"EQUINOX FLOWER" (彼岸花), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1958, Yasujirō Ozu, Ultra Rare, B2 Size (c. 51 x 73cm) (G)
EQUINOX FLOWER / 彼岸花
Japan (Shochiku), 1958
Original first-release Japanese theatrical poster (B2)
Colour-printed poster on paper, excellent condition
A cornerstone of Yasujirō Ozu’s late period in a form that almost never survives: the first-release Japanese B2 for Higanbana (Equinox Flower)—Ozu’s first colour feature and one of Shochiku’s most elegant prestige dramas of the 1950s.
Original Japanese theatrical paper for Ozu titles is notoriously scarce; but for Equinox Flower—an early colour-era sheet printed for everyday cinema display—the survival rate is especially unforgiving. This example stands out for its exceptional overall presentation: rich, unfaded colour, strong contrast, and highly attractive display impact.
“A first-release Japanese B2 for Ozu’s first colour film—rare, visually striking, and increasingly hard to acquire in this level of condition.”
Key Facts
Film: Higanbana (Equinox Flower / 彼岸花)
Director: Yasujirō Ozu（小津安二郎）
Studio: Shochiku（松竹）
Release: 1958 (Japan)
Poster format: Japanese B2 — approx. 51 × 72.5 cm (20.25 × 28.25 in) (as offered)
Colour billing (as printed): 総天然色 / アグファカラー — “Full natural colour / Agfacolor”
Rarity and Market Context
Postwar Japanese B2s were made to be used—then thrown away
Japanese B2 posters were working theatrical tools: handled, transported, pinned, displayed, and routinely discarded once a programme changed. For late‑1950s originals—especially dark-toned colour designs like this—finding a clean, complete, highly displayable example is increasingly uncommon.
Why this one matters
Collectors respond strongly to the overlap of:
(1) top-tier auteur + (2) true first-release Japanese paper + (3) pivotal career milestone (Ozu’s first colour film) + (4) strong visual presentation.
This poster lands squarely in that upper tier of desirable country-of-origin Japanese cinema paper.
Yasujirō Ozu and the Status of Equinox Flower
Ozu’s first colour feature—an essential turning point
Equinox Flower marks Ozu’s move into colour and the beginning of his late colour period, celebrated for its compositional precision and sophisticated use of interior space, costume, and colour relationships. The film’s drama—parental authority, generational change, and marriage expectations—unfolds with Ozu’s trademark calm surface and emotional depth.
The film: modernity in a traditional room
Set within the rituals of middle-class domestic life, Equinox Flower observes family tension with gentle irony and accumulating poignancy—one of Ozu’s defining strengths, and a major reason his work remains central to world cinema history.
The B2 Format
B2 is the classic Japanese theatrical poster size—the standard cinema wall sheet. But standard use is exactly why originals are scarce: they were not treated as collectibles in-period. A genuine first-release B2 for Equinox Flower is a highly sought-after object, especially when it retains strong colour and overall cleanliness.
Poster Design: A Masterclass in Late-1950s Japanese Colour Poster Aesthetics
This sheet is extraordinary not only for rarity, but for sheer graphic authority:
Monumental yellow title calligraphy: 彼岸花 in bold brushstroke yellow dominates the upper field, creating immediate impact against the deep, warm interior tones.
Three-figure composition with reflective lacquer table: poised, intimate, and quietly tense—an image architecture that mirrors Ozu’s cinema.
Period colour prestige messaging: the prominent 総天然色 / アグファカラー (“Full natural colour / Agfacolor”) billing underscores the film’s significance as a colour-era event release.
Studio identity and genre positioning: the lower-left block pairs 文芸大作 (“literary masterpiece”) with 松竹映画 (“Shochiku Film”), situating the film as high-class studio drama.
Text and Translation Notes
Below are key on-sheet texts and their English meanings as printed on the poster:
Main title: 彼岸花 — “Equinox Flower” (Higanbana; the red spider lily)
Colour note: 総天然色 — “Full natural colour” / アグファカラー — “Agfacolor”\
Director credit: 小津安二郎 監督作品 — “A film directed by Yasujirō Ozu”
Original-work credit: 原作 里見弴 — “Original work: Ton Satomi”
(parenthetical publication note also printed beneath)
Bottom-left block: 文芸大作 / 松竹映画 — “Literary masterpiece / Shochiku Film”
Tagline (bottom): 空前の豪華配役で婚期の娘と親を描く格調高き小津芸術！
“A refined Ozu work portraying a marriageable-age daughter and her parents—featuring an unprecedentedly lavish cast!”
Condition
Excellent vintage condition for its age, with outstanding overall display presence. Colours remain strong and well-preserved, with only light handling/edge wear consistent with careful cinema-era use. The reverse shows typical show-through from the front image under light and retains small remnants/marks consistent with vintage mounting/display.
Please review the provided photos — they show the exact poster offered.
Certificate of Authenticity
Certificate of Authenticity included.
