Ozu Yasujiro’s Floating Weeds and Suzuki Seijun’s Tokyo Drifter; the “Drifting” of Japanese Identity: How Tokyo Drifter and Floating Weeds Represent a Transitional Period of Cultural Identity

Jamie Kojiro
Carnegie Mellon University – Japanese Studies

Abstract

During the 50s and 60s, post-occupation Japan underwent several economic and social changes. Part of this was the recovery of the economy and an increase in industrialization and movement to cities. Another major social change was the increase of Western influence in Japan: “The impact of American culture was everywhere. Young urbanites, in particular, took with gusto to jazz and rock music, pinball machines, American soft drinks and fast foods, baseball, and the freer social relations that typified American dating patterns… Indeed, almost every American fad from the hula hoop to hang gliding had its Japanese supporters.” (Britannica). This social change was part of what inspired the film movement known as the “Japanese New Wave.” This essay will explore two films from New Wave cinema: Ozu Yasujiro’s Floating Weeds (1959)*  and Suzuki Seijun’s Tokyo Drifter (1966). In particular, this essay will focus on the question of cultural identity as modern Japan shifts towards Western influence and compare the different philosophies presented in these two films.

*Ozu is not typically counted among New Wave filmmakers as his work was mainly produced before the New Wave and lacks much of the stylistic elements characteristic of New Wave films. However, I include Ozu in this essay due to the time Floating Weeds was produced. I argue the film addresses the same thematic question as Tokyo Drifter, albeit with a somewhat different lens.

1. Introduction

What does Ozu Yasujiro’s Floating Weeds say about Japanese culture? It shows the generational difference between traditional Japan and modern Western influence, the pain of the end of traditionalism, and the acceptance of the changing of Japanese identity from traditional Japan to modern, Western-influenced Japan. Floating Weeds shows differences between traditional Japan and Western influence by representing traditional Japan with Komajuro, the father, and modern Western-influenced Japan with Kiyoshi, the son. Komajuro wears traditional clothes and works in traditional Japanese theater, whereas Kiyoshi wears Western clothes and wants to study electricity. In addition to being associated with traditional versus modern and Western things, they represent the difference in tradition and modernity with their ages, Komajuro being of the older generation and Kiyoshi being young. The film presents a conflict with the end of traditionalism in how Komajuro asks Kiyoshi to stay with his mother instead of going to college, Komajuro struggles with his career in traditional Kabuki theater, and Komajuro tries to stop Kayo and Sumiko from interacting with his son. Finally, the film accepts a bittersweet transition into a Western-influenced Japan with Kumajuro endorsing Kayo’s relationship with Kiyoshi, Kumajuro and Sumiko leaving Kiyoshi together, and Kiyoshi’s mother telling Kiyoshi to let Kumajuro go.

Alternatively, what does Suzuki Seijun’s Tokyo Drifter say about Japanese culture? Whereas Ozu shows a painful transition away from traditional Japan and an acceptance of Western influence,  Tokyo Drifter shows criticism of Western Influence, disillusionment with traditional Japan, and the creation of a new cultural identity.  Tokyo Drifter shows a rejection of the Western influence in Japan by breaking Hollywood film norms, by satirizing cowboy Western fight scenes, and by connecting villains with modernity and Western influence. The film also, however, rejects traditional Japan in Tetsu’s disillusionment with loyalty and his inability to stay connected with his yakuza boss or his girlfriend. Finally, the film proposes the embracing of a new identity that is neither Western nor traditional by showing a transformation at the end into a white suit as a new visual style, concluding with a fight merging both Western and traditional styles, and connecting Tetsu’s identity to his song as a “Tokyo Drifter” declaring his unique identity as traveling physically and metaphorically between different places while still being linked to Japan.

