Kanji Watanabe is a long-serving city hall bureaucrat in Japan. When he learns that he has terminal cancer, he realises he has hardly lived and sets out to find meaning in the time he has left.

When was Ikiru released?

Ikiru premiered on 9 October 1952. It had a limited theatrical release in the US on 25 March 1956, and a US digital release followed on 27 October 2015.

Where can I watch Ikiru in the US?

As of 2026-10-24, TMDB/JustWatch data lists Ikiru for streaming on HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel and Criterion Channel. It is free on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home.

Who is in the cast of Ikiru?

Takashi Shimura stars as Kanji Watanabe. The cast also includes Miki Odagiri, Nobuo Kaneko, Haruo Tanaka, Minoru Chiaki, Bokuzen Hidari, Shinichi Himori, Kamatari Fujiwara, Minosuke Yamada and Makoto Kobori. Akira Kurosawa directed the film.

Ikiru runs 143 minutes. It is a black-and-white film in Japanese.

Ikiru (1952): Plot, Cast, Release Date & Where to Watch

Ikiru plot summary (no spoilers)

For three decades, Kanji Watanabe has occupied the same chair in a city hall department in post-war Japan. He has become part of the office’s paperwork routine, in which requests are stamped, filed and passed on to another desk without anyone acting on them. His colleagues gossip, his superiors play office politics, and at home his son Mitsuo has little time for him.

Then a medical visit changes everything. Watanabe learns that he has terminal stomach cancer and only a short time left. He realises that he has barely lived. Unable to confide in his family, he drifts away from his desk for the first time in years and looks for something to fill the emptiness. He tries the city’s nightlife and spends time with Toyo, a lively young former co-worker whose energy fascinates him. Along the way he begins to ask what a single, overlooked bureaucrat might still do with the time that remains. The answer he reaches is the heart of the story, and it is best discovered while watching.

Ikiru — Mood illustration, not a still from the film — Mood illustration, not a still from the film

What makes Ikiru notable: director, cast and context

Director and writers: Ikiru (original title 生きる, “to live”) was directed by Akira Kurosawa. He co-wrote the screenplay with Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni.
Lead performance: Takashi Shimura plays Kanji Watanabe. The film rests on his quiet portrait of an ordinary man confronting death and the question of meaning.
Supporting cast: Miki Odagiri (Toyo), Nobuo Kaneko (Mitsuo, Watanabe’s son), Haruo Tanaka (Sakai), Minoru Chiaki (Noguchi), Bokuzen Hidari (Ohara), Shinichi Himori (Kimura), Kamatari Fujiwara (Sub-Section Chief Ono), Minosuke Yamada (clerk Saito) and Makoto Kobori (Kiichi Watanabe, Kanji’s brother).
Origin and style: The film is a Japanese-language, black-and-white drama produced by TOHO in Japan. It runs 143 minutes.
Themes: loneliness, mortality, the numbing routine of bureaucracy, workplace relationships and the search for a life that matters. The original tagline sums up its scale: “A big story of a little man which will grip your soul…”

If you are looking for an Ikiru review, the Drama4U Score is shown separately on this page. This guide focuses on what the film is about and how to watch it.

Who will enjoy Ikiru?

Viewers drawn to slow, character-driven dramas about mortality and meaning
Fans of Akira Kurosawa who want to see his work beyond the samurai genre
Anyone interested in classic Japanese cinema of the 1950s
People who appreciate satire of office life, bureaucracy and workplace politics
Lovers of black-and-white classics who don’t mind a long runtime

Release date and where to watch Ikiru in the US

Release date: Ikiru premiered on 9 October 1952. In the United States it opened in a limited theatrical release on 25 March 1956. A digital release followed on 27 October 2015 (rated NR).

Where to watch in the US (according to TMDB/JustWatch data as of 2026-10-24):

Streaming (subscription): HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel
Free: Kanopy (with a participating library or university)
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

Availability can change, so check your preferred service before you press play. A trailer is available.

Trailer

Cast

Takashi Shimuraas Kanji WatanabeSee credits →
Haruo Tanakaas Sakai
Nobuo Kanekoas Mitsuo, son of Kanji
Bokuzen Hidarias Ohara
Miki Odagirias Toyo
Shinichi Himorias Kimura
Minoru Chiakias Noguchi
Minosuke Yamadaas Subordinate Clerk Saito

Photo: TMDB

FAQ

What is Ikiru about?: Kanji Watanabe is a long-serving city hall bureaucrat in Japan. When he learns that he has terminal cancer, he realises he has hardly lived and sets out to find meaning in the time he has left.
When was Ikiru released?: Ikiru premiered on 9 October 1952. It had a limited theatrical release in the US on 25 March 1956, and a US digital release followed on 27 October 2015.
Where can I watch Ikiru in the US?: As of 2026-10-24, TMDB/JustWatch data lists Ikiru for streaming on HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel and Criterion Channel. It is free on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home.
Who is in the cast of Ikiru?: Takashi Shimura stars as Kanji Watanabe. The cast also includes Miki Odagiri, Nobuo Kaneko, Haruo Tanaka, Minoru Chiaki, Bokuzen Hidari, Shinichi Himori, Kamatari Fujiwara, Minosuke Yamada and Makoto Kobori. Akira Kurosawa directed the film.
How long is Ikiru?: Ikiru runs 143 minutes. It is a black-and-white film in Japanese.

Sources

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