Yojimbo

Name: Yojimbo
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: 1961-04-25
Duration: 1 h 50 min
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Toshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yōko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō

1961·Movie·NR·110 min·★ 8.1(1,691)

Drama Thriller More Japanese titles

“Kill one or a hundred... you only hang once”

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

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Where to watch Yojimbo in United States

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Click a service to open Yojimbo there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is Yojimbo streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
United Kingdom	BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Canada	Criterion Channel	Apple TV Store
Australia	—	Apple TV Store
Germany	Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ASIATIC Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads	Amazon Video
France	MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel	Canal VOD
Spain	Filmin, Acontra Plus, Acontra Plus Amazon Channel, Tivify	Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Acontra Plus
Japan	U-NEXT	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
South Korea	Watcha	wavve, Google Play Movies

About Yojimbo

Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese-language drama and thriller film directed by Akira Kurosawa. The cast is led by Toshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yōko Tsukasa. It has a runtime of 1h 50m. Viewers rate it 8.1/10 across 1700 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel.

Yojimbo was produced by TOHO and made in Japan. It was released on April 25, 1961, and carries a NR certification.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Ryuzo Kikushima
Release date: April 25, 1961
Original language: Japanese
Age rating: NR
Status: Released
Country: Japan
Production: TOHO

#japan#samurai#swordplay#gambling#sword#bodyguard#black and white#fighting#family#intrigue#ronin#jidaigeki#revolver#edo period

Yojimbo cast & crew

Yojimbo was directed by Akira Kurosawa and written by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima.

The cast features Toshirō Mifune as Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai, Tatsuya Nakadai as Unosuke, gunfighter, Yōko Tsukasa as Nui, Isuzu Yamada as Orin, Daisuke Katō as Inokichi, and Seizaburō Kawazu as Seibê - brothel operator.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Masaru Satō, cinematography is by Kazuo Miyagawa, and it was produced by Ryuzo Kikushima and Akira Kurosawa.

Is Yojimbo worth watching?

Yojimbo holds an audience score of 8.1/10 from 1,691 ratings, ranking it among the most acclaimed drama films.

At 1h 50m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy drama and thriller, Yojimbo is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Yojimbo

In United States, you can stream Yojimbo on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, and Kanopy, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. 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.