Tampopo (1985): cast, story & where to watch
1985 · Film · ★ 7.9
Released in 1985, Tampopo is a comedy film directed by Jūzō Itami, running about 115 minutes. “The first Japanese Noodle Western.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. In this humorous paean to the joys of food, a pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside shop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, begs them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the "art of noodle-soup making". Interspersed are vignettes about the importance of food to different aspects of human life.
Who’s in it. Tampopo stars Tsutomu Yamazaki as Goro, Nobuko Miyamoto as Tampopo, Ken Watanabe as Gun and Koji Yakusho as Man in White Suit, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.9/10, Tampopo has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Tampopo page.
If you liked it. Fans of Tampopo tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Tampopo (1985)?
- In US, Tampopo is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Tampopo worth watching?
- Tampopo holds an audience score of 7.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Tampopo?
- Tampopo stars Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Ken Watanabe, Koji Yakusho and Rikiya Yasuoka.
- When was Tampopo released?
- Tampopo was released in 1985, with a runtime of about 115 minutes.