SPECIAL FEATURE: A VISIT TO NARUSE'S GRAVE

A VISIT TO NARUSE’S GRAVE Essay & photos by Bruce Goldstein, Director of Repertory Programming, Film Forum Japanese director Mikio Naruse is buried at Enkouji, a Buddhist temple in Seijo, an upscale town in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward. Nearby are the Toho Film Studios, where Naruse worked for 35 years; it’s no coincidence, as Seijo is something of a company town. Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune and other Toho contractees once lived there, and Naruse’s widow, now in her 90s, still lives there today. (And former Toho-ite and Naruse player Tatsuya Nakadai, still a star of stage and screen, runs a famous acting school there.) To get to Seijo, one can take the Odakyu train line to Seijogakkuen-mae, and from there an Odakyu bus. It’s also no coincidence that Odakyu is Toho’s sister company (it’s all about real estate). When I first visited the grave last March, there was no sign of recent visitors. Unlike the famous grave of Yasujiro Ozu in Kamakura, which is littered with offerings of sake, beer and cigarettes (the very things that might have killed him), Naruse’s grave looked downright forlorn. So, on November 2nd, in commemoration of the Naruse centennial, I re-visited Enkouji, accompanied by Chikaharu Takemoto and Marie Suzuki of the Film, TV and Publication division of Japan Foundation, sponsor of the current Naruse retrospective at Film Forum (and at 16 other venues around North America); theater historian Kaoru Nakajima (who first found the location of Naruse's grave for me); and the renowned film historian Donald Richie, who first introduced Western audiences to Mikio Naruse through his many books on Japanese film. Missing from our group, but there in spirit, was James Quandt of Cinematheque Ontario, organizer of the touring Naruse retrospective. At the temple, we were met by Enkouji’s priest Toshiaki Naito, whose father, the priest before him, had officiated at Naruse's funeral. The affable Mr. Naito (who has visited New York and loves jazz and Broadway musicals) could have been played by Chishu Ryu, the father of Ozu’s Tokyo Story. Donald Richie said of him, “They don't make 'em like that anymore.” Following are some snapshots of our memorable hakamairi (visit to a grave).

Marie Suzuki, Bruce Goldstein, and Chikaharu Takemoto at Tokyo's Yoyogi-Uehara Station, where they caught the Odakyu line for Seijogakkuen-mae, the station closest to Enkouji. (photo: Donald Richie)	The legendary Donald Richie, who has done more than anyone to introduce the West to Japanese film. Mr. Richie first came to Japan with the U.S. Occupation in 1946 and has lived there since.

Japan Foundation's Marie Suzuki.	Theater historian Kaoru Nakajima.

Detail of Enkouji gate.	Enkouji, the Buddhist temple in Seijo, Setagaya-ku, where Mikio Naruse is buried.

Toshiaki Naito, Enkouji’s priest, who was present at Naruse’s funeral in 1969, when he was assistant to his father, Ryutai Naito, then the Enkouji priest.	Naito-san peruses Film Forum's Naruse schedule (he was equally excited by the Hitchcock festival on the back)

Naruse’s grave as it looked before our hakamairi.	Gravestone with kanji characters for “Naruse ke” or “Naruse’s [family grave].” Only Naruse himself is buried there now.

Donald Richie on stone path leading from the temple to graveyard.	Marie Suzuki leaves flowers at the grave.

Takemoto-san prays at the grave; to her left is a bucket and ladle used for pouring water over the grave, a Buddhist ritual of purification.	Film Forum and Cinematheque Ontario Naruse programs at the director's graveside.

A black book left by Donald Richie. The book, containing the Film Forum and Cinematheque Ontario programs, will remain at the graveside.
Enkouji website (text in Japanese) Close Window to return to Naruse page