Postwar Japan
Tora-san, the star of Otoko wa Tsurai yo (“It’s Tough Being a Man”), is a beloved figure in Japanese cinema and culture — a sentimental drifter with a big heart, a bigger mouth, and an uncanny knack for falling in love with women who are always, tragically, just out of reach. Played by actor Kiyoshi Atsumi, Tora-san is instantly recognizable in his rumpled suit, fedora, and ever-hopeful grin. He travels the country selling trinkets and sweet potato candy, meddling in other people’s lives, delivering heartfelt speeches at awkward moments, and inevitably getting his own heart broken. And he does all this with a blend of slapstick charm and soulful sincerity. The first film came out in 1969, and by the time the series concluded in 1995 — after 48 films — it had become the longest-running movie series starring the same actor in cinematic history. Each installment followed a cozy, familiar rhythm: Tora-san returns home to Shibamata, Tokyo, argues with his family, heads out on another journey, meets a beautiful “Madonna” (as the series calls the female leads), falls for her, and, through a mix of bad luck and worse timing, ends up heartbroken — again. Then he hits the road once more, a sadder but still hopeful man.
More than just entertainment, Tora-san became a kind of mirror for postwar Japan, reflecting both the societal shifts and the unchanging emotional core of its people. His character embodied traditional values — family, humility, sincerity — but was also a misfit in a rapidly modernizing society. Audiences related to his struggles and cheered for his eternal optimism. Watching Tora-san was like having a bowl of miso soup with your grandma: warm, familiar, and filled with love. The films hold a special place in Japanese pop culture. The neighborhood of Shibamata, where Tora-san’s family home is set, has become a real-life pilgrimage site, complete with a bronze statue of him at the train station. For many Japanese viewers, these movies are like seasonal rituals, revisited for comfort and nostalgia — a national cinematic hug. Tora-san may never have gotten the girl, but he captured the heart of a nation. And honestly, isn’t that the better love story?
