---
name: "Kazuo Miyagawa"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/kazuo-miyagawa"
fi1m_id: "kazuo-miyagawa"
imdb_id: "nm0594335"
tmdb_id: 7461
wikidata_id: "Q2025121"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "25 February 1908"
died: "7 August 1999"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 89
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-26T15:42:23.244076+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Kazuo Miyagawa

## Identity

Kazuo Miyagawa

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/kazuo-miyagawa
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** kazuo-miyagawa
- **IMDb ID:** nm0594335
- **TMDB ID:** 7461
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2025121
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuo_Miyagawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2025121, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594335/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7461

Cinematographer. Born 25 February 1908 in Kyoto, Japan. Died 7 August 1999.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 25 February 1908, Kyoto, Japan
- **Died:** 7 August 1999
- **Active:** 1950–1965
- **Also known as:** 宮川一夫
- **Frequently works with:** [Machiko Kyō](https://film.one/person/machiko-kyo.md), [Masaichi Nagata](https://film.one/person/masaichi-nagata.md), [Akira Kurosawa](https://film.one/person/akira-kurosawa.md), [Kenji Mizoguchi](https://film.one/person/kenji-mizoguchi.md), [Kinuyo Tanaka](https://film.one/person/kinuyo-tanaka.md), [Masayuki Mori](https://film.one/person/masayuki-mori-7452.md), [Toshirō Mifune](https://film.one/person/toshiro-mifune.md), [Yoshikata Yoda](https://film.one/person/yoshikata-yoda.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 89 (4), 1960s 88 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 89 to 82 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Mystery 2, Crime 1, Documentary 1, Fantasy 1, Sport 1
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $351m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuo_Miyagawa, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2025121, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594335/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7461

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Rashomon*](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md) (92), [*Ugetsu*](https://film.one/film/ugetsu.md) (89), [*Tokyo Olympiad*](https://film.one/film/tokyo-olympiad.md) (88), [*Yojimbo*](https://film.one/film/yojimbo.md) (88), [*Floating Weeds*](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Kazuo Miyagawa (宮川一夫) was a Japanese cinematographer. Born in Kyoto on 25 February 1908, he began studying traditional Japanese ink painting as a child and joined the Nikkatsu studio in 1926 after graduating from Kyoto Commercial School. He worked extensively in Japanese cinema from the 1930s onwards.

Miyagawa served as cinematographer on Akira Kurosawa’s *Rashomon* (1950) and *Yojimbo* (1961), as well as films by Kenji Mizoguchi including *Ugetsu* (1953) and *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), Yasujirō Ozu’s *Floating Weeds* (1959), and Kon Ichikawa’s *Tokyo Olympiad* (1965). He is credited with developing the bleach bypass technique for Ichikawa’s *Her Brother* (1960). He received three Japan Academy Film Prizes and died in Tokyo on 7 August 1999.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, latimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *Tokyo Olympiad* (1965), Fi1m 88, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-olympiad.md)
- *Yojimbo* (1961), Fi1m 88, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/yojimbo.md)
- *Floating Weeds* (1959), Fi1m 84, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md)
- *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), Fi1m 92, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/sansho-the-bailiff.md)
- *Ugetsu* (1953), Fi1m 89, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/ugetsu.md)
- *Rashomon* (1950), Fi1m 92, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md)

