81
About
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.
Theatrical
Sep 13, 1961
DVD / Blu-ray
Jan 1, 1999
Director
Writers
Producers
Music
Studio
TOHO
Original Title
用心棒
Original Language
Japanese
Where to Watch
Region
Apple TV Store
Rent from
4K
$3.99
Apple TV Store
Buy from
4K
$19.99
Amazon Video
Rent from
4K
$5.66
Amazon Video
Buy from
4K
$19.99
HBO Max
Stream included
HD
Included
See all 7 options →
Prices last updated October 1, 2026. Pricing and availability may vary by region.
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Cast
Full credits →T
Toshirō Mifune
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
T
Tatsuya Nakadai
Unosuke, gunfighter
Y
Yōko Tsukasa
Nui
I
Isuzu Yamada
Orin
D
Daisuke Katō
Inokichi
S
Seizaburō Kawazu
Seibê - brothel operator
T
Takashi Shimura
Tokuemon, sake brewer
H
Hiroshi Tachikawa
Yoichiro
Y
Yōsuke Natsuki
Kohei's Son
E
Eijirō Tōno
Gonji, Tavern Keeper
K
Kamatari Fujiwara
Tazaemon
I
Ikio Sawamura
Hansuke
A
Atsushi Watanabe
The Cooper (Coffin-Maker)
S
Susumu Fujita
Homma, Instructor Who Skips Town
K
Kyū Sazanka
Ushitora
K
Kō Nishimura
Kuma
T
Takeshi Katō
Ronin Kobuhachi
I
Ichirō Nakatani
First Samurai
S
Sachio Sakai
First Foot Soldier
A
Akira Tani
Kame
Sanjuro Collection
The masterless samurai Sanjuro, who slyly manipulates two warring clans to his own advantage in a small, dusty village, was so entertainingly embodied by the brilliant Toshiro Mifune that it was only...
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Quotes
See all →The Risks of Profit in Conflict
Hansuke
What's the matter? Why are you looking so gloomy, huh? It's a good chance for you to make a lot of money.
The Cooper
You're mistaken. When the fight gets too big, nobody thinks about coffins.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Fear of Ghosts Discussed Among Characters
Gonji
I hope that you are not afraid of ghosts.
Inokichi
Who, me? Of course I'm not afraid of ghosts; they don't exist!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
