Tamao Nakamura

The life and misadventures of a family in contemporary Tokyo. (imdb)

In this third part of the trilogy Kaji, a Japanese WWII soldier, finds himself struggling to survive behind enemy lines towards the end of the war.

Yonosuke was lived in insatiable pursuit of love affairs with women and men as well, and a celebrated courtesan; the son first made love to a woman at the age of seven. Thereafter, always devoting himself to the affairs, Yonosuke ended up, at 60, sailing to Nyogogashima ("Isle of Women"). This film was adapted for the famous novel, Koshoku ichidai otoko which narrates 54 years of his adventures in affairs of women. (Twitchfilm.net)

A private detective is hired to find a missing man by his wife. While his search is unsuccessful, the detective's own life begins to resemble the man for whom he is searching. (imdb)

Told in an intricate flashback structure, Enjo dramatizes the psychological collapse of Goichi (Raizo Ichikawa), a young Buddhist acolyte from a dysfunctional family who arrives at a Kyoto temple - the Golden Pavilion - for further study. (Wikipedia)

Japan's timeless tale of honor and revenge, the Loyal 47 Ronin is the true story of group of samurai who became ronin (masterless samurai) after their Lord was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official, Kira Yoshinaka, who had insulted him... (AnimEigo.com)

Nemuri Kyoshiro, a youthful and cynical ronin with unparalleled skill, is approached by both sides in a game of corruption, ambition, and double crosses. The leader of the Kaga clan, who thinks he has killed his smuggling partner, fears that the shogunate will discover his illegal activities. He learns of evidence that will prove his guilt. Meanwhile, his partner is not dead, and, assisted by a master of Shorenji boxing, is looking for revenge and for his loot.... (imdb)

Set among the matrilineal merchant class of Osaka in the early 20th century, this 1960 family drama by Kon Ichikawa follows the son of a prosperous family (Raizo Ichikawa) as he fathers only boys with various wives and geishas, much to the chagrin of his manipulative grandmother and mother. Ichikawa wrote the script with his wife and frequent collaborator, Natto Wada, and despite its sharp satirical jabs, it carefully notates the hero's ambivalence and regret toward women. (Chicago Reader)

In SWORD OF FIRE, Nemuri is hired to kill an innocent girl who is hiding out as a washerwoman in a small town. Realizing that she has done nothing wrong, Nemuri concocts a plan to mete out justice to those who want her dead.

About the adventures of Rantaro and other ninja apprentices at an elite ninjutsu academy. (imdb)

Before he portrayed the legendary blind swordsman, Zatoichi, Shintaro Katsu played Suganoichi, a blind court masseur with a dark side. An outcast since birth, he learned from a young age that the only way to get ahead was to take advantage of others. Now an expert con-artist with a heart of coal, Suganoichi is on a vile quest for power, and everyone else will suffer along the way! (animeigo.com)

It's near the end of the Tokugawa era. Choshu Clan's Lord has apparently been seeking a Choshu-Satsuma alliance against the desparate Tokugawa regime. But Choshu vassals are divided as to their opinons of this move, as not all are devoted to the idea of the Emperor's restoration. A color remake of the same directors 1925 original Tsukigata Hanpeita and the first version in color. (weirdwildrealm.com)

First part in a trilogy adaptation of the epic novel by the same name. A master samurai plunges into insanity and goes on a killing spree.

In 1922, Zenkoku Suiheisha (National Levelers Association) organized and started fighting for burakumin civil rights. Though these rigid categories may have blurred since the 1600s, and despite the Zenkoku's modern successors, the stigma of being a burakumin still remains today. In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the struggle, director Yoichi Higashi spins this tale about two boys who endure a daily torrent of prejudice for their lowly lineage, but grow up to fight for their rights. (Jonathan Crow)

We see the aftermath of Ryunosuke Tsukue's duel with Hyoma Utsugi, both of whom have survived and lots of bodies litter the ground. The rest of this (...) chapter takes us on a journey through central Japan as Ryunosuke escapes from the duel and tries to settle down as a teacher in a dojo before he becomes involved with the Tenchu Group, a small group of rebels (...). In the meantime he gets emotionally involved with a woman that bears an akin resemblance to his deceased wife Ohama (...) (imdb)