I chose to discuss both films because they are written within ten years of each other. Both deal with a cultural dilemma of their time period about the increase of Western influence and the question of Japanese identity. Floating Weeds was released in 1959 (Wikipedia) and Tokyo Drifter was released in 1966 (Wikipedia). Because of this, the filmmakers are both part of Goosen’s Survivor generation (Goossen 1997, pp. xvii). However, because Ozu lived from 1903 - 1963 (Wikipedia), it could be argued that Ozu spent much of his career as part of the Wanderers (Goosen 1997, xvi-xvii).  Suzuki Seijun lived from 1923 - 2017 (Wikipedia). Both films are stories of political and social comment (Goossen 1997, pp. Xxviii - xxxi) because they discuss the shifting cultural identity of Japan. They are also, to a lesser extent, stories of love and obsession (Goossen 1997, pp. xxiii-xxv) because romance plays a role in both films. Additionally, Floating Weeds is a story of the water trade (Goossen 1997 pp. Xxv - xxvi) because it discusses Kabuki theater.

2. Feelings Towards Western Influence Versus Traditional Japan and the Shifting of Japanese Identity

2.1 Floating Weeds: Generational Differences

Floating Weeds demonstrates the contrast between traditional Japan and the new Western influence with the characters Komajuro and his son, Kiyoshi. This difference between them is most noticeable in the characters’ ages and how they dress. Komajuro represents an older generation and Kiyoshi represents the younger generation with their ages, reflecting traditional Japan versus a modern Japan. In one scene, Kiyoshi calls Komajuro “Old fashioned” (Ozu 1959 0:35:41). Additionally, for the duration of the film Komajuro wears yukata, traditional Japanese clothing, whereas Kiyoshi wears a t-shirt and trousers, Western clothing. The difference between the characters can also be seen in their jobs. Komajuro works in traditional Kabuki theater. Alternatively, Kiyoshi plans to go to college to study electricity (Ozu 1959 0:36:16). This shows a clear difference between the two characters in relation to Komajuro representing traditionalism and Kiyoshi representing modern Western influence.

2.2 Floating Weeds: The Painful End of Traditionalism

Representing traditionalism, Komajuro faces many obstacles to remaining relevant, showing the pain many people of his generation experienced as society moved away from traditionalism. The first piece of evidence is that Komajuro’s Kabuki plays are not very popular in the town. They do not have many people attend their shows, and one character even comments at the beginning of the play that he preferred the strip shows (Ozu 1959 0:02:39). Komajuro is also unable to put on fancier plays, feeling that “Audiences today won’t understand good plays” (Ozu 1959 0:23:02). The second piece of evidence is that Komajuro tries to convince his son not to go to college. Komajuro argues with him that doing so would make his mother lonely (Ozu 1959 0:36:30). Kiyoshi going to college represents leaving behind traditionalism and moving on. This is especially true since Kiyoshi’s mother appears to be a very traditional woman, shown to be very polite, supportive of her son, and fulfills the role of cooking and bringing food to Kiyoshi and Komajuro. The final piece of evidence is that Komajuro tries to stop a member of his Kabuki troupe, Kayo, from dating Kiyoshi. This is partially unrelated to traditionalism versus Western influence, as Komajuro primarily wants to keep his son separate from Kabuki due to class differences (Ozu 1959 1:19:56). However, I argue it can also be read through the lens of cultural identity. Despite being young, Sumiko and Kayo both still participate in Kabuki, representing a hope for the continuation of traditional Japanese culture into modernity. Sumiko betrays Komajuro when she sends Kayo to flirt with Kiyoshi. This angers Komajuro because he feels Sumiko owes him for her current success, telling her, “I turned you into an actor, remember?” (Ozu 1959 0:54:42), similar to how someone of an older generation may feel that the state of modern Japan came from their hard work and the past of traditional Japan. Additionally, since Kiyoshi represents modern Western Influence, Kayo dating him against Komajuro’s wishes represents her moving away from traditionalism and towards Western influence, causing pain to Komajuro.

