Yojimbo
A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · Action · Drama · Thriller · 110 min · 1961
Trailer
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Studio
Kurosawa Production / Toho
Release
13 Sep 1961
Runtime
110 min
Genres
Action, Drama, Thriller
Full Plot
Sanjuro, a wandering samurai enters a rural town in nineteenth century Japan. After learning from the innkeeper that the town is divided between two gangsters, he plays one side off against the other. His efforts are complicated by the arrival of the wily Unosuke, the son of one of the gangsters, who owns a revolver. Unosuke has Sanjuro beaten after he reunites an abducted woman with her husband and son, then massacres his father's opponents. During the slaughter, the samurai escapes with the help of the innkeeper; but while recuperating at a nearby temple, he learns of innkeeper's abduction by Unosuke, and returns to the town to confront him.
Cast & Characters
, a wandering rōnin and master swordsman who provokes two gangs into open war.
Toshirô Mifune
, the izakaya (tavern) owner and the rōnin's ally and confidant.
Eijirô Tôno
, a gun-toting gangster and younger brother to both Ushitora and Inokichi.
Tatsuya Nakadai
, the original boss of the town's underworld. He operates out of a brothel.
Seizaburo Kawazu
, the other gang leader in town. He was originally Seibei's lieutenant but broke ranks to start his own syndicate in a succession dispute.
Kyū Sazanka
, the wife of Seibei and the brains behind her husband's criminal operations.
Isuzu Yamada
, younger brother of Ushitora and older brother to Unosuke. He is a strong fighter but is very dim-witted and easily fooled.
Daisuke Katō
, a sake brewer who claims to be the new mayor.
Takashi Shimura
, the timid son of Seibei and Orin who shows little inclination to take over his father's gang.
Hiroshi Tachikawa
the farmer's son, a young man seen running away from home at the beginning of the film who joins Ushitora's gang.
Yosuke Natsuki
, the town mayor and silk merchant who is going insane from fear.
Kamatari Fujiwara
Did You Know?
Yojimbo is part of TMDb's "Sanjuro Collection."
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Akira Kurosawa has directed 6 films in our catalog, including Seven Samurai, High and Low.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Toshirô Mifune appears in 4 films in our catalog, including Seven Samurai, High and Low.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Kurosawa drew inspiration from Dashiell Hammett's novel The Glass Key, a classic film noir.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Yojimbo shares similarities with another Hammett novel, Red Harvest.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Red Harvest is believed to be the true inspiration for Yojimbo by some scholars, but others consider it coincidental.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Yojimbo features an early example of the "Man with No Name" archetype.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Yojimbo holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (141,960 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 93/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (141,960 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 93/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Yojimbo's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Yojimbo holds a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Yojimbo's IMDb rating?+
Yojimbo has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 141,960 votes.
What is Yojimbo's Metacritic score?+
Yojimbo has a Metascore of 93/100 on Metacritic.
Is Yojimbo good? What are critics saying?+
Yojimbo holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (141,960 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 93/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Yojimbo?+
Yojimbo has a runtime of 110 min.
Who directed Yojimbo?+
Yojimbo was directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Where can I watch Yojimbo?+
Yojimbo is available to stream, rent, or buy on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Yojimbo" is largely positive, with many reviewers praising Akira Kurosawa's direction and the film's unique blend of strategy and storytelling. Reviews highlight the film's historical accuracy, memorable characters, and effective use of tension-building sequences. A large number of reviews also express a high level of enthusiasm for the movie, with some calling it "a masterpiece".
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Great movie! Akira Kurosawa is just a master movie maker.
Andres Gomez · 8/10Akira Kurosawa's 1961 film YOJIMBO is a Japanese period drama where wily strategy is worth just as much as prowess with a sword. In the late Edo era (some decades before its end in 1868) a community is plagued by two opposing gangs who have built up a criminal empire of prostitut…
CRCulver · 9/10I was surprised when I saw this, how late it was set - 19th Century - as I'd always imagined it to be of a more historical nature. That doesn't remotely detract from the story though - as again Kurosawa casts Yoshirô Mifune ("Sanjûrô") in the leading role. Here he is a wandering…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
rip tatsuya nakadai the goat 🗡️🕊️
@thekrizzo · 39 likesThat wind and standoff, it really feels like I’m playing Ghost of tsushima in Kurosawa mode
@akiharu2474 · 127 likeslove how they did a second version of the final encounter for this trailer alone
@Yojambolo · 232 likesDescribing this movie as "a juggernaut of a film" requires an almost criminal amount of understatement.
@FMNikoyo · 228 likesNext week? Oh man I can't wait!
@richyjjsmith · 420 likesMy favourite movie of all time, no other film comes close . *Every* moment of it was tailored to perfection. The fact that it’s been remade at least 3 times shows it’s a perfect movie.
@NickJohnCoop · 110 likesRIP to a legend ! TATSUYA NAKADAI will always be remembered for this classic, Ran, Harikiri , Sword of Doom and others . Rest well and thanks for the roles you graced us with .
@bobvar · 20 likesThis and 'Seven Samurai' are awesome!
@jacoblaughbon3323 · 72 likes
