Chishū Ryū - Actor Profile

Chishū Ryū

Acting
Updated: May 10, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: May 13, 1904
Birth Place: Tachibana, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

About Chishū Ryū

Chishu Ryu (May 13, 1904 in Kumamoto, Japan – March 16, 1993 in Yokohama, Japan) was a famous Japanese film actor, a favourite of the director Yasujiro Ozu. From 1928 to 1992 he appeared in at least 155 films, including Ozu's Tokyo Story (1953) and Yoshitaro Nomura's Castle of Sand (1974). From 1969 until his death, Ryu became familiar to a new generation as the curmudgeonly but benevolent Buddhist priest in Yoji Yamada's Tora-san movie series (a role he parodied to great effect in a cameo in Juzo Itami's 1984 comedy, The Funeral). Description above from the Wikipedia article Chishû Ryû, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

Chishū Ryū Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Chishū Ryū reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Chishū Ryū's work falls within the Comedy genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 100% of Chishū Ryū's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains The Longest Tunnel, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Chishū Ryū Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Chishū Ryū's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Chishū Ryū has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
1997 Tora-san's Tropical Fever Special Version High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1991 Tora-san Confesses High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1989 Tora-san, My Uncle Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1989 Tora-san Goes to Vienna the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1988 Tora-san's Salad-Day Memorial Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1987 Tora-san Plays Daddy the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1987 Tora-san Goes North the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1986 The Greatest Man in the World Hermit Super Hit Similar →
1985 Tora-san's Island Encounter the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1983 Tora-san's Song of Love the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1982 Tora-san, the Expert Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1982 The Longest Tunnel Saiji Akutsu Super Hit Similar →
1981 Tora-san's Promise Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1981 Tora-san's Love in Osaka Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1980 Tora-san's Tropical Fever Priest Super Hit Similar →
1979 Tora-san's Dream of Spring - Super Hit Similar →
1979 Tora-san, the Matchmaker Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1978 Stage-Struck Tora-san Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1977 Tora-san Meets His Lordship Gozensama Super Hit Similar →
1976 Tora-san's Pure Love Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1976 Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset Priest Super Hit Similar →
1975 Tora-san, the Intellectual Gozen-sama Super Hit Similar →
1973 Flower and Dragon - Super Hit Similar →
1971 Tora-san's Love Call the High Priest Super Hit Similar →
1969 Fight for the Glory - Super Hit Similar →
1965 Red Beard Mr. Yasumoto Super Hit Similar →
1965 The Soundless Cry Tateno Super Hit Similar →
1965 The Radish and the Carrot - Super Hit Similar →
1963 Tange Sazen - Super Hit Similar →
1963 A Prisoner in Search of Daughter - Super Hit Similar →
1963 Futari dake no toride - Super Hit Similar →
1961 Bandits on the Wind - Super Hit Similar →
1961 The Youth and His Amulet - Super Hit Similar →
1961 The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer Hinanmin no Chôrô Super Hit Similar →
1960 Master Fencer Sees the World - Super Hit Similar →
1959 A Killed Stewardess: White or Black Detective Shiozaki Super Hit Similar →
1959 I Want to Be a Shellfish Komiya Super Hit Similar →
1957 Flying in the Air - Super Hit Similar →
1956 The Storm - Super Hit Similar →
1955 All is Well 2 - Super Hit Similar →
1955 All is Well Shingo Mori Super Hit Similar →
1953 Tokyo Story Shukichi Hirayama Super Hit Similar →
1951 Beauty of Life - Super Hit Similar →
1944 The Man Who Has Returned - Super Hit Similar →
1936 The New Road: Akemi - Super Hit Similar →
1936 College Is a Nice Place Amano Super Hit Similar →
1928 Physical Beauty - Super Hit Similar →
1928 Couple on the Move - Super Hit Similar →
1928 Wife Lost - Super Hit Similar →
1928 Dreams of Youth - Super Hit Similar →

Chishū Ryū - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Chishū Ryū?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Chishū Ryū is "The Longest Tunnel" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Chishū Ryū acted in?

Chishū Ryū has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Chishū Ryū?

Other notable films include "All is Well", "All is Well 2", and "The Man Who Has Returned".

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