Movie

The Yellow Handkerchief

“Three complete strangers embark on a road-trip to Hokkaido.”

★ 7.0(39)19771h 49m

The Yellow Handkerchief is streaming on Hulu, U-NEXT, Cinefil Wow Plus Amazon Channel, FOD Channel Amazon Channel, Plus GAGA Amazon Channel, Plus Shochiku Amazon Channel and FOD in Japan, and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and FOD. Availability checked 21 July 2026.

Where to watch The Yellow Handkerchief

🇯🇵 Japan

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FOD Channel Amazon ChannelStream

Plus GAGA Amazon ChannelStream

Plus Shochiku Amazon ChannelStream

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Good to know

Director: Yoji Yamada
Release date: 1977-09-30
Runtime: 1h 49m
Language: Japanese
Status: Released
Country: Japan
Studio: Shochiku

The Yellow Handkerchief — trailer

About The Yellow Handkerchief

The Yellow Handkerchief is a 1977 movie in the Comedy and Drama genres, directed by Yoji Yamada, starring Ken Takakura, Chieko Baisho and Tetsuya Takeda. It has a runtime of 1 hour 49 minutes. It holds an average rating of 7.0/10 from 39 viewers. Below you can see where to watch The Yellow Handkerchief in Japan — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

A convict, newly released from prison for murder, joins two strangers on a road trip through Hokkaido to visit his ex-wife, whom he hasn't seen in four years, knowing that if she puts a yellow handkerchief on the window, it would mean that she wants him back at home.

Cast

Ken Takakura

Yusaku Shima

Chieko Baisho

Mitsue Shima

Tetsuya Takeda

Kinya Hanada

Kaori Momoi

Akemi Ogawa

Kiyoshi Atsumi

Watanabe Kacho

Hisao Dazai

Ryokan Manager

Mari Okamoto

Ramen Shop Girl

Hachiro Tako

Yakuza

Kazuhiko Kasai

Checkpoint Policeman

Sakae Umezu

Policeman

Akihiko Hanyû

Policeman

Hidetoshi Hasegawa

Policeman

Themes & keywords

redemptionroad tripfamily reunionsecond chancereconciliationunlikely friendshiphokkaido, japan

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Yellow Handkerchief in Japan?+

In Japan, you can stream The Yellow Handkerchief on Hulu, U-NEXT, Cinefil Wow Plus Amazon Channel, FOD Channel Amazon Channel, Plus GAGA Amazon Channel, Plus Shochiku Amazon Channel and FOD. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and FOD.

Is The Yellow Handkerchief on Netflix?+

The Yellow Handkerchief is not on Netflix in Japan right now, but you can stream it on Hulu, U-NEXT, Cinefil Wow Plus Amazon Channel, FOD Channel Amazon Channel, Plus GAGA Amazon Channel, Plus Shochiku Amazon Channel and FOD.

How long is The Yellow Handkerchief?+

The Yellow Handkerchief has a runtime of 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).

Who stars in The Yellow Handkerchief?+

The Yellow Handkerchief stars Ken Takakura, Chieko Baisho, Tetsuya Takeda, Kaori Momoi and Kiyoshi Atsumi.

When did The Yellow Handkerchief come out?+

The Yellow Handkerchief is a 1977 movie directed by Yoji Yamada.

What genre is The Yellow Handkerchief?+

The Yellow Handkerchief is Comedy and Drama film.

Who directed The Yellow Handkerchief?+

The Yellow Handkerchief was directed by Yoji Yamada.