Zeze Takahisa’s biographical drama Sukiyaki opened the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, tracing the turbulent origins of the 1963 global hit song and the creative trio behind it, Variety reported.
The 689 Trio and the Creation of a Global Hit
The film examines the lives and careers of lyricist Ei Roksuke, composer Nakamura Hachidai, and singer Sakamoto Kyu. In Japan, they became known as the “689 trio,” a moniker derived from the number characters in their names: Hachi (8), Roku (6), and Kyu (9). Yet the narrative avoids painting a purely celebratory picture of their collaboration. Scene after scene reveals a professional and personal dynamic marked by friction rather than harmony.
Speaking at the headquarters of Toho, the film’s Japan distributor, Zeze emphasized the contemporary relevance of the story six decades after the tune—locally titled “Ue o Muite Aruko” (“I’ll Walk with My Head Up”)—first hit the charts. Back then, postwar Japan absorbed an influx of foreign influences that generated a massive cultural surge. Today, Zeze notes, that cultural exchange has narrowed significantly.
“Back then the country was recovering from the war and all sorts of influences were flooding in from abroad. Those influences created an energy that propelled the popular culture here. Now Japan is absorbing fewer influences from abroad. The culture used to be wide open – now it’s become narrower.”
Protest Roots and Shōwa Era Nostalgia
Far from a cheery pop confection, the song carries deep political resonance. Ei Roksuke drew direct inspiration from the massive public demonstrations against the Japan-US Security Treaty in 1960. While protesters ultimately failed to prevent the treaty’s ratification, the lyricist wanted them to maintain their dignity.
As Zeze explained to Variety, Ei wanted the demonstrators to walk with their heads up despite their defeat. That political grounding gave the track an unexpected emotional weight that resonated worldwide, even among audiences who could not understand the Japanese lyrics.
This cinematic dive into the Shōwa period—the reign of Emperor Shōwa from 1926 to 1989—arrives amid a broader domestic nostalgia boom. Younger audiences, alongside nostalgic Boomers, have increasingly embraced the fierce creative energy of the postwar era, a trend previously reflected in the audience of Godzilla Minus One, the 2023 Godzilla series installment set in the early postwar period. The follow-up by director Yamazaki Takashi, Godzilla Minus Zero is also at TIFF as the festival’s Centerpiece.
Casting Choices and Creative Friction
When casting the production, physical resemblance took a backseat to emotional projection. Nakano Taiga channels Sakamoto’s exuberant stage persona with striking precision. Coming from a show business family, Taiga brought a natural affinity to the role, even providing his own vocals for the musical sequences.
Meanwhile, the dramatic core of the film focuses on the strained partnership between composer Nakamura Hachidai and lyricist Ei Roksuke. After the success of “Sukiyaki,” Nakamura spiraled into alcoholism and weathered a difficult personal period. Zeze deliberately highlighted these struggles, insisting that a straightforward success story would lack dramatic tension.
| Key Figure | Role | Historical Context |
|---|---|---|
| Ei Roksuke | Lyricist | Inspired by the 1960 anti-Security Treaty protests |
| Nakamura Hachidai | Composer | Brought jazz piano mastery from New York clubs; faced later struggles with alcoholism |
| Sakamoto Kyu | Singer | Influenced by early rock and Elvis Presley; channeled by actor Nakano Taiga |
While the international audiences of 1963 knew little of the turbulent personal lives behind the music or the political turbulence in Tokyo, the sheer emotional velocity of the recording bridged the gap. Through Sukiyaki, Zeze brings those fractured creative roots back into the open.
