

The Yellow Handkerchief
“Three complete strangers embark on a road-trip to Hokkaido.”
A convict, newly released from prison for murder, joins two strangers on a road trip through Hokkaido to visit his ex-wife, whom he hasn't seen in four years, knowing that if she puts a yellow handkerchief on the window, it would mean that she wants him back at home.
Where to watch The Yellow Handkerchief in United States
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About The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief is a 1977 Japanese-language comedy and drama film directed by Yoji Yamada. The cast is led by Ken Takakura, Chieko Baisho, Tetsuya Takeda. It has a runtime of 1h 49m.
The Yellow Handkerchief was produced by Shochiku and made in Japan. It was released on September 30, 1977.
- Director
- Yoji Yamada
- Writers
- Yoshitaka Asama, Yoji Yamada
- Release date
- September 30, 1977
- Original language
- Japanese
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan
- Production
- Shochiku
The Yellow Handkerchief cast & crew
The Yellow Handkerchief was directed by Yoji Yamada and written by Yoshitaka Asama and Yoji Yamada.
The cast features Ken Takakura as Yusaku Shima, Chieko Baisho as Mitsue Shima, Tetsuya Takeda as Kinya Hanada, Kaori Momoi as Akemi Ogawa, Kiyoshi Atsumi as Watanabe Kacho, and Hisao Dazai as Ryokan Manager.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Masaru Satō, cinematography is by Tetsuo Takaha, and it was produced by Toru Najima.
Is The Yellow Handkerchief worth watching?
At 1h 49m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy comedy and drama, The Yellow Handkerchief is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Yellow Handkerchief
The Yellow Handkerchief isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.
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.
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Cast of The Yellow Handkerchief

Ken Takakura
Yusaku Shima

Chieko Baisho
Mitsue Shima

Tetsuya Takeda
Kinya Hanada

Kaori Momoi
Akemi Ogawa

Kiyoshi Atsumi
Watanabe Kacho

Hisao Dazai
Ryokan Manager

Mari Okamoto
Ramen Shop Girl

Hachiro Tako
Yakuza

Kazuhiko Kasai
Checkpoint Policeman

Sakae Umezu
Policeman
Akihiko Hanyû
Policeman
Hidetoshi Hasegawa
Policeman
The Yellow Handkerchief — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Yellow Handkerchief in United States?
The Yellow Handkerchief is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.
▸What language is The Yellow Handkerchief in?
The Yellow Handkerchief is originally in Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Yellow Handkerchief?
The Yellow Handkerchief runs 1 hours 49 minutes (109 minutes).











