Yoshikata Yoda

Years after the death of legendary tea master Rikyu, his disciple Honkakubo attempts to resolve the mystery of the master's death.

Set in Japan's Tenpyou era (729-749 CE), four young monks are sent to China to study Buddhism and bring a high priest back to Japan with them. The film tells the tale of the four monks' youth and the life and times of the high priest Ganjin.

Sen Rikyu is a ceremonial tea master who advises warlord Hideyoshi in sixteenth-century feudal Japan. His daughter, the beautiful Lady Ogin, has an unrequited love for Lord Ukon, who has angered Hideyoshi by becoming a Christian convert. Ogin's father Rikyu also displeases Hideyoshi by opposing the warlord's plan to invade China and Korea. When the animalistic Hideyoshi is rejected by Ogin, he threatens her and her father with arrest and worse.

Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director (Aru eiga-kantoku no shogai) is a 1975 Japanese documentary film on the life and works of director Kenji Mizoguchi, directed by Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba). It runs 150 minutes and can be found on the second disc of the Region 1 Criterion Collection release of Ugetsu (1953).

About small time gangster Asakichis chaotic life in the 1930s. His gambling addiction means that he must not continue working in the family business. Instead He supports himself on arranging cockfights. He becomes ex-geisha Okinus patron and lover, and goes directly into disfavor with the Yakuza.

Getting an opportunity to meet with another half-Caucasian swordsman, Kyoshiro finds himself involved in a series of dangerous encounters.

On the night of the summer Obon festival, Hagiwara Shinzaburo meets a beautiful courtesan named Otsuyu. Not knowing she's a ghost, he becomes infatuated by her.

In the 19th century Edo period, sisters Oshizu and Otaka have sacrificed their personal happiness to work and care for their ailing father. Otaka falls in love, but can’t accept a marriage proposal since her older sister needs to marry first. When Oshizu learns of this decision, she takes matters in her own hands.

A Japanese film

After a salary-man's fiancée attempts suicide, he recounts his gruesome family history which saw generations of his ancestors suffer and sacrifice themselves for the sake of their cruel lords.

A court fortune-teller loses his mind after a conspiracy leads to the death of his lover. Hope appears to be on the horizon after he becomes romantically involved with his dead lover’s twin sister, but more complications arise thanks to a chance encounter with a clan of shape-shifters.

An ambitious young woman uses her sex appeal to solve financial problems in her family, including a brother in debt to the yakuza, and a father who stole money from his firm to repay his son's debt.

Adaptation of a famous Kyouka Izumi novel. Set in the early 1900's, it tells the story of the impossible love between a young scholar a beautiful geisha.

Asakichi beats a ganster, Sada, in a physical fight, leading to recognition by Sada's clan boss. When Kotoito, the geisha Asakichi is in love with, is kidnapped by a rival clan and sold to a a house of pleasure, Asakichi and Sada set out to rescue her.

It's a story of the life of a man who advocated the necessity of sex education to children, which was unusual at the time, solely opposed to the amendment of the Peace Preservation Law, and was assassinated by a rightist prior to his opposition speech.

A successful textile industrialist from the provinces, who is beloved by his employees for his kindness, cannot find a wife because of a disfiguring birthmark on his face. Even the courtesans in Yoshiwara refuse to entertain him, until an indentured peasant prostitute, Tamarazu, takes the unsavoury assignment and treats him with brash tenderness.

A lifetime story of a woman who stubbornly lives in a poor mountain village in post-war Japan.

Revenge breeds revenge. Ikuta Denpachiro, the martial arts instructor of the Honda family in Koriyama, lost a fight to the young samurai Enjo Sozaemon in a martial arts tournament and as a result lost his position and was expelled from home. Wanting to avenge the mockery of himself, he treacherously kills Sozaemon and goes on the run. After long wanderings, Denpachiro, it would seem, finds a peaceful life and love in the face of a devoted and courageous Okatsu, but the brothers of the murdered man are already on his trail, wanting to avenge the death of Sozaemon. The film is based on a story by Itaro Yamagami.

In a military family, an illegitimate son is brutalized by his brothers. A patriarchal, feudalistic household where dissent is forbidden is used to reveal the whole imperialist system that afflicted Japan between 1921 and 1946. Winner of the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.

A poor peasant, after years of scraping, becomes a rich and powerful Osaka merchant. Mizoguchi Kenji's final project; he died before completing it and directing duties turned over to Yoshimura Kozaburo.

