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Tampopo

Play trailer Poster for Tampopo 1986 1h 54m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 58 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Two Japanese milk-truck drivers (Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe) help a restaurant owner (Nobuko Miyamoto) learn how to cook great noodles.
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Tampopo

Tampopo

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Critics Consensus

Thanks to director Juzo Itami's offbeat humor and sharp satirical edge, Tampopo is a funny, sexy, affectionate celebration of food and its broad influence on Japanese culture.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker Sep 13, 2023
Itami uses his background in commercial art: every now and then, the characters assume shiny Pop poses, and the images have the slightly crazed look of heightened reality. Go to Full Review Anupama Chopra Film Companion May 18, 2020
So you're watching all this amazing food being consumed, you're getting hungrier and hungrier and you're laughing harder and harder. Go to Full Review Anton Bitel Little White Lies May 2, 2017
In Tampopo, every aspect of life is filtered through the prism of food - its rituals of preparation and consumption, its role as a social unifier or divider, its many healthy uses and perverse abuses. Go to Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm May 1, 2025
3.5/4
Itami squeezes Japanese food customs, even as he offers a fondly humorous survey of them. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 10, 2022
3.5/4
What is it about food that brings out the best in filmmakers all across the globe? Go to Full Review Pieter-Jan Van Haecke Psychocinematography Aug 11, 2020
Tampopo is a classic that shows that life, in all its diverse aspects, turns around food and the enjoyment it provides. A narrative that needs to be savoured! Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tom F @RT55173143 Jul 27, 2026 A terrific food movie with great character arcs. See more Henry D @Henry_Domke May 26, 2026 Hilarious! A gem of a movie, and now one of our favorites. The humor worked from beginning to end, with the music and soundtrack making it even funnier. In some ways it reminded me of the best Jacques Tati films, where the visual jokes, timing, sound, and odd little human behaviors all fit together perfectly. See more Cecilia T @CBCB2000 Feb 16, 2026 Masterpiece! So full of iconic scenes! tender, energetic, great soundtrack. watch this next) See more Jason J @JasonJoshua Jan 2, 2026 Tampoco is a classic comedic wonderland I laughed and was blown away. It’s almost a comedic western style flick, except with Ramen 94 for me See more Ed . @RT01276001 Aug 22, 2025 Hey, it's only ramen... I enjoyed the main story. I enjoyed some of the vignettes accompanying the main story. I disliked the other vignettes. Hence, my unusual pairing of liking the film yet rating it 2.5 stars. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 7, 2025 Funny in 1 hour and 54 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Japanese and English audio versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $224,100.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 1986-2025 by New Yorker Films!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
Tampopo

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Cast & Crew

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Juzo Itami

Director

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Goro

Nobuko Miyamoto

Tampopo

Ken Watanabe

Gun

Kôji Yakusho

Man in White Suit

Rikiya Yasuoka

Pisuken
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Tampopo

Poster Art Tampopo (1985) A scene from Tampopo. Tampopo (1985) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Two Japanese milk-truck drivers (Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe) help a restaurant owner (Nobuko Miyamoto) learn how to cook great noodles.
Director
Juzo Itami
Producer
Seigo Hosogoe, Juzo Itami, Yasushi Tamaoki
Screenwriter
Juzo Itami
Distributor
New Yorker Films
Production Co
Itami Productions, New Century Productions
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 1, 1986, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 21, 2016
Release Date (Streaming)
May 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$224.1K
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Dolby
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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