Juzo Itami's 1985 film 'Tampopo' marks its 40th anniversary, with its cultural influence seen in ramen shops worldwide. The cult classic, centered on ramen, continues to be praised as a satire of Japanese society. Experts note that the movie anticipated the democratization of food culture.
Juzo Itami's 1985 film 'Tampopo,' known as a 'ramen Western,' reaches its 40th anniversary, with its influence extending worldwide. The central story follows truck driver Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) helping widowed ramen shop owner Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) perfect her broth. The movie satirizes Japanese society's collectivism versus individualism through scenes like one in a French restaurant, using food to explore human nature.
Japan Times film critic Mark Schilling says, 'Like nearly all of Itami’s movies, “Tampopo” is something of a filmed essay on contemporary Japanese culture and society, and human nature in general, served up with a black comic spin.' Born in Kyoto in 1933, Itami debuted as a director with 'The Funeral' in 1981 and was active until his suicide in 1997. The film mocks the bubble economy's consumerism, emphasizing the breakdown of food hierarchies.
Deborah Shamoon, associate professor at the National University of Singapore, states, 'The film parodies that social climbing by depicting how food as a status symbol can be upended. Food is something everyone can have an opinion about.' James Farrer, sociology professor at Sophia University, notes that 'Tampopo' was instrumental in creating the image of Japan as a nation of B-grade gourmets. Its erotic food scenes and female protagonist were innovative.
In Japan, it was a flop at release, earning ¥600 million at the box office, but gained cult status abroad. The late Roger Ebert called it 'one of those utterly original movies that seems to exist in no known category.' It continues to screen at festivals, influencing restaurant names globally. For instance, Tanpopo Ramen in Auckland, New Zealand, opened in 2005 and is owned by Masanori Umeno from Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture. Schilling concludes, '“Tampopo” paved the way for the many food-themed movies to come... It is still funny as a comedy and incisive as a social documentary.'