A humble page fathers a child by the daughter of a clan official and is banished. Years later, the child, now a stable boy, is reunited with his father, but feudal codes threaten their happiness. Uchida’s poignant masterpiece condemns the inflexible class system and launches an indictment of values that favor symbolic objects over human life. The film’s focus is on character rather than swordplay, and charged performances—especially child actor Motoharu Ueki—add to the emotional power.

Adaptation of the novel by Kan Shimozawa.

Special Forces commander Captain Tadamori returns to Kyoto after successfully defeating the uprising of pirates in the western sea of Japan. But because the high courtiers dislike career soldiers gaining power and influence, they ignore the will of ex-Emperor Toba and refuse to reward the captain. Reward recommender Lord Tokinobu is punished, and the captain sends his son Kiyomori to the Lord's residence, where he falls in love with Tokiko, the Lord's daughter. Meanwhile, Kiyomori finds out that he is possibly the ex-Emperor's son... Written by L.H. Wong

In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.

In 17th century Kyoto, Osan is married to Ishun, a wealthy miserly scroll-maker. When Osan is falsely accused of having an affair with the best worker, Mohei, the pair flee the city and declare their love for each other. Ishun orders his men to find them, and separate them to avoid public humiliation.

元禄十四年三月、勅使接待役浅野内匠頭は高家吉良上野の侮辱をうけ、ついに殿中で刃傷に及んだ。目付役多門伝八郎の正論にも拘らず、幕府は一方的に浅野の非を責め、、即日田村邸で切腹の上、家は断絶となった。知らせを受けた赤穂では城代家老大石内蔵助のもとに幾たびも総登場の会合が開かれる。

Yukiko's fiance learns her mother runs a geisha house and ends their engagement. She despises what her mother does until one of her clients shows interest and starts to woo her.

森鴎外の同名小説を、八尋不二と依田義賢が共同で脚色し、溝口健二がメガホンをとった文芸作品。特に美術と撮影はレベルが高く、ヴェネチア国際映画祭で銀獅子賞を受賞した。美しいラストシーンは、ゴダールが「気狂いピエロ」において引用したことでも知られる。 　平安時代末期、農民を救うため将軍にたてついた平正氏が左遷された。妻の玉木、娘の安寿と息子の厨子王は越後を旅している途中、人買いにだまされ離ればなれになってしまう。玉木は佐渡に、安寿と厨子王は丹後の山椒大夫に奴隷として売られた。きょうだいはそれから十年もの間、奴隷としての生活を続けるが、ついに意を決して逃げ出すことにする。しかし追っ手に迫られ、安寿は厨子王を逃すため池に身を投げるのだった。

祇園ではちょっと名の知れた芸妓・美代春の許に、母を亡くしたばかりの少女・栄子が舞妓志願にやってきた。栄子の熱意に負けた美代春は、彼女を引き受けることに。やがて、1年間の舞妓修行を経て、初めて店に出た栄子。ほどなく大会社の御曹司・楠田に見初められる。一方、美代春も楠田の取引先である神崎から言い寄られるのだったが…。

戦国の世、貧しい陶工・源十郎が若狭姫という女性と知り合い、生活をともにするようになる。だが美しい若狭姫の正体は死霊であった。それを知った源十郎は若狭姫を捨てて故郷に逃げるが、彼女の怨念は執拗に追いすがる……。「雨月物語」をベースに、川口松太郎らが脚色。

A movie directed by Nobuo Nakagawa

奈良の荒れ寺に集まる街娼たち。年老いたお春は羅漢堂に入り、過去に出会った男の面影を思い浮かべていた。御所勤めをしていた13歳のお春は、公卿の勝之介に宿に連れ込まれたところを見つかり、両親ともども洛外へ追放となってしまった。その後、松平家に取り立てられ嗣子をもうけたものの、側近の裏切りに遭い実家へ帰されてしまう。島原の郭に売られたお春は、気に入られた客の住み込み女中となるが、その妻に嫉妬され追い出されてしまった。さらに結婚相手が急死し、世話になった男の盗みが発覚して捕らえられるなど、流転の人生を歩むのだった。

During the 17th Century roving bands of hatamoto were causing trouble in the new capital city of Edo and constantly fought with the townspeople at every turn. The leader of these ruthless samruai was Mizuno Jirozaemon, who despite his high rank was in deep financial distress, thus leading to a tragedy that shook the very streets of the city.Opposing him was Banzui-in Chobei, the ‘Protector of the Weak’ who was willing to put his life on the line to save the 808 districts of Edo from the 80,000 hatamoto whose violent behavior threatened to destroy the fabric of society. Starring Bando Tsumasaburo, the first great star of the silver screen along with mega-star Ichikawa Utaemon, this is a story not to be missed. Torn from the pages of history, this true story has been told many times, but never as powerfully as this!

