Tokyo Story (1953): cast, story & where to watch
1953 · Film · ★ 8.2
Released in 1953, Tokyo Story is a drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu, running about 137 minutes. “As long as life goes on, relationships between parents and children will bring boundless joy and endless grief.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don't have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.
Who’s in it. Tokyo Story stars Chishū Ryū as Shukichi Hirayama, Chieko Higashiyama as Tomi Hirayama, Setsuko Hara as Noriko Hirayama and Haruko Sugimura as Shige Kaneko, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.2/10, Tokyo Story sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.
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 Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Tokyo Story page.
If you liked it. Fans of Tokyo Story tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Tokyo Story (1953)?
- In US, Tokyo Story is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Tokyo Story worth watching?
- Tokyo Story holds an audience score of 8.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Tokyo Story?
- Tokyo Story stars Chishū Ryū, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura and Sō Yamamura.
- When was Tokyo Story released?
- Tokyo Story was released in 1953, with a runtime of about 137 minutes.