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Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B1, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Linen‑Backed, Exceedingly Rare, B1 Size (c.75 x106cm)
Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B1, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Linen‑Backed, Exceedingly Rare, B1 Size (c.75 x106cm)
Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B1, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Linen‑Backed, Exceedingly Rare, B1 Size (c.75 x106cm)

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Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B1, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Linen‑Backed, Exceedingly Rare, B1 Size (c.75 x106cm)

Sale price $7,250.00

Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B1, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Linen‑Backed
Akira Kurosawa × Toshiro Mifune — Country‑of‑origin theatrical poster (Toho)

Overview

An ultra‑rare Japanese B1 (only known, or published example (e.g. it is not featured in the comprehensive "Akira Kurosawa Film Poster Collection" book - matching B2 is present page 119) from the original 1962 Toho release of Sanjūrō (Sanjuro), in the scarce regional “Chihōban (地方版)” painted style—the celebrated Mifune portrait design documented on first‑release B2s, here at the imposing B1 format (c. 1 metre tall). This example has been professionally linen‑backed and fully restored to a near‑mint, exhibition‑ready presentation. The composition features the monumental brush‑lettered title 椿三十郎 with furigana, a vertical yellow director credit for 黒沢 明 (Akira Kurosawa), and the small Toho (東宝) roundel.

Film background

Released by Toho in 1962, Sanjūrō reunites Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai in a darkly witty companion to Yojimbo. The nameless ronin—off‑handedly calling himself “Sanjūrō,” “thirty‑year camellia”—guides naïve samurai through a web of corruption, culminating in a legendary final duel. Shot in widescreen black‑and‑white and scored by Masaru Satō, the film distils Kurosawa’s mastery of rhythm, movement and moral irony.

Poster design (first‑issue, Chihōban painted style)

  • Format: B1 one‑sheet (Japan, country‑of‑origin)

  • Artwork: Large painted head‑and‑shoulders Mifune dominates; dynamic group action vignette along the lower register.

  • Typography: Giant red calligraphic 椿三十郎 with reading marks; vertical yellow 「黒沢 明 監督作品」 credit at right; screenplay credits 菊島隆三／小国英雄／黒沢明 at left; cast block at lower right beginning 三船敏郎／仲代達矢.

  • Studio mark: Toho (東宝) roundel in yellow—period‑correct for the first release.

  • Printing: Early‑1960s Japanese offset on thin, matte stock with the coarse screen typical of the era.

  • Variant note: The regional (Chihōban) alternate style known from first‑release B2s—exceptionally difficult to locate in B1. This is the only known or published example.

Size

  • This sheet: approx. 106 × 75 cm

  • B1 standard: approx. 103 × 73 cm (minor variance is normal for the period).

Rarity

First‑release materials for Sanjūrō are scarce in any size. The painted Chihōban style appears extremely rarely in B2, but B1s in this regional design are virtually unobtainable, having been printed in small numbers for non‑Tokyo circuits and typically subjected to heavy cinema use. A centrepiece for Kurosawa/Mifune or Golden‑Age Japanese cinema collections.

Condition (after professional conservation)

Near Mint (restored), linen‑backed.
Recent museum‑grade conservation has addressed all prior issues while preserving period character:

  • Former cross‑fold separation and horizontal fold wear closed and reinforced.

  • Top‑edge tear expertly mended and blended.

  • Small puncture/loss within「郎」 reconstructed with precise paper infill and in‑painting.

  • Edge nicks stabilized; margins tidied; sheet flattened.

Before/after documentation and the conservator’s materials note are included.

Age & authenticity

  • Year: 1962 (first Japanese release)

  • Origin: Japan / Toho

  • Variant: First‑release Chihōban regional painted style

  • Status: Original vintage theatrical poster — not a reproduction

  • Period features present: first‑issue artwork, Toho roundel, early‑’60s halftone, original theatre folds (now pressed).

Provenance

Acquired in Japan (2025) for the Japan Poster Shop collection. Professionally conserved and linen‑backed in 2025. Photograph show the actual poster after conservation.

Certification

Sold with a Japan Poster Shop Certificate of Authenticity (COA), uniquely numbered to this exact poster and backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.

Summary (at a glance)

  • Title: Sanjūrō (椿三十郎)

  • Director: Akira Kurosawa

  • Stars: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai

  • Year / Studio: 1962 / Toho — first release

  • Country / Format: Japan, B1 (approx. 106 × 75 cm)

  • Variant: Regional Chihōban painted Mifune design

  • Rarity: Almost impossible to find in B1

  • Condition: Near Mint (restored), linen‑backed — all prior folds/tears/puncture professionally addressed

  • Authenticity: Guaranteed original; COA included

For further information or additional images, please contact Max Fujiwara Lieven — Japan Poster Shop.

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