit and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 17 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1953: an older pace and style.

The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don't have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 100 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.2 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerStrong

    Streaming release that reached a solid audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 206K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Yasujirō Ozu

  • Chishū RyūShukichi Hirayama
  • Chieko HigashiyamaTomi Hirayama
  • Setsuko HaraNoriko Hirayama
  • Haruko SugimuraShige Kaneko
  • So YamamuraKoichi Hirayama
  • Kuniko MiyakeFumiko Hirayama
  • Kyōko KagawaKyoko Hirayama
  • Eijirō TōnoNumata
  • Nobuo NakamuraKurazo Kaneko
  • Shirō ŌsakaKeizo Hirayama