The Three Treasures (日本誕生, Nippon Tanjō, lit. The Birth of Japan) is a 1959 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. The film is based on the legends Kojiki and Nihon Shoki and the origins of Shinto.[1][4] The film was the highest-grossing film of 1959 for Toho and the second highest grossing domestic production in Japan for the year.[3]

The Three Treasures
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Hiroshi Inagaki
Screenplay by	Toshio Yasumi Ryūzō Kikushima[1]
Based on	Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
Produced by	Sanezumi Fujimoto Tomoyuki Tanaka
Starring	Toshiro Mifune Yoko Tsukasa Kōji Tsuruta
Cinematography	Kazuo Yamada[1]
Music by	Akira Ifukube
Production company	Toho[1]
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	October 25, 1959 (Japan)
Running time	182 minutes[1]
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Budget	¥250,000,000[2]
Box office	¥344,232,000[3]

The film was shown in Japan in 1959 as Nippon Tanjo (The Birth of Japan) with a running time of 182 minutes, but it was released in the United States in December, 1960 as The Three Treasures, edited down to only 112 minutes. It was also shown internationally under the title Age of the Gods.[1]

Plot

This article needs an improved plot summary. (November 2021)

The Three Treasures retells the story of the Yamato Takeru legend, and features a recounting of the great battle between Susanoo and the legendary dragon Orochi.

Cast

• Toshiro Mifune as Prince Yamato Takeru and Susanoo
• Takashi Shimura as Elder Kumaso
• Kōji Tsuruta as Younger Kumaso
• Nakamura Ganjirō II as Emperor Keikō
• Akira Takarada as Prince Wakatarashi
• Kinuyo Tanaka as Princess Yamato
• Ichiro Arishima as Gods of Yaoyorozu
• Yoko Tsukasa as Princess Oto Tachibana
• Kyōko Kagawa as Princess Miyazu
• Setsuko Hara as Amaterasu

Production

Stuart Galbraith IV described the film as a religious epic in the style of director Cecil B. DeMille that featured "virtually every star and bit player on the Toho lot".[1]

Release

The Three Treasures was distributed theatrically in Japan by Toho on November 1, 1959.[1] The film was Toho's most profitable film of the year and second highest grossing domestic film of 1959.[1] The film was released in the United States by Toho International Company with English-language subtitles on December 20, 1960.[1] This version of the film was cut to 112 minutes.[1]

References

Footnotes

Sources

External links

• The Three Treasures at IMDb
• The Three Treasures at AllMovie

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[ru] Рождение Японии