Buddha
釈迦
“It depicts the life of Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.”
Synopsis
An Indian prince leaves his world of comfort and riches behind to wander and meditate for six years in search of spiritual enlightenment. Siddartha (Cojoin Hong) turns his back on the old religion when people are starving needlessly and holy rituals include human sacrifices. During his meditations, he is tempted by erotic dancing women, demons, and the evil machinations of his criminal cousin. Devastate to attain the spiritual perfection and become the Buddha. He travels to convert followers by his kindness and wisdom, gaining a multitude of believers when he stops an elephant from crushing a local priest. Buddha of course goes on to become one of the great religious leaders of the world.
Top Cast
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Raizō Ichikawa
Kunala
Shintarō Katsu
Devadatta
Kōjirō Hongō
Siddhartha
Hiroshi Kawaguchi
Ajashartu
Keizō Kawasaki
Upali
Katsuhiko Kobayashi
Ananda
Hajime Mitamura
Shariputra
Matasaburô Niwa
Sanna
Ryūzō Shimada
Bhutika
Jōji Tsurumi
Aaraama
Shirō Ōtsuji
Kalodayin
Yoshirō Kitahara
Kaundinya
Jun Negami
Mahakashyapa
Koreya Senda
Shuddhodana
Eijirō Tōno
Suratha
Bontarō Miake
Channa
Osamu Takizawa
Toshio Chiba
Graha
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 2, 1963
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Kenji Misumi
- Screenplay & Story
- Fuji Yahiro
- Original Score
- Akira Ifukube
- Original Title
- 釈迦
- Country of Origin
- Japan
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese
- Runtime
- 2h 37m
- Production Studios
- Daiei Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Kenji Misumi
Fuji Yahiro
Akira Ifukube
Hiroshi Imai
Kanji Suganuma
Masaichi Nagata
Department Leadership Roster
Kenji Misumi
Director
Hiroshi Imai
Director of Photography
Kanji Suganuma
Editor
Akira Ifukube
Original Music Composer
Fuji Yahiro
Screenplay
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Buddha.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Buddha.
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Kinema Junpo - Best Japanese Films (1926-2024) [Imported]
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Frequently Asked Questions About Buddha
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Buddha about?
An Indian prince leaves his world of comfort and riches behind to wander and meditate for six years in search of spiritual enlightenment. Siddartha (Cojoin Hong) turns his back on the old religion when people are starving needlessly and holy rituals include human sacrifices. During his meditations, he is tempted by erotic dancing women, demons, and the evil machinations of his criminal cousin. Devastate to attain the spiritual perfection and become the Buddha. He travels to convert followers by his kindness and wisdom, gaining a multitude of believers when he stops an elephant from crushing a local priest. Buddha of course goes on to become one of the great religious leaders of the world.
Who directed Buddha?
Buddha was directed by Kenji Misumi.
Who stars in Buddha?
The principal cast of Buddha includes Raizō Ichikawa, Shintarō Katsu, Kōjirō Hongō, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Keizō Kawasaki.
When was Buddha released and how long is it?
Buddha was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 2h 37m.
Who composed the musical score for Buddha?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Buddha was composed by Akira Ifukube.