The Life of Chikuzan (1977)
Original title: 竹山ひとり旅
The Life of Chikuzan is a 1977 Japanese-language drama movie directed by Kaneto Shindō, with a running time of 2h 4m. It stars Ryūzō Hayashi, Nobuko Otowa and Mitsuko Baisho.
After over 50 years of wandering up and down Japan, finally in the 1970s, the rough-hewn blind shamisen player and folk-song collector named Takahashi Chikuzan became a musical sensation. This biographical drama chronicles his wanderings and his life, with a particular focus on his humble beginnings as a peasant on a remote and arid island.
Cast
- Ryūzō Hayashi as Chikuzan Takahashi
- Nobuko Otowa as Toyo, Mother
- Mitsuko Baisho as Chikuzan's 2nd wife
- Dai Kanai as Sadakichi, Father
- Hiroko Isayama as Tomiko
- Hideo Kanze as Tokura
- Atsuko Kawaguchi as Otoki
- Takuzō Kawatani as Senta
- Hōsei Komatsu as Goto
- Akemi Negishi as Tami
- Sumie Sasaki as Maid
- Yoshie Shimamura