ALWAYS Sanchome no Yuhi (ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日), the beloved live-action Japanese film based on Nishikishi Ryohei‘s manga, is available for unlimited streaming on U-NEXT and Hulu in Japan. Viewers who prefer to rent the film on a one-off basis can do so via Amazon Prime Video, Lemino, FOD, TELASA, and YouTube, while TSUTAYA DISCAS offers DVD home delivery rental.

Streaming Availability at a Glance

A survey of 13 major streaming platforms found the film on 8 services in total:

• Unlimited streaming: U-NEXT, Hulu
• Rental: Amazon Prime Video, Lemino, FOD, TELASA, YouTube
• DVD delivery rental: TSUTAYA DISCAS
• Not available: DMM TV, dAnime Store, Netflix, Disney+, ABEMA

Unlimited Streaming: U-NEXT vs Hulu

U-NEXT

U-NEXT carries ALWAYS Sanchome no Yuhi as part of its unlimited catalogue at ¥2,189/month (tax included). New subscribers receive a 31-day free trial and 500 yen in bonus points upon registration — points that can be used to rent other titles or purchase manga. If cancelled within the trial period, no monthly fee is charged. Continuing members receive 1,200 points every month.

Hulu

Hulu also streams the film without limits at ¥1,320/month (tax included), with 400 points awarded each month. Unlike U-NEXT, Hulu offers no free trial period — billing begins from the day of registration. The service is particularly strong in Nippon TV programming and domestic variety content.

Note: Subscriptions via iTunes Store, Google Play, or Amazon In-App are priced at ¥1,450/month.

Rental Options

For those who prefer a one-time rental rather than a monthly subscription, pricing is as follows:

• Amazon Prime Video: ¥400 (HD, tax included) — not included in Prime membership; rental fee applies to all members. A 30-day free Prime trial is available for new users.
• Lemino: ¥440 (tax included)
• TELASA: ¥440 (tax included)
• FOD: 400 coins
• YouTube: Pay-per-view rental available

TSUTAYA DISCAS (DVD Home Delivery)

TSUTAYA DISCAS offers DVD rental by mail. The recommended plan, Teigaku Rental 8 Double, costs ¥2,200/month (tax included) and allows up to 8 discs per month with no return deadline and no late fees. A 30-day trial is available, making it a practical option for viewers who want to collect all three films in the series on DVD.

Synopsis and Highlights

Released on November 5, 2005, and directed by Yamazaki Takashi (who also handled VFX), the film is set in spring of Showa 33 (1958) in the fictional downtown Tokyo neighbourhood of Yuhicho Sanchome, in the shadow of the still-under-construction Tokyo Tower.

Hoshino Rokuko, a young woman from Aomori who has come to Tokyo through a group employment programme, is assigned to the small auto-repair shop “Suzuki Auto” run by Suzuki Norifumi — far humbler than she had imagined. Across the street, candy-store owner and struggling novelist Chagawa Ryunosuke unexpectedly finds himself looking after a boy he has never met, Furuyuki Junosuke, setting off an awkward but touching cohabitation.

Highlights

• VFX recreation of Showa-era Tokyo: The streets, buildings, and half-built Tokyo Tower are meticulously recreated through VFX, transporting viewers to 1958.
• Two families, two stories: The warmth of the Suzuki household welcoming Rokuko, and the slowly deepening bond between Chagawa and Junosuke.
• Colourful neighbourhood characters: Tobacco-shop owner Ota Kin and local doctor Takuma Shiro add texture and warmth to the community.

TV Broadcast

ALWAYS Sanchome no Yuhi will air on Nippon TV’s Friday Road Show on October 23, 2026 at 9:00 p.m., as the first of two consecutive weeks celebrating director Yamazaki Takashi ahead of his new film Godzilla -0.0, due in cinemas on November 3, 2026. Godzilla -1.0 will follow on October 30.

Main Cast

• Yoshioka Hidetaka — Chagawa Ryunosuke (candy-store owner and novelist)
• Tsutsumi Shinichi — Suzuki Norifumi (owner of Suzuki Auto)
• Koyuki — Ishizaki Hiromi (bar owner)
• Horikita Maki — Hoshino Rokuko (young woman from Aomori)
• Yakushimaru Hiroko — Suzuki Tomoe (Norifumi’s wife)
• Suga Kenta — Furuyuki Junosuke (boy taken in by Chagawa)
• Koshimizu Kazuki — Suzuki Ippei (the Suzuki family’s eldest son)
• Motai Masako — Ota Kin (tobacco-shop owner)
• Miura Tomokazu — Takuma Shiro (neighbourhood doctor)

Film Details

• Release date: November 5, 2005
• Based on: Sanchome no Yuhi manga by Nishikishi Ryohei (serialised in Big Comic Original, Shogakukan)
• Director / VFX: Yamazaki Takashi
• Screenplay: Yamazaki Takashi, Furusawa Ryota
• Music: Sato Naoki
• Distributor: Toho
• Awards: 12 awards at the 29th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Best Picture
• Sequels: ALWAYS Zoku Sanchome no Yuhi (2007), ALWAYS Sanchome no Yuhi ’64 (2012)