Sonosuke Sawamura

Acting

Sonosuke Sawamura

Born — Died

1918-07-01 — 1978-11-03

Place of birth

Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo, Japan

Known for

Acting

Credits

60 titles

Known for

Film credits

1960s · 27 titles

The Demon of Mount Oe poster
6.5

A band of warriors journeys to Mount Oe to rescue abducted women from a demon, overcoming supernatural threats like a giant spider and a diabolical witch along the way.

The Demon of Mount Oe

1960

Ninja, A Band of Assassins poster
6.4

Warlord Oda Nobunaga seeks to unite a fractured Japan. A young man trained in the arts of ninjitsu is manipulated by a ninja master into attempting to assassinate the warlord before he completes his task.

Ninja, A Band of Assassins

1962

Zatoichi's Revenge poster
6.6

Itinerant masseur and master swordsman, the blind Zatoichi, is near the village of his teacher, Hikonoichi, so he decides to visit. He learns of Hikonoichi's recent robbery and murder and the imprisonment of his virginal daughter, Osayo, in a brothel. Through friendship with Denroku, a local dice thrower and devoted father, Ichi uncovers an unholy alliance between the governor and the area strongman: among their scams is falsifying tax records to put farmers in debt, then forcing their daughters into prostitution at the boss's brothel. With help from Denroku's daughter, Otsuru, Ichi comforts Osayo until he can provoke showdowns with the villains and their henchmen.

Zatoichi's Revenge

1965

The Man Disappears Yesterday poster
NR

Tired of everyday life, the 8th Shogun Yoshimune flees Edo Castle and asks Ooka Echizen to become his personal assistant. In a rice shop, Yoshimune meets a simple ronin Ohashi Kenshiro, and receives permission to stay at his house, but a mysterious corpse awaits him in the house... And then the second, third and fourth murders occur...

The Man Disappears Yesterday

1964

Zatoichi on the Road poster
6.9

Zatoichi is sworn to protect the life of a young girl and without any real allies finds himself in the middle of a bloody turf war.

Zatoichi on the Road

1963

Paper Crane Palanquin poster
10.0

The death of a samurai in a palanquin leads girl detective Oshichi to take action to crush a plot to overthrow the Shogunate.

Paper Crane Palanquin

1960

Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance poster
6.9

[Period covered: 1582-1594]. As the film opens, the warlod Nobunaga Oda rides to Iga Ayanokuni shrine. He is asked if he thinks he has destroyed all the ninja who opposed him and answers that he suspects that there may be more. A servant brings water and tests it first. The paige dies and we hear gunshots as two ninja flee the scene. His suspicions confirmed, Nobunaga oversees the execution of captured ninja and decides that, in the future, he needs a much crueler method of execution. The daimyo Hideyoshi comes to visit.

Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance

1963

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues poster
7.1

Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love.

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues

1962

The Ninja Hunt poster
7.7

Four ninja are hired to fight against the Shogunate’s plot to abolish the Gamo Clan, the regional barons struggling to reinstate their young heir Tanemaru as their Lord.

The Ninja Hunt

1964

Shinobi No Mono 5: Return of Mist Saizo poster
6.5

[Period covered: 1616] On May 8th, 1615 the summer campaign of Osaka has reached the climax. This film takes place immediately following 'Ninja 4: Mist Saizo, Last of The Ninja'. Staying one step ahead of the Shogun’s forces, “Mist” Saizo tries to save the Sanada Clan, and avenge the death of his lord by assassinating the first Tokugawa Shogun. Following the first four films in this remarkable series, more previously unknown Ninja skills are shown to the world for the first time. The action heats up as Saizo single-handedly attacks the Shogun’s Palace!

Shinobi No Mono 5: Return of Mist Saizo

1964

Hibari’s Favorite 2 poster
NR

Young girl Kichiza searches for her missing brother and the person responsible for the death of her parents.

Hibari’s Favorite 2

1960

Return of the One-Armed Swordsman poster
6.0

The legendary one-eyed one-armed swordsman Tange Sazen is back to aid a Magistrate in his efforts to steal bribe money on its way to Edo for the benefit to poor farmers.

Return of the One-Armed Swordsman

1960

Lefty Fencer poster
4.3

As a child, Okin the one-armed one-eyed swordswoman was disfigured by Lord Daizen-dayu, who was after her family's most treasured possession, the famed Drenched Swallow sword. As an adult, she has become a skilled swordswoman and lives a carefree life with her adopted family. One day, Okin saves a girl from a group of yakuza, and in doing so, gets involved in a grand conspiracy involving religious leaders, government officials, the yakuza and Lord Daizen-dayu, the man who killed her father and mutilated her body...

