Ekimae: A Series in Front of the Station poster

Franchise

Ekimae: A Series in Front of the Station

Toho's influential 24-entry ensemble comedy anthology series about the people who live and work around train stations, whether urban or rural.

Films

18

Average rating

8.2 / 10

Release span

1958 – 1969

The Hotelman's Holiday poster
9.0

Based on the novel "Ekimae Ryokan" by Masuji Ibuse, a longtime hotel employee struggles to bring his old-fashioned ryokan in line with postwar Japanese business practices.

The Hotelman's Holiday

1958

An Urban Affair poster
7.0

Follow-up to "Ekimae Ryokan." Set around the Yurigaoka and Nishi-Ikuta stations on the Odakyu-Odawara line, the film takes up the problem of real estate around the expanding Yurigaoka apartments.

An Urban Affair

1961

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Lunchbox poster
8.0

Third film in the "Ekimae" series, this time set in Hamamatsu. A widow named Keiko and her brother Jiro run the bento shop, "Goraku." One day, Keiko asks for advice from her childhood friends Kintaro, a textile manufacturer, and Magosaku, an entrepreneur, about a big-shot from Osaka who wants to invest in her shop. However, Kintaro and Magosaku suspect that things are not what they seem...

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Lunchbox

1961

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Onsen poster
10.0

Fourth entry in the Ekimae series, focusing on the restoration of a Fukushima hot spring inn.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Onsen

1962

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Chinese Restaurant poster
8.0

The fifth "Ekimae" film set in a Chinese restaurant in Yokohama's Chinatown.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Chinese Restaurant

1962

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Teapot poster
7.0

Sixth entry in the Ekimae series, loosely based on the folktale of the tanuki and the tea kettle.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Teapot

1963

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Landlady poster
10.0

Seventh in the Ekimae series, detailing the exploits of the landladies around Ryogoku Station in Tokyo, and their sumo clientele.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Landlady

1964

Hot Spring Ghost poster
10.0

Eighth in the Ekimae series, portraying competition between two hot spring resort owners in Yamanashi.

Hot Spring Ghost

1964

A Comedy in Front of the Station: University poster
7.0

#13 in the Ekimae series of films. Set at Todai University, Professor Sakai (played by Frankie Sakai) mentors a group of university hopefuls. Cut to 25 years later, the students have each settled into their careers and cross paths with Professor Sakai's son, a P.E. teacher (also played by Sakai).

A Comedy in Front of the Station: University

1965

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Benten poster
7.0

The 14th film in the Ekimae series, set in Nagano Prefecture, focusing on the love lives of a group of husbands and their wives.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Benten

1966

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Manga poster
8.0

15th entry in the Ekimae series, surrounding the then-insanely popular Weekly Shounen Sunday series Osomatsu-kun and Obake no Q-Taro.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Manga

1966

Mahjong Madness poster
NR

The 18th "Ekimae" feature.

Mahjong Madness

1967

Campus in Front of a Train Station poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Campus in Front of a Train Station

1967

Exploration in Front of the Station poster
NR

Late entry "Ekimae" feature, about the hunt for lost treasure.

Exploration in Front of the Station

1967

A Hundred-Years' Comedy in Front of the Station poster
8.0

The 21st film in the Ekimae series, commemorating the 35th anniversary of Toho. The film is a loose remake of the first film in the series, Ekimae Ryoukan.

A Hundred-Years' Comedy in Front of the Station

1967

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Fortune poster
NR

The 22nd film in the Ekimae series about shop-owners living near Akabane Station, Tokyo.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Fortune

1968

Volcano of Station Front Plaza poster
NR

Penultimate 23rd "Ekimae" comedy is about oil-field exploration.

Volcano of Station Front Plaza

1968

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Pier poster
7.0

The 24th and final entry in the Ekimae series, set at Takamatsu Station in Kagawa Prefecture, formerly known for its ferry service to the Seto Inland Sea.

A Comedy in Front of the Station: Pier

1969