Scenes from: Zero Focus ゼロの焦点 (1961)

Scenes from: Zero Focus ゼロの焦点 (1961) (Zero no shoten)

Based on a work by Seicho Matsumoto 松本清張, in this film, a woman from Tokyo travels to snowy Kanazawa to find her missing husband. The woman, played by Yoshiko Kuga 久我 美子, plays the role of detective in a film noir, traveling to far-flung villages, interviewing coworkers and acquaintances, and uncovering long-lost secrets (perhaps the better comparison is to Jimmy Stewart’s character in Vertigo). It’s a good, atmospheric film, rich with flavor of the isolated Japan Sea coast of Honshu; there also are references, subtle and otherwise, to the American Occupation of Japan. [The film was remade in 2009; see the Japan Times review.]

A few interesting settings from the film:

(1) A panorama with Kanazawa Castle 金沢城 at right; the old Kanazawa steetcar can be seen downhill from Ishikawa bridge 石川橋 (map / streetview):

The same scene from today, and from on top of Ishikawa bridge:

(2) Hakui Station 羽咋駅 (map):

(3) Sanmiyo Station 三明駅 （さんみょうえき）, which was discontinued in 1972 (map).

Links and references:

• “Zero no Shoten” (1961) IMDB entry
• Former Kanawa City Tram Line (streetcar) 北陸鉄道金沢市内線
• Hokuriku Railroad Kanazawa City Train 北陸鉄道 金沢の市内電車
• 尾鉄通信 (train blog)
• Kanazawa Tourist maps 金沢市地図
• Tokyo streetcar maps 東京都電マップ
• Streetcar map:

Occupation of Japan

• Occupied Japan: The Kokura incident, “committing excesses”, and murder on the 4th of July 「黒地の絵」
• Map of American occupied Tokyo, 1948 GHQ東京占領地図