Oharu (Aya Ueto) must teach her new husband Yasunobu Funaki (Kengo Kora) the art of fine cuisine in A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING - A TRUE LOVE STORY. Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2013 “A Tale of Samurai Cooking” Film Partners

Source: Shochiku, GAGA Corporation Official Site: bushikon.jp (Japan) A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING - A TRUE LOVE STORY (?????, Bushi no Kondate) is based on a real-life family from the Edo Period that survived countless upheavals with their culinary talents. Oharu (Aya Ueto, AZUMI and THERMAE ROMAE) has a great sense of taste and excellent skills of cooking, but her stubbornness leads her husband to divorce after only one year of marriage. The head chef of the Kaga clan, Dennai Funaki (Toshiyuki Nishida, SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO, OUTRAGE BEYOND), recognizes Oharu`s talent, and proposes that she marry his son and heir, Yasunobu (Kengo Kora, FISH STORY, A STORY OF YONOSUKE), four year her junior. The Funaki are well known as the “Kitchen Samurai” of the Kaga clan, but Yasunobu is more interested in sword fighting and cannot cook at all. In order to save the Funaki family name and position during a turbulent times Oharu and her mother-in-law Mitsuru (Kimiko Yo, VILLAIN, SHIELD OF STRAW) decide to teach her newly wedded husband the art of cuisine... Director Yuzo Asahara

Director Yuzo Asahara. Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2013 “A Tale of Samurai Cooking” Film Partners

Yuzo Asahara was born in 1964 in Kagawa. After graduating from Kyoto University, he joined Shochiku. He made his directorial debut in 1995 with TOKI NO KAGAYAKI (????), the adaptation of a best-selling Japanese comic. He also worked as an assistant director with Yoji Yamada on the A CLASS TO REMEMBER (??, Gakko) series and THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI (???????, Tasogare Seibei, 2002). In 2003, he directed the film FREE AND EASY 14- BIG PICNIC PILGRIMAGE (??????????????????, Tsuribaka Nisshi 14- Shijo saidai no Kyuka), remaining with the series until its conclusion, FREE AND EASY 20: FINAL (??????????????, Tsuribaka Nisshi 20: Fainaru), in 2009. Credits World Premiere: September 21, 2013 (San Sebastian International Film Festival) Japanese Theatrical Release Date: December 14, 2013 Running Time: 121 minutes Cast Oharu Funaki: Aya Ueto Yasunobu Funaki: Kengo Kora Dennai Funaki: Toshiyuki Nishida Mitsuru Funaki: Kimiko Yo Staff Director: Yuzo Asahara Screenplay: Yuzo Asahara, Michio Kashiwada, Yukiko Yamamuro Producers: Yoshitaka Ishizuka, Hideaki Miyoshi Cinematographer: Yukihiro Okimura Lighting: Masato Tsuchiyama Production Designer: Tetsuo Harada Recording: Kenji Yamamoto Editor: Kazuhide Ishijima Original Score: Taro Iwashiro Theme Song: Chara Film Production: “A Tale of Samurai Cooking” Film Partners Distributor: Shochiku Co., Ltd. International Sales: GAGA Corporation

Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. © 2013 “A Tale of Samurai Cooking” Film Partners