## Complete filmography (96)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Dancer* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Gonza the Spearman* (1986), Director of Photography
- *MacArthur's Children* (1984), Director of Photography
- *The Love Suicides at Sonezaki* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Island of the Evil Spirits* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Ballad of Orin* (1977), Director of Photography
- *The Possessed* (1976), Director of Photography
- *Akumyo: Notorious Dragon* (1974), Director of Photography
- *Hanzo the Razor: The Snare* (1973), Director of Photography
- *Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril* (1972), Director of Photography
- *The Fearless Avenger* (1972), Director of Photography
- *The Trail of Blood* (1972), Director of Photography
- *Silence* (1971), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival* (1970), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo* (1970), Director of Photography
- *The Magoichi Saga* (1969), Director of Photography
- *Devil's Temple* (1969), Director of Photography
- *出獄四十八時間* (1969), Director of Photography
- *The Funeral Racket* (1968), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi and the Fugitives* (1968), Director of Photography
- *A Killer's Key* (1967), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi the Outlaw* (1967), Director of Photography
- *A Certain Killer* (1967), Director of Photography
- *The Little Runaway* (1966), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi's Vengeance* (1966), Director of Photography
- *Irezumi* (1966), Director of Photography
- *Tokyo Olympics (International Version)* (1965), Director of Photography
- *Tokyo Olympiad* (1965), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/tokyo-olympiad.md)
- *Bloody Shuriken* (1965), Director of Photography
- *The Life of a Chivalrous Man in Suruga: Broken Swords* (1964), Director of Photography
- *The Money Dance* (1964), Director of Photography
- *Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold* (1964), Director of Photography
- *Bamboo Doll of Echizen* (1963), Director of Photography
- *Rabble Tactics* (1963), Director of Photography
- *The Third Will* (1963), Director of Photography
- *The Broken Commandment* (1962), Director of Photography
- *Bad Reputation Returns* (1961), Director of Photography
- *Tough Guy* (1961), Director of Photography
- *The Gambler's Code* (1961), Director of Photography
- *Yojimbo* (1961), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/yojimbo.md)
- *Marriageable Age* (1961), Director of Photography
- *Her Brother* (1960), Director of Photography
- *Scarred Yosaburo* (1960), Director of Photography
- *Bonchi* (1960), Director of Photography
- *A Woman's Testament* (1960), Director of Photography
- *Floating Weeds* (1959), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/floating-weeds.md)
- *Odd Obsession* (1959), Director of Photography
- *The Woman and the Pirate* (1959), Director of Photography
- *The Gay Masquerade* (1958), Director of Photography
- *Conflagration* (1958), Director of Photography
- *Akado Suzunosuke vs. the Birdman with 3 Eyes* (1958), Director of Photography
- *Princess Tsuki* (1958), Director of Photography
- *Night Butterflies* (1957), Director of Photography
- *Love of the Princess* (1957), Director of Photography
- *New Tale of Genji: Shizuka and Yoshitsune* (1956), Cinematography
- *Undercurrent* (1956), Director of Photography
- *Street of Shame* (1956), Director of Photography
- *I Was Tokichiro* (1955), Director of Photography
- *Taira Clan Saga* (1955), Director of Photography
- *Tenka o nerau bishōnen* (1955), Director of Photography
- *The Second Son* (1955), Director of Photography
- *Chikamatsu Monogatari* (1954), Director of Photography
- *The Woman in the Rumor* (1954), Director of Photography
- *Sansho the Bailiff* (1954), Director of Photography — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/sansho-the-bailiff.md)
- *A Geisha* (1953), Director of Photography
- *Desire* (1953), Director of Photography
- *Ugetsu* (1953), Director of Photography — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/ugetsu.md)
- *Reminiscence* (1953), Director of Photography
- *Suttobi kago* (1952), Director of Photography
- *Sisters of Nishijin* (1952), Director of Photography
- *Duel at Omagatsuji* (1951), Director of Photography
- *Miss Oyu* (1951), Director of Photography
- *A Spectacular Murder* (1951), Director of Photography
- *Rashomon* (1950), Director of Photography — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/rashomon.md)
- *Rain on Jogashima* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Song of Love* (1950), Director of Photography
- *Hebi hime dōchū* (1949), Additional Director of Photography
- *Onna goroshi abura jigoku* (1949), Director of Photography
- *New Wives’ Meeting* (1949), Director of Photography
- *Black Cloud Road* (1948), Director of Photography
- *That Night's Adventure* (1948), Director of Photography
- *A Woman Who Convicts Men* (1948), Director of Photography
- *Five Women Who Loved Love* (1948), Director of Photography
- *Children Hand in Hand* (1948), Director of Photography
- *The Devil's toast* (1947), Director of Photography
- *Yari-odori gojūsantsugi* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Tebukuro o nugasu otoko* (1946), Director of Photography
- *The Woman Who Opens the Door* (1946), Director of Photography
- *Thus the Divine Wind Blows* (1944), Director of Photography
- *Kodachi o tsukau onna* (1944), Director of Photography
- *Wrestling-Ring Festival* (1944), Director of Photography
- *The Life of Matsu the Untamed* (1943), Director of Photography
- *Singing Lovebirds* (1939), Director of Photography
- *Taiko's Rising in the World* (1938), Director of Photography
- *Miyamoto Musashi: Dai-san-bu - Kenshin ichiro*, Director of Photography
- *Zoku hebi hime dōchū*, Additional Director of Photography

## Gallery

- ![Kazuo Miyagawa](https://film.one/media/person/105314/gallery-736c74e5131d.jpg) Kazuo Miyagawa — 日本映画撮影監督協会　撮影者不明, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Kon_Ichikawa_and_Kazuo_Miyagawa.jpg/1280px-Kon_Ichikawa_and_Kazuo_Miyagawa.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![The filming site of Zatoichi’s Vengeance (1966)](https://film.one/media/person/105314/gallery-4246ecdc5e8f.jpg) The filming site of Zatoichi’s Vengeance (1966) — 大映株式会社

Daiei Film Co. Ltd., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/%E3%80%8E%E5%BA%A7%E9%A0%AD%E5%B8%82%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%8C%E3%81%8C%E8%81%9E%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B%E3%80%8F%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B1_The_filming_site_of_Zatoichi%E2%80%99s_Vengeance_%281966%29.jpg/1280px-%E3%80%8E%E5%BA%A7%E9%A0%AD%E5%B8%82%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%8C%E3%81%8C%E8%81%9E%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B%E3%80%8F%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B1_The_filming_site_of_Zatoichi%E2%80%99s_Vengeance_%281966%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![宮川一夫 Kazuo Miyagawa (1967)](https://film.one/media/person/105314/gallery-20c99b3cf020.jpg) 宮川一夫 Kazuo Miyagawa (1967) — 大映株式会社

Daiei Film Co. Ltd., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/%E5%AE%AE%E5%B7%9D%E4%B8%80%E5%A4%AB_Kazuo_Miyagawa.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/kazuo-miyagawa