Sanshiro Sugata poster

Movie profile

Sanshiro Sugata

6.5/ 1019431h 37m

Drama

A hotheaded youth in 1880s Meiji Japan apprentices to judo master Shōgorō Yano, trading brute jujutsu bravado for discipline and humility. As Sanshirō matures, he proves judo’s spirit against old-guard challengers—including a deadly duel—while falling for his vanquished opponent’s daughter. Based on the novel by Tsuneo Tomita, son of Tomita Tsunejirō, the earliest disciple of judo.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

Visual gallery

Behind the frames

8 stills

Sanshiro Sugata still 1

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The cast

Faces behind the story

Denjirō Ōkōchi

Denjirō Ōkōchi

Shogoro Yano

Susumu Fujita

Susumu Fujita

Sanshiro Sugata

Yukiko Todoroki

Yukiko Todoroki

Sayo Murai

Ryūnosuke Tsukigata

Ryūnosuke Tsukigata

Gennosuke Higaki

Takashi Shimura

Takashi Shimura

Hansuke Murai, Sayo's father

Ranko Hanai

Ranko Hanai

Osumi Kodana

Sugisaku Aoyama

Tsunetami Iimura

Ichirō Sugai

Ichirō Sugai

Police Chief Mishima