Tokyo Story (1953)

• Year: 1953
• Released: 13 Mar 1972
• Country: Japan
• Adwords: 3 wins
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046438/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tokyo_story
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: Japanese, English
• MPA Rating: Not Rated
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 136 min
• Writer: Kôgo Noda, Yasujirô Ozu
• Director: Yasujirô Ozu
• Cast: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Sô Yamamura
• Keywords: black and white, marriage, teacher, school, beach,

	8.2/10
	100% – Critics
	93% – Audience

Tokyo Story Storyline

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.

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Tokyo Story Movie Reviews

Universal appeal of Tokyo Story

As with every great work, the film has its own unique perfection in style, rhythm, details, and artist’s vision – but Tokyo Story is very universal in its appeal – it is for every parent, every son or daughter – for everyone. It was made 50 years ago in Japan, about people who lived far away, but it is also about all of us, our families, our problems, our guilt and our search for love and meaning.

Ozu’s film does not require one to be a movie buff or to try to solve complex symbolism to appreciate and love it. It brings smiles because it is a comedy (for at least the first 2/3) and sadness with a high drama of the last 1/3 of the film.

Yasujiro Ozu’s quiet and deceptively simple film tells a story of an elderly couple who travel to Tokyo to see their grown up children and their families – son, daughter and daughter-in-law who is a widow of their middle son that was killed during the World War II. Their children love them, of course but they are too busy with their own lives and jobs to spend much time with them. Their young grandchildren don’t know them and not too eager to try to know their grandparents better. Only the widowed daughter-in-law is the one who is really happy with their arrival and tries to make their visit pleasurable. After parents return home, children receive a telegram with the sad news that the mother became critically ill. Now it is their turn to make a journey.

Ozu does not judge anybody, but beneath the quiet politeness, smiles, and soft voices there is a sad, inevitable, and powerful alienation of generations in the modern world of big cities. The simple family melodrama has been told with intensity, humanity, and honesty of character.

P.S. The first thing I wanted to do after I finished watching this film was to pick up the phone and call my mom. Just to hear her voice.

Just Too Real

An elderly Japanese couple come to Tokyo to visit children and grandchildren. From the beginning, we get a sense that they are looked at as a nuisance, even though they have not seen their family for years. While they visit, the children are hard pressed to take a little time for them. We see that they have settled into their lives (rather depressing lives) and into themselves. The kindest person is a young woman who the widow of one of the sons. She is kind an compassionate. True, not a lot happens, but as we go through the two hours, it is painful how tense things are and what an edge there is. I’ve seen these kinds of relationships in my extended family and in the families of others. This is a very well constructed film.

exceptionally crafted but depressing

This is a marvelous movie with exceptional acting throughout. However, it is also INCREDIBLY bleak and sad, so be forewarned!!! The story begins with an older Japanese couple (grandma and grandpa) packing to go to Tokyo to see their grown son, daughter and daughter-in-law (whose husband, their 2nd son, was killed in the war). However, despite their letting everyone know they were coming, they are treated as inconveniences. The only one who showed them any consideration was the daughter-in-law. Particularly disgusting was their daughter, who ALWAYS told her husband to spend LESS on her parents, as they wouldn’t know any better. Lovely kids, huh?! Anyways, after spending their time in Tokyo, they return to their hometown and grandma becomes deathly ill. You can probably guess where this is going. Despite all this, the grandparents continually say they’ve got good kids, even though they seem like selfish jerks.