Bridge of Japan

Synopsis

Ichikawa's 1956 adaptation of Nihonbashi was the first to take the work of Kyoka Izumi— until then regarded as a writer of common tragic melodramas—and re-evaluate it as a tanbi-ha work of decadence, aestheticism, and intrigue. Ichikawa's film presents the tragic plot of the young geisha who is unable to enact her love for a man publicly in any way other than a histrionic story of torment, a heart-rending tale of lovers being crushed by fate. Instead, Ichikawa shows the contest of wills that transpires as two geisha, Oko and Kiyoha fight for the top spot in Nihonbashi, the pinnacle of the Tokyo geisha world. Nihonbashi is an elegant, if steely, exposition of manners. The young doctor, Shinzo Katsuragi, is the object of affection for both women, but appears to be more the choice reward for the plotting and thieving of these two early modern superwomen, than a lover they swoon over.

Main Cast

Chikage Awashima

Otaka Inaba

Age : 87 | Popularity : 5%

Ayako Wakao

Ochise

Age : 90 | Popularity : 9%

Fujiko Yamamoto

Kiyoha Takinoya

Age : 92 | Popularity : 7%

Ryūji Shinagawa

Shinso Kuzuki

Age : 91 | Popularity : 3%

Hiroshi Kawaguchi

Age : 51 | Popularity : 8%

Eijirō Yanagi

Shinpachiro Kasahara

Age : 88 | Popularity : 10%

Eiji Funakoshi

Shinpachiro Kasahara

Age : 83 | Popularity : 8%

Eiichi Takamura

Kiyoha's Husband

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Production	Producer	Masaichi Nagata
Directing	Assistant Director	Yasuzo Masumura
	Director	Kon Ichikawa
Writing	Screenplay	Natto Wada
	Original Story	Izumi Kyōka
Editing	Editor	Tatsuji Nakashizu
Camera	Director of Photography	Kimio Watanabe
Lighting	Lighting Technician	Tsunekichi Shibata
Visual Effects	Color Designer	Tsunekichi Shibata
Sound	Sound Recordist	Mitsuo Hasegawa
	Original Music Composer	Koji Taku
Art	Art Direction	Atsuji Shibata
Department	Role	Name

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