Lefty Fencer

1969

The Flower and the Dragon poster
8.0

A story of manly life and the beauty of conjugal love. A story about a man and a woman establishing a family of longshoreman, centering on their love and struggle.

The Flower and the Dragon

1965

A Young Warrior on Mount Fuji poster
5.2

The epic battles between the Heike and Genji (Taira and Minamoto clans) take centerstage as the defeated leader of the Genji, Minamoto Yoritomo resolves to end his clan's exile and avenge the brutal loss in December, 1159 as they had fought under the white banner of the Emperor, while the Taira fought under their red flags in a battle to the death. The fight only took one day, with the Genji suffering utter defeat which led to their exile. His father, Yoshitomo, took responsibility for the loss and rather than live in humiliation, he decides to commit suicide with all his sons following him. However, the bravest warrior among them, Yoritomo stands tall and declares that he will not kill himself, but rather will fight to restore the clan.

A Young Warrior on Mount Fuji

1961

Ishimatsu: the One-Eyed Avenger poster
7.5

Some of the finest jidai-geki actors appear in this exciting and entertaining tale of intrigue and action in old Japan. Teaming up the ever-popular Misora Hibari with the greatest samurai action hero of all-time Wakayama Tomisaburo is a brilliant stoke of casting. Hibari takes on the role of Mori no Ishimatsu, a young man who gets involved with real-life Yakuza legend, Shimizu no Jirocho, 'Boss of the Tokaido'. Ishimatsu manages to interfere with a dispute between the Shimizu and their competition, the Marugame family, even going so far as to become an avenger's assistant. It's not the first time Hibari has played a man in a film (also in Benten Kozo), and her acting skills are at their best as she mixes in a bit of humor along with excellent swordplay. Wakayama Tomisaburo, as always, gives an outstanding performance as the powerful and beloved Yakuza Boss Jirocho.

Ishimatsu: the One-Eyed Avenger

1960

Hoodlum Priest And The Gold Mint poster
6.0

It’s cross and double-cross in these further adventures of Ryuzen, the wayward priest played by Katsu Shintaro as he tries to help a woman who may be the heir to a fortune get what is rightfully hers. Matsuo Kayo, who first rose to international stardom as ‘the supreme ninja’ in “Shogun Assassin” gives an outstanding performance in this clever and exciting caper tale set in the samurai era. Ryuzen agrees to help her, but is he just in it for himself, and is she really who she claims to be? When they come up against Boss Tobei it’s a virtual free-for-all as everyone struggles to walk away with a fortune in gold!

Hoodlum Priest And The Gold Mint

1968

Unwieldy Brothers poster
NR

Taisuke is kind-hearted but overall lacks ambition. Taizo is smarter, but given to fits of emotion and impulsive violence. The samurai brothers fight against corruption in a castle.

Unwieldy Brothers

1960

The Phantom Goblin poster
6.0

An injured Edo official is rescued by a vassal whose appearance is exactly like himself, and swears to sweep out the criminals from the town on his behalf.

The Phantom Goblin

1962

The Tale of Oiwa's Ghost poster
7.6

A samurai plots to reclaim his estranged wife after she leaves him over a murder scandal. When her sister falls victim to a scheme, he and his friend manipulate events, but their plans lead to supernatural vengeance.

The Tale of Oiwa's Ghost

1961

Diary of Good Conduct Matashiro: A beautiful bat poster
8.0

Rampant ronin Matashiro Sasai, finds himself embroiled in serious unrest after he rescues a geisha who is being kidnapped by a group of ronin.

Diary of Good Conduct Matashiro: A beautiful bat

1961

Sleepy Eyes of Death 1: The Chinese Jade poster
5.3

Nemuri Kyoshiro, a youthful and cynical ronin with unparalleled skill, is approached by both sides in a game of corruption, ambition, and double crosses. The leader of the Kaga clan, who thinks he has killed his smuggling partner, fears that the shogunate will discover his illegal activities. He learns of evidence that will prove his guilt. Meanwhile, his partner is not dead, and, assisted by a master of Shorenji boxing, is looking for revenge and for his loot. The Kaga leader sends the beautiful Chisa to enlist Nemuri's aid. The unexpected happens: the hard-bitten Nemuri falls in love. Can he protect her, topple the criminals, and avoid the boxer's deadly skill?