2.3 Floating Weeds: The Acceptance of Western Influence and Modernity and the Bittersweet End of Traditionalism

At the end of Floating Weeds, the film seems to accept the end of traditionalism and the future of Western-influenced Japan. Komajuro accepts the relationship between Kayo and Kiyoshi. In doing so, he insists that Kayo stays with Kiyoshi instead of continuing to work in Kabuki, choosing to stop the young Kayo from continuing to participate in an aspect of traditional Japan (Ozu 1959 1:50:44). Furthermore, Komajuro leaves Kiyoshi, Kayo, and his wife instead of staying with them, telling them it is better off this way. Although he promises to return, the other characters cry and try to ask him not to go, implying that when he leaves he will not come back. This feeling of loss is further emphasized by the fact that Kiyoshi misses his opportunity to see him leave (Ozu 1959 1:52:02). Floating Weeds, therefore, implies that traditionalism in Japan will soon disappear. However, despite the sadness of this moment, Oyoshi tells Kiyoshi, “Don’t stop [Komajuro from leaving]” (Ozu 1959 1:52:10), implying that it is for the best for the young characters to be separate from the traditional character, and therefore that it is necessary for Japanese society to move on from traditionalism into the modern, Western-influenced Japan.

2.4 Tokyo Drifter: The Rejection of Western Influence

Tokyo Drifter, however, provides a different perspective on Japanese cultural identity. Tokyo Drifter rejects Western influence in Japan both by rejecting the Western format and by villainizing and satirizing Western aspects of the film. Dan Geary writes that the film is “an antithesis of Hollywood films, as [Suzuki] abandons traditional formal and narrative elements”(Geary 2020 pp 8). Tvorun-Dunn elaborates, “Suzuki would lessen the focus on the melodramatic plots of his typical gangster films and instead gradually heighten camp stylings and comic sensibilities… Suzuki’s later works play… like absurdist pop art, introducing ever- more vibrant colors, jump-cut editing, and tableaux framing throughout his career”(Tvorun-Dunn 2020 pp. 133). Tvorun-Dunn argues that this “camp” styling draws attention to the artificiality of the film, creating a criticism of how modern, Western-influenced films present. I agree that the vibrant colors and tableaux framing create a very striking effect and challenge the norms for films at the time. I think that Tvorun-Dunn is also correct in that this could be viewed as a challenge or criticism of Western influence; the stylization makes all of the choices feel intentional, and because the strange, colorful backdrops regularly remind the viewer that this story about Tetsu is not real, it drives the viewer to ask what Suzuki is actually trying to say with the film. We see one possible message in how Suzuki uses bright colors. He associates them primarily with the larger, rival Yakuza gang. This gang is shown clearly to be the antagonist in beating up Tetsu (Suzuki 1966 0:02:00) and kidnapping his girlfriend (Suzuki 1966 0:06:25) within the first few minutes of the film. They are housed in “sixties pop dancing and a myriad of colors”(Tvorun-Dunn 2020 pp. 138) Tvorun-Dunn argues that this rival gang thus represents modernity and Western influence, and I agree with this assessment and further argue that this use of color indicates criticism of Western influence in Japan. Alternatively, Suzuki represents the “homely and traditional”(Tvorun-Dunn 2020 pp. 138) Kurata with muted, earthy colors (Suzuki 1966 0:06:40). At least at the beginning of the film, Tetsu finds more safety and trust with Kurata and his traditional values than with the rival gang. The last piece of evidence for the criticism of Western influence is in one of the fight scenes, where we see a satirization of cowboy Western films in a fight scene at a burlesque place called the “Saloon Western” (Suzuki 1966 0:57:41). The fight scene is chaotic and at times absurd, with men lining up to be hit over the head (1:02:20), criticizing the absurdity of Western films. Thus, Suzuki criticizes Western influence in modern Japan in both the form and content of the film.

