“Tsugaru Folk Song” (津軽じょんがら節), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1973, ATG, Artwork by Shinichi Saito, B2 Size (51.5 × 72.8 cm) — F76A

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the 1973 release of Tsugaru Folk Song, directed by Koichi Saito and released through the Art Theatre Guild (ATG). Featuring haunting artwork by Shinichi Saito, with poster design credited to Kiroku Higaki, it is a striking example of the expressive illustrated publicity associated with Japanese independent cinema.

Starring Kyoko Enami and Akira Oda, the film follows a woman returning to her home village in Tsugaru with a younger man fleeing trouble in the city. Against the rugged landscape of northern Japan, their relationship becomes entangled with questions of belonging, escape and the possibility of starting again. The region’s distinctive shamisen music gives the film its title and helps shape its emotional atmosphere.

The poster translates these themes into an extraordinary painted composition. A pale-faced woman in a brilliant red floral kimono dominates the image, her head tilted and eyes closed as she holds a shamisen. Her elongated hands and sombre expression give the figure an almost dreamlike presence.

Two smaller, anguished faces appear below her: one with an open mouth, the other partly concealed behind long, pale fingers. Behind them, village rooftops, utility poles and a distant strip of sea stretch beneath a sky that shifts from intense scarlet to dark burgundy.

The restricted palette of red, black and pale grey gives the artwork remarkable visual force. The shamisen’s light-coloured body and the musician’s face stand out against the surrounding reds, while the large white Japanese title runs vertically down the upper left. The artist’s “S.S.” initials appear near the lower right, and the printed 原画 斎藤真一 credit identifies Shinichi Saito as the original artist.

The accompanying Japanese copy describes a man and woman driven out of the city, their youth burning out in pursuit of tomorrow, and presents the film as “a contemporary lyrical poem” by Koichi Saito. The ATG logo and production credits occupy a dark strip along the bottom.

A powerful piece for collectors of ATG posters, Japanese film illustration and 1970s independent cinema, with artwork that remains compelling well beyond its original theatrical purpose.

Condition: Very Good+.

Previously folded and subsequently stored flat. 

We have taken the condition into account when pricing. Once framed, this poster will display very well.

Please review all photographs, including the front and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

Japanese B2 size: approximately 51.5 × 72.8 cm.
Stock code: F76A.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.