To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Yasujirō Ozu's passing, renowned Japanese director Yoji Yamada has remade his classic masterpiece "Tokyo Story" as the new film "Tokyo Family" as a perfect tribute to Ozu. Starring Satoshi Tsumabuki, Ai Hashimoto, Yuko Takeuchi, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Masahiko Nishimura, Ryo Kase, and Hiroshi Miyasaka, the film drew 1.4 million viewers in Japan and was highly recommended by audiences who left the theater in tears, saying, 'The first thing I did after leaving the cinema was call my parents to say hello!' This film also marks the 50th anniversary of Yoji Yamada’s career as a director and was selected as an official entry for the 2013 Berlin Film Festival.
"Tokyo Family" portrays the relationship between modern couples, parents and children, as well as the widespread social issue of aging through the story of a couple visiting their children living in Tokyo. (Image provided by ifilm / Film Interaction)
"Tokyo Family" delicately explores the relationships between modern couples, parents and children, and the broader issue of societal aging through the story of a couple visiting their children in Tokyo. It is approachable yet deeply moving. Acclaimed Japanese director Yoji Yamada, known for his beloved "Samurai Trilogy"—"The Twilight Samurai," "The Hidden Blade," and "Love and Honor"—as well as classics like "Tora-san" series, "The Yellow Handkerchief," and "Cherry Blossoms – Haru’s Journey and Her Brother," released his new work "Tokyo Family" in 2013 on the 50th anniversary of his directing career, as a tribute to his idol, Yasujirō Ozu.
How long has it been since you went home to spend quality time with your family?
After the 3/11 disaster, the Hirayama couple from a small island in the Seto Inland Sea came to Tokyo to visit their three children working there—the eldest son, Kōichi (played by Masahiko Nishimura), who runs a private clinic; the daughter, Shige (played by Kazuko Yoshiyuki), who owns a beauty salon; and the youngest son, Shingo (played by Ryo Kase), who works as an interior designer. Although the children are all busy with their jobs and lives, they warmly welcome their elderly parents. The children try their best to take their parents out for meals and shopping, but they are too occupied with their own affairs to spend much time with them. Meanwhile, the grandparents begin to feel isolated, and unexpected events occur—Shige’s husband has an affair, and Noriko (played by Ai Hashimoto), Kōichi’s wife, faces her own struggles. When an accident suddenly befalls the grandmother, the entire family is thrown into chaos...
The stark contrast between city life and hometown pace makes even the closest blood ties unknowingly drift apart. Though the bonds of kinship remain, the inability to be closely together is an all-too-real depiction of modern family life.
Director Yoji Yamada with actors Satoshi Tsumabuki and Ai Hashimoto. (Image provided by ifilm / Film Interaction)
Popular actor Satoshi Tsumabuki and veteran actor Takashi Kashima share great chemistry in "Tokyo Family." (Image provided by ifilm / Film Interaction)
Star-studded cast Score by legendary composer Joe Hisaishi
Director Yoji Yamada invested 1 billion yen to assemble a star-studded cast and collaborated for the first time with Japan’s top musician, Joe Hisaishi. The seven-time Japanese Academy Award-winning composer personally scored "Tokyo Family." Hisaishi stated that the film’s music is based on imagination, and he felt honored to work with an outstanding director like Yoji Yamada, whom he had long admired as an ideal collaborator. “This time, it’s a dream come true for me!” Their first collaboration showed excellent chemistry, creating an ethereal score that perfectly blends top-tier cinematography, directing, and music into a timeless new “Tokyo Concerto.”
Ai Hashimoto plays the fiancée of Satoshi Tsumabuki in "Tokyo Family." (Image provided by ifilm / Film Interaction)
Selected for the 2013 Berlin Film Festival – Touching family story moves hearts
"Tokyo Family" was selected as an official entry for the 2013 Berlin Film Festival and received high praise after its premiere. The emotional power of family resonated across borders, bringing many audience members to tears. Originally announced by director Yoji Yamada at the end of 2010, the film was planned to be based on Yasujirō Ozu’s 1953 film "Tokyo Story" and was scheduled to begin shooting in April 2011. However, the devastating 3/11 East Japan Earthquake occurred just before production, and due to power restrictions at studios and other limitations, he decided to postpone filming, stating, “The Japanese people will undergo a major shift in mindset because of this disaster, so I’ve rewritten the script to set the story in spring 2012, in a Tokyo recovering from the 3/11 catastrophe.” As a result, Yamada conducted in-depth interviews with residents in disaster-stricken areas and added new characters with backgrounds as disaster victims—an element not present in the original. He said, "Tokyo Family" aims to reflect on whether 'we have become happier over these 50 years.'
Satoshi Tsumabuki and Ai Hashimoto portray the gap between urban and hometown life and the touching bonds of family in "Tokyo Family." (Image provided by ifilm / Film Interaction)