2.5 Tokyo Drifter: Disillusionment with Traditionalism

While Suzuki rejects Western influence in modern Japan, Tokyo Drifter also portrays disillusionment with traditional Japan. Tetsu, the protagonist, believes with great faith in the importance of loyalty and duty, both tied with traditional Japanese values. Tetsu regularly proclaims his loyalty: “I do whatever the old man says. That’s my code”(Suzuki 1966 0:01:30.). Tetsu’s loyalty to his oyabun also represents loyalty to traditional Japan. This is because his oyabun represents traditional values, as symbolized both by his apparent value of loyalty and represented by his earthy color scheme. The oyabun, however, betrays Tetsu by agreeing to kill him (Suzuki 1966 1:09:00). This shows how Suzuki argues that, despite dissatisfaction with modernity and Western influence, going back to the “good old days” and traditional Japan will only cause pain. Tetsu’s loyalty to his oyabun turned out to be misguided. Tetsu’s traditional Japanese values prove to be ineffective at keeping him alive, and his trust in the oyabun, which represents traditional Japan, proves to be misplaced. Tetsu’s only option, then, is to leave his oyabun, thus leaving traditional Japanese values and traditional Japan behind: “My oath of loyalty ends today” (Suzuki 1966 1:20:10). This turns out to be his best choice, as leaving his Oyabun allows him to survive. Here, Tetsu both leaves behind his value of loyalty and his connection to traditional Japan. Finally, his girlfriend, Chiharu, is another symbol of traditionalism, surrounded by a minimalistic color scheme to represent “the pureness that the ‘young hero’ must typically defend” (Tvorun-Dunn 2020 pp. 138). Even though Tetsu and Chiharu seem to love each other, Tetsu also decides to separate from her, saying that a drifter cannot be connected to a girlfriend  (Suzuki 1966 1:21:00). This represents a separation from his old identities and how he cannot take the past with him into the future, even though there are parts that he still feels fond of. Thus, just as Suzuki rejects modern Western influence, he also rejects traditionalism.

2.6 Tokyo Drifter: New Japanese Identity

Although Tetsu can find a sense of belonging in neither Western nor traditional Japan, Tetsu forms a new identity as a “drifter”. Throughout the film, Tetsu links his identity to his signature song, “Tokyo Drifter”. This song represents a “drifting” between identities, but it also represents a new identity in and of itself, one that is strongly linked to Japan and Japanese identity: even though he is drifting, Tetsu says, “No matter how far I wander, I’ll still be in Japan. They’ll call me ‘homeless Tetsu from Tokyo’” (Suzuki 1966 0:37:15). I argue that this is Suzuki’s take on the future of Japanese national identity: an identity that is still strongly connected to Japan and distinctly Japanese, but that falls somewhere in between or outside of the past of traditional Japan and modernity of Western influence. Suzuki shows Tetsu’s new “drifter” identity to be a positive one. Despite his struggles, Tetsu’s “Tokyo Drifter” song comes to be associated with his strength; he whistles as he approaches fights or when he appears to be knocked down as a signal to others that he is still alive (Suzuki 1966 0:46:00). Everyone recognizes it as Tetsu’s song, and it displays a calm sense of strength and surety. In this way, his “non-identity” as a drifter actually becomes an identity in and of itself. Furthermore, throughout the course of the film, Tetsu’s fight scenes represent victories and strength over both traditionalism and Western influence— Tvorun-Dunn argues that the first fight scene in Shonai represents traditional Japan, as all the architecture is traditional and it is mainly older weapons, not guns, that are used in the fight (Tvorun-Dunn 2020 140) and the second major fight scene in the Western saloon represents Western influence. Both of these fights are ones Tetsu wins. The film concludes with Tetsu’s transformation into this new identity through the final fight scene. Tvorun-Dunn argues that the final fight scene is a fusion of both Western and traditional (Tvorun-Dunn 2020 143). The minimalism and precision of the final fight scene reflect the traditionalism (Suzuki 1966 1:18:29), whereas when “Tetsu rolls his gun to the center of the empty room and the other gangsters wait for him to pick it up again to begin firing… [it is] very much in-line with the ‘rules’ of a western quick-draw duel.”(Tvorun-Dunn 2020 143). I agree with this assessment, and also add that Tetsu is fighting both the “Western” gang and the “traditional” gang. Tetsu is then victorious in this fight against both the modern and the traditional yakuza groups, showing how his new identity is stronger than both of their influences. Suzuki’s use of color also plays into this moment. Tetsu abandons his pale-blue suit in exchange for a pure white one (Suzuki 1966 1:17:30). I argue the pale-blue suit combines the bright color scheme of the Western-coded characters and the muted tones of the Traditional-coded characters. Therefore, his white suit represents transcending his association with either gang’s color scheme for something beyond either tradition or modernity.

3. Conclusion

Put together, what do Ozu’s Floating Weeds and Suzuki’s Tokyo Drifter say about Japanese culture? The two films show different perspectives on how Japanese people felt about their cultural identity in relationship to traditional Japan and Western influence during the 60s and late 50s. Both Ozu and Suzuki explore what it means to be Japanese during a time of shifting cultural identity.