Sleepy Eyes of Death 1: The Chinese Jade

1963

Knightly Advice poster
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Knightly Advice

1962

Good Rascals poster
6.0

A group of men living a low life in Edo help each other to make the best out of their lives.

Good Rascals

1962

Heiji, the Detective poster
5.4

Famous for his coin tossing when capturing criminals, an Edo detective, Heiji, launches an investigation into the mysterious murder of his friend Seigoro.

Heiji, the Detective

1967

Sabakareru Echizen no kami poster
NR

1962 Japanese movie

Sabakareru Echizen no kami

1962

The Red Shadow poster
6.7

Fifteen years after Ishida Mitsunari lost in the battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu foresees his unavoidable battle with Toyotomi Hideyori and goes into Fushimi Castle. At the night, Hattori Hanzo, the leader of 36 Iga members who were performing as guards of the castle, perceives the existence of a ninja and captures the mysterious sneaker.

The Red Shadow

1961

1950s · 32 titles

Godzilla Raids Again poster
6.0

Two fishing scout pilots make a horrifying discovery when they encounter a second Godzilla alongside a new monster named Anguirus. Without the weapon that killed the original, authorities attempt to lure Godzilla away from the mainland. But Anguirus soon arrives and the two monsters make their way towards Osaka as Japan braces for tragedy.

Godzilla Raids Again

1955

Senryō yari poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Senryō yari

1958

Gigantis, the Fire Monster poster
6.4

A prehistoric monster called Gigantis emerges alongside another creature named Angurus.

Gigantis, the Fire Monster

1959

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island poster
7.2

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in a year's time but rejects Shogun's patronage, choosing instead to live on the edge of a village, raising vegetables. He's followed there by Otsu and later by Akemi, both in love with him. The year ends as Takezo assists the villagers against a band of brigands. He seeks Otsu's forgiveness and accepts her love, then sets off across the water to Ganryu Island for his final contest.

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island

1956

Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae: hachi-nin no hanayome poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae: hachi-nin no hanayome

1958

Kuchibue o fuku wataridori poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Kuchibue o fuku wataridori

1958

Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka poster
5.2

Chubei, the adopted son of an Osaka courier, falls desperately in love with the courtesan Umegawa. To prevent a wealthy client from purchasing her, he steals money from his employer to buy her freedom himself. Now hunted criminals, the lovers flee toward Yamato, pursued by the law.

Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka

1959

Sasaki Kojiro, Part 2 poster
7.0

The conclusion of the story of famed swordsman, Sasaki Kojiro. After surviving a series of daring adventures, Kojiro seems to have finally discovered the ultimate happiness in life when he is reunited with Tone, the love of his life. However, his days of happiness are overshadowed by an upcoming duel with his fateful enemy Miyamoto Musashi.

Sasaki Kojiro, Part 2

1957

Marital Relations poster
5.6

​Ryukichi, the pampered heir to a cosmetics wholesaler, abandons his wife and child to pursue a scandalous affair with a famous geisha named Choko. This betrayal leads his father to disown him, leaving the unskilled Ryukichi with no way to earn a living. To keep them afloat, Choko is forced to continue working as a geisha while secretly scraping together a nest egg to start their own business. However, Ryukichi remains trapped in his hedonistic lifestyle, eventually squandering Choko’s hard-earned savings on his own self-indulgence.

Marital Relations

1955

Tenpo Suikoden - Otone's Night Fog poster
NR

Jidai-geki by Kiyoshi Saeki

Tenpo Suikoden - Otone's Night Fog

1950

Mission to Hell poster
5.8

A samurai warrior attempts to stop Kublai Khan's Mongol hordes from overrunning Japan in the 13th century.

Mission to Hell

1959

Secret of Naruto poster
7.0

From the pen of Yoshikawa Eiji comes this exciting story. The Naruto Strait separates Tokushima from the islands of Awaji and Honshu. On Tokushima the mad lord dreams of conquest and forges a bloody revolt against the Tokugawa shogunate. A mysterious swordsman named Noriyuki Gennojo has crossed Naruto’s waters to uncover the Awa clan’s secrets. He puts his life on the line after finding a testament of Awa’s secrets, written in blood by a dying man. Joining Noriyuki are a female ninja who loves him, and the beautiful daughter of an enemy who’s sworn to kill him. Awa’s defenders willl stop at nothing to prevent the blood-soaked letter from reaching the shogun.

