Yaji and Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims

Yaji and Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
Yaji and Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
Directed by	Kankuro Kudo
Written by	Kotobuki Shiriagari (original story) ; Kankuro Kudo (screenplay)
Produced by	Mitsuru Uda; Yoshinori Fujita
Starring	Tomoya Nagase; Shichinosuke Nakamura; Eiko Koike; Riki Takeuchi; Suzuki Matsuo; Kankuro Nakamura
Cinematography	Toshiyasu Yamanaka
Music by	Zazen Boys
Distributed by	Asmik Ace
Release date	April 2, 2005;
Running time	124 minutes
Language	Japanese

Yaji and Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims (真夜中の弥次さん喜多さん, Mayonaka no Yaji-san Kita-san) is a 2005 Japanese film directed by Kudo Kankuro. The film stars several well-known and highly respected Japanese actors. It is based on the manga series Yajikita in Deep by Kotobuki Shiriagari.

The story follows two Edo-era gay men, Yaji Robei (Yaji) and Kita Hachi (Kita), on a pilgrimage to Ise Shrine. It is loosely based on the Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige.

Plot

Yaji and Kita are two men who live in Edo. They are deeply in love. Yaji is married to a woman, while Kita is an actor addicted to various drugs.

One day, they receive an advertisement for the Grand Shrine at Ise, and decide to set out on a pilgrimage there, hoping to cure Kita of his drug addiction. They set out on a modern motorcycle but are forced to turn back and walk the Tōkaidō road to Ise, encountering various characters and obstacles along the way.