The Life of Chikuzan_
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.
Starring
Ryūzō Hayashi, Nobuko Otowa, Mitsuko Baisho
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
The Life of Chikuzan was released 49 years ago in 1977.
Overview
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 Chikuz...
The Life of Chikuzan is a Drama, History film with a runtime of 2h 4m.
CAST (12)
Ryūzō Hayashi
Chikuzan Takahashi
Nobuko Otowa
Toyo, Mother
Mitsuko Baisho
Chikuzan's 2nd wife
DK
Dai Kanai
Sadakichi, Father
Hiroko Isayama
Tomiko
Hideo Kanze
Tokura
Atsuko Kawaguchi
Otoki
Takuzō Kawatani
Senta
Hōsei Komatsu
Goto
Akemi Negishi
Tami
Sumie Sasaki
Maid
Yoshie Shimamura
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Life of Chikuzan about?
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.
How long is The Life of Chikuzan?
The Life of Chikuzan has a runtime of 124 minutes (2h 4m).
Who stars in The Life of Chikuzan?
The cast of The Life of Chikuzan includes Ryūzō Hayashi, Nobuko Otowa, Mitsuko Baisho, Dai Kanai, Hiroko Isayama.
What is the rating of The Life of Chikuzan?
The Life of Chikuzan has a rating of 7.8 out of 10 based on 4 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Drama
History