Ryunosuke Tsuke is still hunted by his sworn enemy Hyoma Utsugi, whose brother he killed (...). Whenever he tries to settle down and live peacefully (...), a combination of bad luck and bad kharma force him to continue on the path of self-destruction. (...) Just as he settles down with a young woman and her son and she genuinely shows affection for him, he has to save a young man who is accused unfairly of theft, and finds himself captured and forced to work for a corrupt official. (imdb)

A hidden gem has arrived in the form of a stage play performed in tribute to a pair of Japan's greatest stars. On the 35th anniversary of his becoming an entertainer Matsudaira Ken chose to honor his mentor, the legendary superstar Katsu Shintaro by portraying Zato Ichi, the Blind Swordsman in a play based on the original film on the same stage that Katsu had played the role 40 years before in a stage presentation. (imdb)

A satirical comedy about a store clerk who falls in love with his boss's daughter. Mizoguchi Kenji's final project; he died before completing it and directing duties turned over to Yoshimura Kozaburo. (The Movie Database)

Once upon a time, Okuro(Ayako Wakao), a young female racoon, lived poorly with her drunken father. One day after they'd disguised themselves as parasols, they were wrongly brought to the Racoon Palace, where the young racoon princess (also Ayako Wakao) made a mess around her arranged marriage with the beautiful racoon prince (Raizô Ichikawa). Pretty princess ran away. (The Movie Database)

The exciting story of Jirocho and his yakuza gang that controlled the area of the Tokaido during the latter days of the samurai era. Awesome fighting from Katsu Shintaro as One-Eyed Ishimatsu highlights this great tale taken from Japanese history! (The Movie Database)

Akumyo is a well-made and seminal Daiei Yakuza Series. It's a story of a wandering tough guy (Katsu) and his relations with a prostitute and the local yakuza (The Movie Database)

The life of the Buddha Shakamuni. (The Movie Database)

Haunting melodrama focuses on a young bamboo worker who takes his father's prostitute as his wife. (imdb)

Army Master Sergeant Hugh O'Reilly is stationed in Japan after World War II. He hates the Japanese. He meets a pretty young Japanese woman, an interpreter for the Army, and through her learns of an orphanage in need of help. He enlists other soldiers in an effort to rebuild the orphanage, and in doing so, begins to soften in his attitude toward the Japanese people.

Not only is Kamakura-based Masakazu Isshiki a mystery novelist, but he is also a good detective himself. His wife Akiko and he are acquainted with all manners of creatures and gods who are of, from or passing through the town. Dealing with and tackling his cases means he can use all the help he can get. (imdb)

Masakichi was a troublemaker until he found a right girl to marry. Unfortunately, his happiness is short-lived - she kills herself after being raped.

When the seventh shogun, Ietsugu died, shogunate officials chose Yoshimune, Lord of Kishu, to succeed him. Since then Yoshimune has led a double life.In court he remains a dedicated leader, but outside he travels incognito as a wandering swordsman, seeking out crime and corruption. With his trusted friends and his ninja, he’ll expose anyone who perverts the shogun’s justice and oppresses his people and he’ll ruthlessly put them down with his lightning-fast sword...

Taeko Sayama is happily married, until one day she discovers that her husband, Kunio, is cheating on her with the maid, whom he has impregnated. Meanwhile, one of Kunio's subordinates, Guntarô, is secretly in love with Taeko.

A mysterious swordsman called Hatokuro Yawata (Ken Matsudaira) who appeared from somewhere with white pigeons is actually Naotada Ii, the lord of Hikone Han. He was told that he had an older brother of twin by his mother on her deathbed. Hatokuro pretended to be a citizen in Edo and searched for his brother. However, in Edo, Murasaki Gumi, led by the mysterious Murasaki had power and used it as they like. One day, Hatokuro saved Okyu whose office-worker father was killed from Sanjuro Akaseki...

While transporting a bride-to-be in a closed carriage while during a thunderstorm, a group of servants and onlookers suddenly come upon an apparition of a ghostly white-draped female figure floating down to the ground. As she turns to face the crowd, the woman reveals the disfigured right side of her face. As the procession stands in utter horror, the ghost then takes flight again and down a side street. After the shock wears off, the bride is checked on and everyone is safe in the group.