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Yasujiro Ozu

おず やすじろう

Ozu Yasujiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1903-12-12 （Tokyo, Japan）
Died
1963-12-12 （Tokyo, Japan） age 60
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Film director, Screenwriter, Editor, Actor (early)
Active Years
1923-1963
Affiliations
Shochiku

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

I Was Born, But...

1932 Comedy-drama

A representative silent-era work that portrays family and social hierarchy from a child's perspective, using humor and quietude. Centers on children's awareness and domestic power dynamics.

familychildren's perspectivesocial status
Translations
  • I Was Born, But...

Late Spring

1949 Drama

A film focusing on the relationship between a daughter and her father, marriage, and generational change. Uses restrained emotion and everyday detail to depict inner life quietly.

familymarriagegeneration gap
Translations
  • Late Spring

Early Summer

1951 Drama

Depicts a young woman's path toward independence and the divergence of family values. Portrays shifts in relationships through small everyday events.

independencefamilydepiction of everyday life
Translations
  • Early Summer

Tokyo Story

1953 Drama

An elderly couple visits their children in Tokyo and experiences alienation due to generational and lifestyle differences. Considered a classic of Japanese cinema, it depicts universal family dynamics and the passage of time.

agingfamily alienationpassage of time
Translations
  • Tokyo Story

The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice

1952 Drama

A work that treats marriage and spousal communication with humor. Characters are revealed through everyday meals and fragments of conversation.

marital relationseveryday lifecommunication
Translations
  • The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice

Floating Weeds

1959 Drama

Explores human relationships surrounding a traveling theatre troupe. A self-remake of an earlier work, it interweaves theatrical life and private affairs in an ensemble piece.

theatre worldfamily and narrativereinterpretation of the past
Translations
  • Floating Weeds

Good Morning

1959 Comedy-drama

A light comedy-drama centered on children's perspectives; observes social manners with witty dialogue, vividly portraying daily life.

children and daily lifehumorcommunication
Translations
  • Good Morning

An Autumn Afternoon

1962 Drama

A late-period work concerned with old age and the sorting of life. Uses quotidian gestures and tranquil imagery to depict farewells and reorganization.

agingfarewellreordering of life
Translations
  • An Autumn Afternoon

Bibliography

  • I Was Born, But...
  • Tokyo Story
  • Late Spring
  • Early Summer
  • The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
  • Floating Weeds
  • Good Morning
  • An Autumn Afternoon
  • Early Spring
  • Late Autumn

Translations of Works

  • Tokyo Story
  • Late Spring
  • Early Summer
  • The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice

Style & Themes

Literary Style
low, tatami‑level camera anglesrestrained, tranquil directionconcise compositions emphasizing dialogue and ma (pause)
Recurring Motifs
family dining tablewindow and ma (pauses) framingtrains and journeysseasonal changegenerational transition

Health

  • stroke (cerebral hemorrhage)
    1963
    Suffered a stroke (cerebral hemorrhage) in 1963 and died; brought an end to his active career.

Legacy

Yasujiro Ozu is one of Japan's most important film directors, internationally acclaimed for his concise storytelling and distinctive compositions that focus on everyday life. His universal treatments of family, time, and generational themes have deeply influenced subsequent filmmakers.

Academic Societies

  • Ozu Research Group

Archives

  • National Film Archive of Japan

In Popular Culture

  • Wim Wenders' documentary Tokyo-Ga (1985) is a celebrated homage and exploration of Ozu and Tokyo.

Trivia

  • Noted for frequently placing the camera at tatami height (low camera angle).
  • Worked for Shochiku for many years and repeatedly collaborated with a small stable of actors (notably Chishu Ryu and Setsuko Hara).
  • His restrained focus on quotidian events and formal simplicity has been highly praised internationally.