Set in post-war Japan, The Lady of Musashino tells the story of Michiko, a disillusioned young woman trapped in a loveless marriage. She confides in her younger cousin, Tsutomo, and the two become close, but decide not to consummate their affair. He instead becomes involved with the flirtatious Tomiko, who is also conducting an affair with Michiko's husband. When Michiko finds that her husband has abandoned her, she decides to take her fate into her own hands.

Shinnosuke is introduced to Shizu as a prospective marriage partner, but he falls in love with her widowed sister Oyu. Convention forbids Oyu to marry because she has to raise her son as the head of her husband's family. Oyu convinces Shinnosuke and Shizu to marry so that she can remain close to Shinnosuke.

A period mystery in which an unconventional priest exposes the truth behind the bizarre death of a maid in the shogun's harem. Kinuyo Tanaka stylishly plays a constantly intoxicated geisha in this all-star entertainment film.

A film about the rivalry and friendship between firefighter Chоji and sumo wrestler Sokichi Fudoyama.

Hamako has just started working for her personal hero, Madame Yuki. Her romanticized view of the Madame is broken immediately, though, as she is introduced with a ever-growing list of the Madame’s personal problems.

“グランプリ女優”京マチ子の主演作。讃美歌の流れるクリスマスの夜、ゆきずりにも似た男に純潔を捧げた女が、哀しくもたどる背信と罪の世界。再びめぐってこない青春を泥沼に捨てて絶叫する、女の心にふと咲いた恋の切なさを描く。

A woman's struggle for equality in Japan in the 1880s. Eiko Hirayama leaves Okayama for Tokyo, where she helps the fledgling Liberal Party and falls in love with its leader Kentaro Omoi, just as the party is being disbanded by the government.

敗戦後の大阪。結核で息子を失った大和田和子のもとに、夫の訃報がもたらされる。和子は会社社長の栗山の秘書となった。和子の妹の夏子はダンサーをしながら和子を捜しており、二人は偶然心斎橋で再会。夏子は和子のアパートで暮らすことになった。和子は栗山に身を任せていたが、ある日、栗山と夏子の関係に気づく。和子は男に復讐するため、アパートを出て売春婦になった。和子を捜すため心斎橋近辺を歩いていた夏子は、売春婦と間違われ警察に検挙されてしまう。

The stage director Shimamura, who is bringing western theatre to Japan, falls in love with the outspoken actress Sumako Matsui, and leaves his family to be with her, while trying to keep his Art Theatre solvent.

Utamaro, a great artist, lives to create portraits of beautiful women, and the brothels of Tokyo provide his models. A world of passion swirls around him, as the women in his life vie for lovers. And, occasionally, his art gets him into trouble.

明治十二三年頃、横浜での物語。ある露路の長屋に栗崎菊栄という裁縫の師匠がやもめ暮らしをしていた。隣には月琴の流しをしているお絹という美しい娘が母と二人暮らし。お絹は稼業に似ずしおらしい素直な娘である。彼女は貿易商阿島家の駆者をしている江口信吉という将来弁護士を志す青年と愛し合う仲であった。阿島は信吉を見込んで跡取りに迎える…。

In 1701, Lord Takuminokami Asano has a feud with Lord Kira and he tries to kill Kira in the corridors of the Shogun's palace. The Shogun sentences Lord Asano to commit suppuku and deprives the palace and lands from his clan, but does not punish Lord Kira. Lord Asano's vassals leave the land and his samurais become ronin and want to seek revenge against the dishonor of their Lord. But their leader Kuranosuke Oishi asks the Shogun to restore the Asano clan with his brother Daigaku Asano. One year later, the Shogun refuses his request and Oishi and forty-six ronin revenge their Lord.

A Man of the Arts

Followup film to Osaka Elegy - Osaka Woman

In late 19th century Tokyo, Kikunosuke Onoue, the adopted son of a legendary actor, himself an actor specializing in female roles, discovers that he is only praised for his acting due to his status as his father's heir. Devastated by this, he turns to Otoku, a servant of his family, for comfort, and they fall in love. Kikunosuke becomes determined to leave home and develop as an actor on his own merits, and Otoku faithfully follows him.

Umekichi, a geisha in the Gion district of Kyoto, feels obliged to help her lover Furusawa when he asks to stay with her after becoming bankrupt and leaving his wife. However her younger sister Omocha tells her she is wasting her time and money on a loser. She thinks that they should both find wealthy patrons to support them. Omocha therefore tries various schemes to get rid of Furusawa, and set themselves up with better patrons.

Ayako becomes the mistress of her boss so she can pay her father's debt and prevent him from going to prison for embezzlement.