is a 2005

Japanese film The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world; as of 2021, it was the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. In 2011 Japan produced 411 feature films that ea ...

directed by Kudo Kankuro. The film stars several well-known and highly respected Japanese actors. The story follows two Edo-era

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

men, Yaji Robei (Yaji) and Kita Hachi (Kita), on a pilgrimage to

Ise Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner ...

. It is loosely based on the ''

Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige , abbreviated as ''Hizakurige'' and known in translation as ''Shank's Mare'', is a comic picaresque novel ( kokkeibon) written by Jippensha Ikku (十返舎一九, 1765–1831) about the misadventures of two travelers on the Tōkaidō, the main ...

''.

Plot

Yaji and Kita are two men who live in Edo. They are deeply in love. Yaji is married to a woman, while Kita is an actor addicted to various drugs. One day, they receive an advertisement for the Grand Shrine at Ise, and decide to set out on a pilgrimage there, hoping to cure Kita of his drug addiction. They set out on a modern

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

but are forced to turn back and walk the Tōkaidō road to Ise, encountering various characters and obstacles along the way.

Cast

* Yaji: Nagase Tomoya from the band TOKIO * Kita: Nakamura Shichinosuke, a well-known

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is though ...

actor * Kin-kin:

Sadao Abe is a Japanese actor, stage actor and musician from Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. He started his acting career after joining a theater company/talent agency, Otona Keikaku, in around 1992 and gained his popularity after the drama series '' Team Med ...

* Ohatsu:

Koike Eiko is a Japanese actress. Biography Koike starred in Kunitoshi Manda's film '' The Kiss''. She appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2012 television drama ''Penance,'' and co-starred in Junji Sakamoto's ''A Chorus of Angels'' with Sayuri Yoshinaga. She ...

, a

Japanese idol An is a type of entertainer marketed for image, attractiveness, and personality in Japanese pop culture. Idols are primarily singers with training in acting, dancing, and modeling. Idols are commercialized through merchandise and endorsements ...

* Hige no oiran (the bearded courtesan): Suzuki Matsuo * King Arthur: Nakamura Kanzaburō, a kabuki actor * Bartender: Arata * Bartender's wife: Aso Kumiko * Spirit of the dead: Arakawa Yoshiyoshi * Non-non: Emoto Tasuku * Naniwa Hotto: Itsuji Itao * Foreman: Iwamatsu Ryō * Vendor: Minagawa Sarutoki * Landlady: Morishita Aiko * Newsdealer: Namase Katsuhisa * Tourists: Ogi Hiroaki, Yahagi Ken * Samurai: Nao Ōmori * Oyuki: Shimizu Yumi * Tower Phonographs owner: Shiriagari Kotobuki * Takeuchi Riki: Kimura Shonoshin * Policeman:

Terajima Susumu is a Japanese actor. Though he has played a wide range of characters, he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of ''yakuza'' figures, most notably in the films of Takeshi Kitano. Terajima made his acting debut in 1986's ''A Homansu''. He ...

* Fantom Yaji: Tsumabuki Satoshi * Old man: Kazuo Umezu * Ochin: Yamaguchi Tomomitsu

References

External links

official site (written in Japanese)

IMDb entry
2005 films 2000s Japanese-language films 2005 comedy films Samurai films Japanese LGBT-related films Films with screenplays by Kankurō Kudō LGBT-related comedy films Gay-related films 2005 LGBT-related films 2000s Japanese films {{2000s-Japan-film-stub