Kokuho: Japan’s Highest-Grossing Live-Action Film Explores Kabuki’s Lineage and Sacrifice

Kokuho, directed by Lee Sang-il and adapted from Shuichi Yoshida’s two-part novel, has become Japan’s highest-grossing live-action film, surpassing all previous domestic releases. The three-hour epic has also earned multiple awards, confirming both commercial and critical success.

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed

The title “Kokuho” translates as “national treasure” and refers to ningen kokuho – individuals officially recognised by the Japanese state for embodying a traditional art or craft. In the kabuki world only six actors currently hold this designation, underscoring the film’s focus on the rarity of such honour.

The Conversation

The narrative follows Kikuo (Ryo Yoshizawa as an adult), an orphaned son of a Hiroshima gangster who enters the Osaka kabuki school in the late 1940s. Trained as an onnagata under the exacting master Hanjiro (Ken Watanabe), Kikuo competes with Hanjiro’s son Shunsuke (Ryusei Yokohama) for the coveted kokuho title. The film interrogates whether artistic mastery derives from inherited lineage (“blood”) or disciplined practice (“art”).

The ConversationRiveting: Kokuho reviewed

Lead roles are performed by Ryo Yoshizawa (Kikuo), Ken Watanabe (Hanjiro), and Ryusei Yokohama (Shunsuke). Min Tanaka, a butoh dancer, appears as the senior onnagata Mangiku. Cinematographer Sofian El Fani captures kabuki’s vivid costumes and rapid hikinuki costume changes, while the production recreates historic repertoire, including the love-suicide play “The Heron Maiden”.

The Conversation

While the on-stage sequences showcase authentic choreography and lighting, the film masks Yoshizawa’s limited personal training—only 18 months of kabuki practice—by employing rapid editing. The depiction of kabuki’s hereditary naming system and the pressure on young actors aligns with documented practices, though the story omits explicit discussion of gender-identity issues surrounding onnagata roles.

The Conversation

Reviewers note the film’s avoidance of the complex gender politics inherent in male actors portraying female roles, describing this as a “coy” omission. The episodic structure, spanning five decades, can create emotional distance for viewers. Additionally, the reliance on visual spectacle sometimes overshadows deeper exploration of the personal costs of achieving kokuho status.

The Conversation

Sources differ on Yoshizawa’s preparation: one account highlights his 18-month training period, while another implies a more extensive background, suggesting a gap between the actor’s real experience and the film’s portrayal of expertise. The narrative also leaves unanswered how contemporary audiences interpret the film’s stance on lineage versus merit.

The Conversation

• “Kokuho is multi-award winning.” — Spectator reviewer

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed

• “It is the highest grossing live-action film in Japan ever.” — Spectator reviewer

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed

• “It is sumptuously filmed.” — Spectator reviewer

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed

• “It is a serious business.” — Spectator reviewer

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed

• “It may even be that you’ll come away thinking: was three hours enough?” — Spectator reviewer

Riveting: Kokuho reviewed