Secret of Naruto

1957

New Tengu Kurama Part II: Duel at Toji Temple poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

New Tengu Kurama Part II: Duel at Toji Temple

1954

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Achako's Diary: Bride-Catching Test

1956

The Affair 55 Years Later poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Affair 55 Years Later

1956

Aizome gasa poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Aizome gasa

1956

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Story of a Detective's Assistant Sequel

1957

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Achako's Diary: Children Who Spoil Their Children Go to Heaven

1956

Settlement of Love poster
9.0

Living in a house that has lost its man to the war a year earlier are the widow and her child. Four of the dead man's friends gather to have an anniversary wake. Some time following the ceremony one of the attendees marries the widow. Soon another friend of the deceased and his family also make the house their home when they move to town. Everyone's life is changed quite a bit. When the newer husband sustains an injury to his leg and loses his job it leads to the wife having to work. By the time the fifth anniversary of the friend's death occurs and another reunion is held another friend is in love with the former widow.

Settlement of Love

1956

Lucky Adventurer Nobunaga Oda poster
7.5

Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was a major daimyo during the Warring State period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy military governor with land holdings in Owari province. Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582. Telling the story of his rise to prominence as he leads an army of 4,000 men against the 40,000 troops of Lord Imagawa Yoshimoto to prevent the arrogant daimyo from crushing the Oda clan and taking control of the entire nation. From a newly restored anamorpic widescreen print, this is the ultimate warlord movie.

Lucky Adventurer Nobunaga Oda

1959

I Saw the Killer poster
NR

A man running a small radio repair shop becomes a key witness in a murder case.

I Saw the Killer

1956

Duel in the Sun poster
NR

A film by Kiyoshi Saeki

Duel in the Sun

1950

Diary of a Wandering Lord poster
7.0

Two thrill seeking young lords sneak out of their castles and travel under the disguise of townsmen.

Diary of a Wandering Lord

1959

The Lone Journey poster
9.0

Forced on the road by yakuza obligations, a man sets out on a reckless journey to Tsumagoi. Movie posters for local cinemas were often displayed at sento (public baths) too. The handwritten text on the bottom here announces the film will play at Hassen for 3 days.

The Lone Journey

1955

Sasaki Kojiro poster
6.0

Ronin Sasaki Kojiro pursues his ultimate goal of becoming a master swordsman. Along the way he encounters another great swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi.

Sasaki Kojiro

1957

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Case Files of Zenigata Heiji: The Human-Skin Spider

1956

When We Came Back poster
NR

Melodrama by Kiyoshi Saeki

When We Came Back

1950

Detective Hibari: Case of the Golden Hairpins poster
5.0

Oshichi, a famous girl detective, takes it upon herself to investigate the murder of a woman which occurs during an event for the festival of Asakusa Shrine. Her investigation leads her into danger as she runs afoul of a high ranking official and his plans to find a hidden treasure.

Detective Hibari: Case of the Golden Hairpins

1958

Bride of Peacock Castle poster
7.5

Princess Kazu, the daughter of Shogun Ienari, is sent to marry Matsudaira Nobunao, master of Peacock castle in Kozuke province, a domain of 17,000 koku. When the procession carrying her sizable dowry was so large that it was expected to take 30 days to reach the castle the members of the clan were surprised to learn that it contained only her barest essentials! Would her presence create a problem too large for the clan to deal with? And having been trained by Lord Yagyu himself, will her martial skills ruin the marital plans set forth for the couple, or can she be tamed in time for the wedding?

Bride of Peacock Castle

1959

Late Chrysanthemums poster
7.2

What is the life of a Geisha like once her beauty has faded and she has retired? Kin has saved, and become a wealthy money-lender, spending her days coldly collecting debts. Even her best friends, fellow Geisha Tomi, Nobu, and Tamae, are now indebted to her. For all of them, the glamour of their young lives has passed; Tomi and Tamae have disappointing children. Kin has two former lovers who still pursue her; one she wants to see, and the other she doesn't. But even the one she remembers fondly, when he shows up, proves less than satisfactory.

Late Chrysanthemums

1954

Invisible Man poster
6.7

When an invisible man is run down by a car it’s up to an eager young reporter and a strange clown to bring a dangerous gang to justice.

Invisible Man

1954

A Man Among Men poster
8.0

Gangsters Ken and Maki are rivals in the ticket-scalping game. They make an uneasy truce, but Ken wrecks the truce by agreeing to fix a boxing match in which Maki has an interest in one of the fighters. After a terrible brawl, the two gangsters discover that they have both been played for suckers by their bosses. They join forces to turn the tables on the bosses.

A Man Among Men

1955