Departures
“The gift of last memories.”
Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for work with departures of a more permanent nature – as an undertaker’s assistant.
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Cast
60 people
Masahiro Motoki
Daigo Kobayashi
Known for
Giri/Haji
Gemini
Ryoko Hirosue
Mika Kobayashi
Known for
Wasabi
Goemon
Tsutomu Yamazaki
Ikuei Sasaki
Known for
Tampopo
Kagemusha
Kimiko Yo
Yuriko Kamimura
Known for
Sanctuary
Shin Godzilla
Tetta Sugimoto
Yamashita
Known for
Reincarnation
Outrage
Toru Minegishi
Yoshiki Kobayashi
Known for
Godzilla vs. Biollante
Shinjuku Incident
Tatsuo Yamada
Togashi
Also in
Crazy Thunder Road
Blues Harp
Yukiko Tachibana
Also in
Care Worker Gang
Mibôjin geshuku: Hatsunori
Yukari Tachibana
Rie Yamashita
Known for
1 Litre of Tears
Genjitsu Shu
Also in
Where Are We Going?
Immoral: Indecent Relationship
Taro Ishida
Sonezaki
Known for
Akira
The Castle of Cagliostro
Yukimi Koyanagi
Also in
Mistress
Kakashi
Yojiro Takita Director · Kundo Koyama Screenplay Joe Hisaishi Composer
Worldwide gross $70M · United States release September 13, 2008 · Produced in Japan
Box office
Worldwide gross
$69,932,387
Production
TBS
Production
Amuse Soft Entertainment
Production
MBS
Production
Sedic
Production
Shogakukan
Production
TBS Radio
Production
Shochiku
Production
dentsu
Production
The Asahi Shimbun
Production
TBS Radio & Communications
Production
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
おくりびと
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
Canada · September 13, 2008
Limited theatrical
Japan · September 13, 2008
Theatrical
United States · September 13, 2008
Theatrical
Australia
April 16, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Austria
October 30, 2009 · Digital
Brazil
May 23, 2009 · Theatrical · SM Distr. mj.gov.br
Czechia
October 14, 2010 · TV · ČT2
March 18, 2015 · Premiere · Eiga-Sai Film Festival
France
June 3, 2009 · Theatrical
Germany
November 26, 2009 · Theatrical
Greece
March 12, 2009 · Theatrical
November 17, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Hong Kong SAR China
March 19, 2009 · Theatrical
April 24, 2025 · Theatrical · 4K Restoration
Ireland
December 4, 2009 · Theatrical
Italy
April 9, 2010 · Theatrical
Netherlands
May 28, 2009 · Theatrical
June 7, 2013 · TV · Nederland 2
July 1, 2014 · Physical · DVD, Blu ray
South Korea
October 30, 2008 · Theatrical
Sweden
November 18, 2009 · Limited theatrical · Stockholm International Film Festival
January 15, 2010 · Theatrical
May 5, 2010 · Physical · DVD release
United Kingdom
December 4, 2009 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.