The Insect Woman
“She lives by instinct with no sense of right or wrong.”
A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.
Where to watch The Insect Woman in United States
Criterion ChannelClick a service to open The Insect Woman there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Insect Woman streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Criterion Channel | — |
| Canada | Criterion Channel | — |
| Japan | — | FOD |
About The Insect Woman
The Insect Woman is a 1963 Japanese-language drama film directed by Shōhei Imamura. The cast is led by Sachiko Hidari, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Shoichi Ozawa. It has a runtime of 2h 3m. Viewers rate it 7.2/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.
The Insect Woman was produced by Nikkatsu Corporation and made in Japan. It was released on November 16, 1963, and carries a NR certification.
- Director
- Shōhei Imamura
- Writers
- Shōhei Imamura, Keiji Hasebe
- Release date
- November 16, 1963
- Original language
- Japanese
- Age rating
- NR
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan
- Production
- Nikkatsu Corporation
The Insect Woman cast & crew
The Insect Woman was directed by Shōhei Imamura and written by Shōhei Imamura and Keiji Hasebe.
The cast features Sachiko Hidari as Tome Matsuki, Jitsuko Yoshimura as Nobuko, Shoichi Ozawa as Ken, Hiroyuki Nagato as Matsunami, Kayoko Honoo as Miyako, and Masumi Harukawa as Midori.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Toshirō Mayuzumi, cinematography is by Shinsaku Himeda, and it was produced by Kano Otsuka and Jirô Tomoda.
Is The Insect Woman worth watching?
The Insect Woman holds an audience score of 7.2/10 from 74 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 3m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, The Insect Woman is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Insect Woman
In United States, you can stream The Insect Woman on Criterion Channel. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
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Cast of The Insect Woman
Sachiko Hidari
Tome Matsuki
Jitsuko Yoshimura
Nobuko
Shoichi Ozawa
Ken
Hiroyuki Nagato
Matsunami
Kayoko Honoo
Miyako
Masumi Harukawa
Midori
Emiko Aizawa
Rui
Emiko Higashi
Kane
Daizaburo Hirata
Kamibayashi
Seizaburō Kawazu
Karasawa
Teruko Kishi
Rin
Tanie Kitabayashi
Madam
The Insect Woman — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Insect Woman in United States?
The Insect Woman is streaming on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸Is The Insect Woman on Criterion Channel?
Yes — The Insect Woman is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸What language is The Insect Woman in?
The Insect Woman is originally in Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Insect Woman?
The Insect Woman runs 2 hours 3 minutes (123 minutes).
▸What is The Insect Woman rated?
The Insect Woman is rated NR. It holds a 7.2/10 audience score from 74 ratings.
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