Steam locomotive in Akira Kurosawa's "Sanchiro Sugata"

[fhs]

Hi,

Akira Kurosawa's debut film "Sanchiro Sugata" hit the theaters in 1943. It is set in the 1870s. In the last scene of part 1, the protagonists goes on a train ride. I am attaching a picture of the steam locomotive.

What kind of locomotive is this? Was it just built just for the film (hard to imagine this would have been done in 1943...)? Or is it an antique Japanese or imported model?

Thanks,

Fred

[bikkuri bahn]

The scene was filmed on the 762mm Chuen Line in Shizuoka Pref.  The line was originally the independent Chuen Rlwy, later consolidated by the Shizuoka Rlwy in 1943, to become the Chuen Line.

The locomotive is Shizuoka Rlwy No. 2, imported by predecessor Chuen Rlwy in 1914, it's a Bagnalls (UK) 5.75t unit.

Short clip of scene:
http://okwave.jp/qa/q6875639.html

[marknewton]

A Bagnall in Japan - now that's a rarity! 

Interesting to see that even the great Kurosawa wasn't too concerned with anachronisms.

Cheers,

Mark.

[fhs]

Hello Mark,

A Bagnall in Japan - now that's a rarity! ...

thank you for your comment. Would you happen to know when the first Bagnall locomotives were brought into Japan?

Interesting to see that even the great Kurosawa wasn't too concerned with anachronisms.

Well, finances and resources must have been tight in 1943. According to the information provided by bikkuri bahn, Kurosawa was only 30 years off --and: this was his debut film after he had worked many years as an assistant director and script writer.

Warm regards,

Fred

[bikkuri bahn]

Would you happen to know when the first Bagnall locomotives were brought into Japan?

I don't know if they were the first, but the Kansai Coal Mine Corp. Matsuura Coal Mine Railway in Nagasaki Pref. acquired two 762mm gauge inverted saddle tank 0-4-0 types from Bagnall (serial #'s 1499 & 1500), via the James Morrison trading company, in 1896.  They were named [Augusta] and [Beatrice]. Apparently there were the only inverted saddle tank locomotives ever used in Japan.

[marknewton]

thank you for your comment. Would you happen to know when the first Bagnall locomotives were brought into Japan?

Sorry Fred, no. But the archives of W.G. Bagnall are held here, http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/leisure/archives/homepage.aspx. If you're interested in further research that would be the place to look. They hold "19th-20th Cent: financial records, valuations and inventories, registers of drawings, and locomotives built, drawings and blueprints, drawing microfilm negatives, production records, casting and patterns registers, manuals to individual locomotives, tendering, sales and orders records salesmen's albums...".

Well, finances and resources must have been tight in 1943. According to the information provided by bikkuri bahn, Kurosawa was only 30 years off --and: this was his debut film after he had worked many years as an assistant director and script writer.

Well, I was being a bit facetious.    The amazing thing to me is that he managed to make any sort of movie in 1943. And I don't mind seeing a Bagnall loco immortalised on film at all!

Cheers,

Mark.

[fhs]

Hello Mark,

thank you so much for the link. The information available on that site is somewhat overwhelming... On a quick search, I have not been able to find the specific material you mentioned, but I will try again. My Japanese is only rudimentary, otherwise I would also search Japanese sites.

I just read the chapter in A. Kurosawa's "Something like an autobiography" on how he came to direct "Sugata Sanshiro". Hope there's additional information on that film in a later chapter. Kurosawa explains how he hated the censorship imposed on all films during the war. I am surprised how well he managed to emphasize the main character's moral development. When forced to add a sequel ("part 2"; I still need to watch that one) loaded with propaganda, he reluctantly gave in. The result is now considered his worst movie.... Part 1 was supposedly destroyed by the Americans during Japan's occupation, but a copy survived (although several scenes are missing): http://www.thelooniverse.com/movies/japan/kurosawa/sanshirosugata/sanshiro.html Strange how a war can distort people's perception.

If you had the impression I was trying to defend Kurosawa for the anachronistic element in his film, you are probably right... I am sorry; I should be more objective, even when it's about my favorite directors (Kurosawa and Tarkovsky).


Warm regards,

Fred