The Ballad of Narayama_
In Kabuki style, the film tells the story of a remote mountain village where the scarcity of food leads to a voluntary but socially-enforced policy in which relatives carry 70-year-old family members up Narayama mountain to die. Granny Orin is approaching 70, content to embrace her fate. Her widowed son Tatsuhei cannot bear losing his mother, even as she arranges his marriage to a widow his age. Her grandson Kesa, who's girlfriend is pregnant, is selfishly happy to see Orin die. Around them, a family of thieves are dealt with severely, and an old man, past 70, whose son has cast him out, scrounges for food. Will Orin's loving and accepting spirit teach and ennoble her family?
Starring
Kinuyo Tanaka, Teiji Takahashi, Yūko Mochizuki
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
The Ballad of Narayama was released 68 years ago in 1958.
Overview
In Kabuki style, the film tells the story of a remote mountain village where the scarcity of food leads to a voluntary but socially-enforced policy in which ...
The Ballad of Narayama is a Drama film with a runtime of 1h 38m.
CAST (13)
Kinuyo Tanaka
Orin
Teiji Takahashi
Tatsuhei
Yūko Mochizuki
Tamayan
Seiji Miyaguchi
Matayan
Yūnosuke Itō
Matayan's son
KM
Ken Mitsuda
Teruyan
Danko Ichikawa
Kesakichi
KO
Keiko Ogasawara
Matsu-yan
Eijirō Tōno
Messenger
Kō Nishimura
One of the villagers who Teaches Narayama's Manners (uncredited)
KH
Katsuyuki Hattori
Tatsuhei's son (uncredited)
Tokuji Kobayashi
One of the villagers who teaches Narayama's manners (uncredited)
Masao Oda
One of the villagers who teaches Narayama's manners (uncredited)
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Ballad of Narayama about?
In Kabuki style, the film tells the story of a remote mountain village where the scarcity of food leads to a voluntary but socially-enforced policy in which relatives carry 70-year-old family members up Narayama mountain to die. Granny Orin is approaching 70, content to embrace her fate. Her widowed son Tatsuhei cannot bear losing his mother, even as she arranges his marriage to a widow his age. Her grandson Kesa, who's girlfriend is pregnant, is selfishly happy to see Orin die. Around them, a family of thieves are dealt with severely, and an old man, past 70, whose son has cast him out, scrounges for food. Will Orin's loving and accepting spirit teach and ennoble her family?
How long is The Ballad of Narayama?
The Ballad of Narayama has a runtime of 98 minutes (1h 38m).
Who stars in The Ballad of Narayama?
The cast of The Ballad of Narayama includes Kinuyo Tanaka, Teiji Takahashi, Yūko Mochizuki, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yūnosuke Itō.
What is the rating of The Ballad of Narayama?
The Ballad of Narayama has a rating of 7.5 out of 10 based on 86 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama