Junko Miyashita Movies

In the 12th century, Buddhism was still a relatively new religion in Japan. At that time, one school (Shingon) offered extensive training in complex and very demanding practices which might eventually bring about spiritual purification and realization. Various Zen schools offered students a lengthy path, literally composed of a blank wall and unceasing meditation. Yet another school (Tendai) emphasized complex metaphysics and the study of philosophical systems. Basically, all of them were designed to cater to the few who were able to give up everything else in their lives and focus on liberation, such as scholars and noblemen. In this historical and biographical drama, this is the situation that the young Shinran (1173-1263) discovered when he began exploring Buddhism as an alternative to the violence and ceaseless civil wars that racked Japan at the time. There was nothing out there for the common man, and the common man was desperately in need of hope and succor. Out of his experiences, the compassionate priest came to understand that "self-power" forms of practice were not especially helpful, and his teachings emphasized "other-power," the compassionate intervention of the Buddha Amida (Amitabha), which followers could receive by reciting an homage to him (Namo Amida Butsu). This alone would ensure the devotee's rebirth in Amida's Pure Land (a kind of heaven) and many blessings in this life. Hence, the school of Buddhism he founded came to be known as "Pure Land" or Shin Buddhism, and along with its many offshoots it became (as intended) the most popular and widespread form of Buddhist practice in Japan and continues in that role today. As for this complex movie, though lavishly produced, it was reportedly quite confusing to less well-informed (usually non-Japanese) audiences and failed to involve those for whom these religious controversies were not particularly compelling. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Himatsuri is based on a real life tragedy, in which a Japanese man inexplicably slaughtered his family and then killed himself. Kinya Kitaoji plays the thoroughly self-centered "protagonist," who does what he pleases no matter who he hurts. No one dares question Kitaoji due to his blasting-cap temperament. The only thing Kitaoji holds sacred is the land around him, but he's willing to destroy even that to have his own way. He befouls a lake that is sacred to the Shinto religion, spilling oil into the waters rather than letting them fall into the hands of land speculators. Suddenly experiencing a religious awakening, Kitaoji decides to "atone" -- by murdering his family, then committing suicide. No explanations are offered by director Kenji Nakagami: one takes what one wishes from Himatsuri. The film was released to some English-speaking markets as Fire Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

With a story that many could readily understand, this film is about a divorced policeman whose salary does not expand far enough to support his ex-wife, to handle his bills at the local bar, and to manage all the hand-outs his semi-delinquent daughter demands of him. The man is close to bottoming out, as few respect him for his low-paying job -- not because of what he does but because of his pay scale. He buys a computer to fill the hours when he is alone, which gets him into more debt that he hopes to eliminate by gambling. That leads to a vicious circle, hard to break unless someone can come and help him out of this quagmire. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Pathos and irony nuance this drama by director Tatsumi Kamishiro about the relationship between a young man and an adoptive father-figure. Akira Tagawa's (Tomokazu Miura) father has been imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. The devoted Akira wants to free him even though the man is an alcoholic whose only ambition in life is to bed down women. Akira enlists the help of Shiro Iwasa (Tomisaburo Wakayama), a newspaper journalist who treats him with such understanding and compassion that Akira finally is able to experience what a good father must be like. As he continues to work to free his father, he is unaware that these very efforts might well destroy his surrogate father-son relationship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Though this film is unlikely to find a wide audience in America, Akai Kami No Onna was ranked fourth in prestigious film journal Kinema Jumpo's annual ten best list in 1979, and Junko Miyashita, an icon of Japan's popular softcore films, garnered a best actress award. Director Tatsumi Kumashiro gives us an intimate portrait of the film's central character set against a working-class background. Miyashita plays a hitchhiker picked up by a truck driver (Renji Ishibashi) who takes her back to his rundown hovel. Claiming that she is running away from her husband, she moves in with the trucker and proceeds to engage in a grueling routine of non-stop sex -- until her violent ex-boyfriend pays an unexpected visit. This film is considered one of the finest movies in the Nikku Roman Porno genre. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Inspired by the true-life tale of a broken woman whose hedonistic tryst with a high-class restaurateur resulted in a horrific crime of passion that littered Tokyo headlines in 1936, director Noboru Tanaka's stark tale of passion has lost none of its power to shock since its original release in 1975. The daughter of a wealthy merchant, beautiful Sada Abe (Junko Miyashita) is banished from her wealthy father's home when he discovers that her virginity was stolen from her in a brutal rape. Subsequently sustaining her existence as a prostitute, Sada soon makes the acquaintance of restaurateur Kichizo (Hideaki Ezumi) -- who is immediately captivated by her mysterious beauty. As the couple eschews the outside world in favor of a secluded week of sexual bliss, pleasure soon gives way to obsession -- setting into motion a dangerous sequence of events that can only end in tragedy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This sensual Japanese drama focuses on the sexual and romantic liaison between a young man and a geisha, whom are about to marry. The story is set at a geisha house in a 1930s military garrison town and is based on a novel by Ro Miura. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide