“Rashomon” (羅生門), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1962, B2 Size (trimmed at top) Q54

This is an original Japanese poster printed in 1962 for the Japanese re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (羅生門), starring Toshirō Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura. First released in 1950, the film became one of the decisive landmarks of post-war cinema, bringing Kurosawa and Japanese film to international attention through its Venice triumph and subsequent Academy recognition.

This design is associated with the film’s 1962 Japanese re-release, and surviving reference material identifies a Daiei 1962 re-release poster featuring Mifune and Kyō in this stark black-and-red composition.

The poster design is exceptionally powerful. Rather than using a crowded montage, it relies on a bold, near-monochrome image of Mifune as the bandit Tajōmaru, sword raised, with Kyō beside him, while the huge red title 羅生門 dominates the upper portion of the sheet. The printed copy at upper right proudly announces the film’s international prestige, referring to its major festival and Academy honours, while the lower text credits director Akira Kurosawa and stars Toshirō Mifune and Machiko Kyō. It is a brilliant example of early 1960s Japanese re-release design: direct, graphic, and instantly recognisable.

What makes this example especially interesting is that, it has been cut down at the top to remove the upper exhibition section. That is a well-known survival characteristic for this poster: Japanese cinemas often used the blank top strip for theatre names, dates, and showtimes, and when the poster was taken down that portion was frequently cut away. As a result, surviving copies of this 1962 Rashomon B2 are often found in just this state, while examples retaining the full top margin are considerably scarcer.

For collectors, this remains a highly desirable poster because the design itself is so strong and because Rashomon occupies such an important place in film history. It is not merely a poster for a famous Kurosawa title; it is a re-release sheet for the film that helped open Japanese cinema to the world. Even in trimmed form, it remains a compelling and authentic period display piece with real historical character.

Condition
Good / Very Good. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
This example has been trimmed at the top, removing part of the upper margin and the top of the large red title. It also shows original fold lines, corner tape remnants, light surface creasing, edge wear, and general age-related handling visible on both front and reverse. Despite this, the main image remains bold and dramatic, and the poster still displays very well.

It is over 64 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.

A scarce and visually arresting 1962 Japanese re-release poster for Rashomon — with classic Toshirō Mifune imagery, bold Kurosawa-era graphic design, and the unmistakable signs of real theatrical use that make surviving examples of this important poster so evocative.