The Ballad of Narayama

The Ballad of Narayama

With my mother on my back, now is the time to say goodbye to this world.

1958 · 98 min · ★ 7.6 · Drama

In a remote village where food is scarce, elders who reach the age of 70 are carried by their children to the top of a nearby mountain to die in solitude. Orin, a vibrant 69-year-old grandmother, has accepted her fate — but struggles to prepare the rest of her family for the ritual.

Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita · Written by Keisuke Kinoshita

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Cast

Kinuyo Tanaka Orin
Teiji Takahashi Tatsuhei
Yūko Mochizuki Tamayan
Seiji Miyaguchi Matayan
Yūnosuke Itō Matayan's son
Ken Mitsuda Teruyan
Danko Ichikawa Kesakichi
Keiko Ogasawara Matsu-yan
Eijirō Tōno Messenger
Kō Nishimura One of the villagers who Teaches Narayama's Manners (uncredited)
Masao Oda One of the villagers who teaches Narayama's manners
Katsuyuki Hattori Tatsuhei's son (uncredited)

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