Floating Weeds shows the generational difference between those who identify more with traditional Japan and those who identify more with Western-influenced Japan, the pain of transitioning away from traditionalism, and ultimately the acceptance of this transition into modern Western-influenced Japan. Ozu represents the generational difference in the father character, Komajuro, and the son character, Kiyoshi, who belong to different generations, dress differently, and pursue different careers. The pain of transitioning away from traditional Japan is represented by Komajuro’s struggles. Komajuro’s Kabuki troupe struggles to gain money and recognition. Furthermore, Komajuro fails to convince his son to stay at home with his traditional mother in order to stop her from being lonely. Finally, Komajuro suffers when the younger members of his Kabuki troupe betray him, with Sumiko influencing Kayo to fall in love with Kiyoshi. The film ends with showing an acceptance of the end of traditionalism and the shift into Western influence when Komajuro accepts the relationship between Kayo and Kiyoshi. Additionally, Komajuro leaves Oyoshi, Kiyoshi, and Kayo, cutting himself out of their lives and refusing to let the young Kayo continue to participate in traditional Japanese culture. Finally, the film shows this to be for the best, with Oyoshi telling Kiyoshi to let Komajuro go.

Suzuki, however, does not feel satisfied with a Western-influence Japan, nor does he feel nostalgia or sadness towards the end of traditionalism the way the Ozu does. Tokyo Drifter shows how Suzuki rejects both Western and traditional influence in Japan and instead is optimistic for the synthesis of a new national identity. The film rejects the form of a Hollywood movie, leaning on camp and bright colors. It uses these colors to clearly indicate the identities of both Western and traditional characters. The film then villanizes Western influence and satirizes Western films. The film rejects traditional Japan as well, showing the process of the protagonist’s disillusionment. He originally had a strong value of loyalty, a traditional value. Then, his oyabun betrays him and Tetsu is disillusioned. Not only are his traditional values challenged by the betrayal from his oyabun, but his “traditional” oyabun letting him down also indicates how, despite the criticism of modern Western influence, Suzuki does not believe returning to the past is a viable solution. Tetsu instead must leave behind his oyabun and his girlfriend. Finally, however, Tetsu transcends into a new identity. He becomes the “Tokyo Drifter'', a character outside of the identities of the Yakuza. This identity is between identities as a “drifter”, but still carries with it a sense of national pride and identity in that, no matter where he “drifts”, he will also be connected to Tokyo. In the end, he changes into a white suit and transcends the modern Western and the traditional. He wins a fight against both his traditional oyabun and the Western rival gang in a final scene that incorporates elements of both traditionalism and Western styles. Suzuki thus ends the film with a story of a new identity that can be strong and untouched by the negative aspects of traditional Japan or modern Western influence. 

Filmic Work

Ozu, Yasujiro. (Director), Floating Weeds. Daiei, 1959. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved from Kanopy.

Suzuki, Seijun. (Director), Tokyo Drifter. Nikkatsu, 1966. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved from Kanopy.

References

Brittanica Editors, “Japan: The Late 20th and Early 21st Centuries.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/place/Japan/International-relations#ref23219.

Geary, D. (2020). “Butts, Blood, and Bombs: The American Occupation’s Effect on Japanese Cinema”. Cinesthesia (pp. 8-10), 10.2. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cine/vol10/iss2/3/

Goossen, Theodore W. (1997) Introduction. In Goossen ed. The Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories (pp. xi-xxxi). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tvorun-Dunn, Maxim. (2020)"Finding Identity through Style: Seijun Suzuki’s Tokyo Drifter." Japan beyond Its Borders: Transnational Approaches to Film and Media (pp. 133 - 145). Birkbeck Institutional Research Online.

Wikipedia Editors, “Floating Weeds”. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_Weeds

Wikipedia Editors, “Seijun Suzuki”. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seijun_Suzuki

Wikipedia Editors, “Tokyo Drifter”. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Drifter

Wikipedia Editors, “Yasujiro Ozu”. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasujir%C5%8D_Ozu