SimilarScreen
Tampopo

Tampopo

The first Japanese Noodle Western.

19857.81h 55m

Overview

In this humorous paean to the joys of food, a pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside shop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, begs them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the "art of noodle-soup making". Interspersed are satirical vignettes about the importance of food to different aspects of human life.

Directed by Jūzō Itami
Written by Jūzō Itami
Produced by Yasushi Tamaoki, Jūzō Itami, Seigo Hosogoe
Box OfficeBudget: $1.5M0

Top Cast

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Goro

Nobuko Miyamoto

Nobuko Miyamoto

Tampopo

Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe

Gun

Koji Yakusho

Koji Yakusho

White Suit Man

Rikiya Yasuoka

Rikiya Yasuoka

Pisken

Kinzō Sakura

Kinzō Sakura

Shohei

Hyōe Enoki

Hyōe Enoki

Pisken's Henchman

Gō Awazu

Gō Awazu

Pisken's Henchman

M

Mario Abe

Restaurant Owner

Izumi Hara

Izumi Hara

Old Woman Pressing Camembert Cheese

Themes & Keywords

widowrestaurantbusiness womanrestaurant ownerbullyingsenseifoodtruck drivererotic vignetteshoodlumfoodiestealing recipeseastern philosophyramenfood culturesmall town cookgastronomiajoyoushelping peoplewhimsicalridiculousjapanese restaurantramen noodles

About Tampopo

Tampopo is a comedy film released in 1985 exploring themes of widow, restaurant, business woman, restaurant owner, bullying, sensei. Directed by Jūzō Itami, it stars Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Ken Watanabe. In this humorous paean to the joys of food, a pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside shop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, begs them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the "art of noodle-soup making". Interspersed are satirical vignettes about the importance of food to different aspects of human life.

Movies Similar to Tampopo

Discover titles like Tampopo — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Tampopo

If you enjoyed Tampopo, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Tampopo.

Chef
21% Match

Chef(2014)

Movie7.1/10

When Chef Carl Casper suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner, he is left to figure out what's next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife, his friend and his son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen -- and zest for life and love.

Kamikaze Girls
19% Match

Momoko, a strange and seemingly emotionless girl obsessed with 18th century France, befriends a Yanki biker and the two experience the ups and downs of their unusual lives in a rural Japanese town.

Three O'Clock High
18% Match

Nerdy high schooler Jerry Mitchell is assigned to write an article for the school paper about the infamous new delinquent transfer student, Buddy Revell. When Jerry accidentally invades Buddy's personal space and touches him, Buddy challenges Jerry to an afterschool fight in the parking lot, which Jerry tries to avoid at all costs.

Kamome Diner
18% Match

On a quiet street in Helsinki, Sachie has opened a diner featuring rice balls. For a month she has no customers. Then, in short order, she has her first customer, meets Midori, a gangly Japanese tourist, and invites her to stay with her.

Four Rooms
17% Match

Four Rooms(1995)

Movie5.9/10

It's Ted the Bellhop's first night on the job...and the hotel's very unusual guests are about to place him in some outrageous predicaments. It seems that this evening's room service is serving up one unbelievable happening after another.

Clerks
17% Match

Clerks(1994)

Movie7.4/10

Convenience and video store clerks Dante and Randal are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed and bored out of their minds. So in between needling customers, the counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their love lives.

Saved!
17% Match

Saved!(2004)

Movie6.4/10

Mary is a good Christian girl who goes to a good Christian high school where she has good Christian friends and a perfect Christian boyfriend. Her life seems perfect, until the day that she finds out that her boyfriend may be gay — and that she’s pregnant.

Nonnas
16% Match

Nonnas(2025)

Movie6.8/10

After losing his beloved mother, a man risks everything to honor her by opening an Italian restaurant with actual nonnas — grandmothers — as the chefs.

The Fisher King
16% Match

Two troubled men face their terrible destinies and events of their past as they join together on a mission to find the Holy Grail and thus to save themselves.

Drillbit Taylor
16% Match

Dealing with a sociopathic school bully, three high school freshmen hire a low-budget bodyguard to protect them, not realizing he is just a homeless beggar and petty thief looking for some easy cash.

The Boss
15% Match

The Boss(2016)

Movie5.8/10

A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

Eating Raoul
15% Match

A prudish married couple feel put upon by the swingers living in their apartment building. One night, by accident, they discover a way to both rid themselves of the “perverts” down the hall and simultaneously realize their dream of opening a restaurant.