A hotheaded youth in 1880s Meiji Japan apprentices to judo master Shōgorō Yano, trading brute jujutsu bravado for discipline and humility. As Sanshirō matures, he proves judo’s spirit against old-guard challengers—including a deadly duel—while falling for his vanquished opponent’s daughter. Based on the novel by Tsuneo Tomita, son of Tomita Tsunejirō, the earliest disciple of judo.
as Shogoro Yano
as Sanshiro Sugata
as Sayo Murai
as Gennosuke Higaki
as Hansuke Murai, Sayo's father
as Osumi Kodana
as Tsunetami Iimura
as Police Chief Mishima
as Master Saburo Kodama
as Buddhist Priest
as Wada
as Yoshima Dan
as Yujiro Toda
as Kohei Tsuzaki
as Toranosuki Niiseki
as Nemoto
as Torakichi
as Monma's pupil (uncredited)
