Zeze Takahisa’s 'Sukiyaki' Revives Protest Roots of 1963 Hit — SkimNews
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- Zeze Takahisa directed 'Sukiyaki,' the opening film of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, which dramatizes the creation and global success of the 1963 hit 'Ue o Muite Aruko' (known internationally as 'Sukiyaki').
- Ei Rokusuke, lyricist of 'Sukiyaki,' was inspired by the 1960 protests against the Japan-US Security Treaty and wrote the song as a message for demonstrators to 'walk with their heads up' despite defeat.
- Nakamura Hachidai and Ei Rokusuke composed a string of 1960s hits but later quarreled and split as Nakamura struggled with alcoholism, a downward spiral depicted in the film.
- Nakano Taiga portrays singer Sakamoto Kyu and performs the vocals in the film, capturing both his stage energy and vocal style with striking authenticity.
- Zeze Takahisa argues that Japan’s culture, once wide open to foreign influences in the postwar era, has become narrower, a shift he contrasts with the creative energy that fueled the song’s original success.
Why it matters: The film reframes a nostalgic pop hit as a cultural artifact rooted in political protest and personal struggle, challenging the perception of 'Sukiyaki' as mere entertainment. For younger Japanese rediscovering Showa-era culture, it offers a model of artistic openness now perceived as diminished, making the story both a biopic and a commentary on national cultural direction.
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