The Taste of Fish (2008): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2008, The Taste of Fish is a comedy and drama film directed by Shingo Matsubara, running about 116 minutes.

What it’s about. It may sound cliché, but Japanese people really do love their fish. If Japan has the best and freshest fish in the world, then Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is where you're most likely to find them. It's the home of Japan's biggest daily fish auction, and it's a place of fierce competition between fish merchants that have been in the business for generations. Based on a comic series, The Taste of Fish follows businessman Shuntaro, who has a successful career in a trading company and is in a steady relationship with girlfriend Asuka. One day, Shuntaro has to help out at the fish wholesaler store run by Asuka's father, and he immediately falls in love with the world of Tsukiji Fish Market. Soon, Shuntaro quits his job and devotes all of his time to running the business while learning about the market's fascinating set of long-standing traditions. However, he must first also learn to distinguish the tastes of different fishes before he can survive in the competitive world of Tsukiji.

Who’s in it. The Taste of Fish stars Takao Osawa as Shuntaro Akagi, Rena Tanaka as Asuka, Tsuyoshi Ihara as Eiji and Yōko Moriguchi as Chiaki, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Taste of Fish has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Taste of Fish page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Taste of Fish tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.