A 1960s Jukebox Hit Returns as Tokyo Film Festival Opener

For moviegoers in Japan this Christmas, the season opens with a story about a song that once defined the country's postwar identity. Takahisa Zeze's drama, titled Sukiyaki, premiered at the 2026 Tokyo International Film Festival. The film examines the origins of the 1961 ballad that became the first Asian single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

The narrative centers on composer Hachidai Nakamura and lyricist Rokusuke Ei, played by Junichi Okada and Tori Matsuzaka. The film depicts their unlikely partnership, which began when Nakamura, a jazz pianist struggling with debt and addiction, teamed up with Ei, a radio writer with no prior experience in songwriting. They composed the track for a 1959 Toho movie, blending traditional Japanese scales with jazz chords and American pop influences.

Singer Kyu Sakamoto, portrayed by Taiga Nakano, is credited with transforming the composition into a global phenomenon. He was given the sheet music only two hours before the July 21, 1961, premiere at Tokyo's Sankei Hall. Unrehearsed, Sakamoto altered the tempo and key, adding an ad lib that became a signature element of the recording. These improvisations gave the song its distinctive character.

The song's journey from a domestic release to a worldwide hit involved a series of fortunate errors and strategic decisions. Louis Benjamin of Pye Records brought the melody to the UK, where an instrumental version by Kenny Ball reached the top ten in 1963. In the United States, Capitol Records initially failed with instrumental covers before releasing the original Japanese recording under the English title Sukiyaki. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in June 1963, selling over 13 million copies globally.

The song's success coincided with Japan's economic boom, offering a source of national pride during a period of rapid growth. It was later covered by dozens of artists, including R&B group A Taste of Honey, whose 1981 version reached number three on the Hot 100. The track also featured in the 2011 Ghibli film From Up on Poppy Hill and was performed at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony.

Sakamoto died in the 1985 Japan Air Lines Flight 123 crash, which remains the deadliest single-aircraft disaster in history. The song is played at the annual memorial service for the victims. The new film opens in Japanese theaters on December 25, 2026, depicting the reunion of the trio that Sakamoto had hoped to bring back together before his death.