Composer
Fumio Hayasaka
Born 19 August 1914 — died 15 October 1955
Fumio Hayasaka (1914–1955) was a Japanese composer of concert music and film scores. He is best known for his work with Akira Kurosawa and Kenji Mizoguchi, including Rashomon and Seven Samurai. His early death at 41 cut short a career that helped shape postwar Japanese film music.
Key films
Rashomon (1950)On Cinespective
Kurosawa's international breakthrough; Hayasaka's score, with its Bolero-like build, is among his most celebrated.
Seven Samurai (1954)On Cinespective
Provided the score for Kurosawa's epic; he died before the film's wide international success.
Ikiru (1952)
Scored Kurosawa's humane drama about a dying bureaucrat, showing his range beyond period action.
Drunken Angel (1948)
Early Kurosawa collaboration, central to the director's postwar breakthrough and Hayasaka's partnership with him.
Ugetsu (1953)
Scored Mizoguchi's ghostly masterpiece, blending traditional Japanese sound with a modern approach.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 55
- 1940Travelling ActorsComposer
- 1940The Burning SkyComposer
- 1940Navy Bomb SquadronComposer
- 1941Story of LeadershipComposer
- 1941White HeronComposer
- 1941The PoppyComposer
- 1942Bouquet of the South SeasComposer
- 1942Green EarthComposer
- 1945Three Women of the NorthComposer
- 1945Duel at Yagyu ValleyComposer
- 1946An Enemy of the PeopleComposer
- 1946As Long as I LiveComposer
- 1947Chikagai nijuyojikanComposer
- 1947ActressComposer
- 1947The Age of BeginningsComposer
- 1948Drunken AngelComposer
- 1948A Flower BloomsComposer
- 1948The Virgin Who Embraced the RainbowComposer
- 1948FujisanchoComposer
- 1948The Beauty of the Evening SkyComposer
- 1949Stray DogComposer
- 1949The Adventures of TobisukeComposer
- 1950RashomonComposer
- 1950ScandalComposer
- 1950Portrait of Madame YukiComposer
- 1950Escape at DawnComposer
- 1950Snow-FlakeComposer
- 1950Mado Kara TobidaseComposer
- 1950Wife and the Female Reporter: A Crisis of Young LoveComposer
- 1950Red Peony of NightComposer
- 1950Duel in the SunComposer
- 1951The IdiotComposer
- 1951Miss OyuComposer
- 1951RepastComposer
- 1951The Lady of MusashinoComposer
- 1951The White OrchidComposer
- 1951Tsuki yori no hahaComposer
- 1952IkiruComposer
- 1952Jinsei Gekijo: dai ichi buComposer
- 1952Eternal Song of NagasakiComposer
- 1952DôkokuComposer
- 1953UgetsuComposer
- 1953Jinsei Gekijo: dai ni buComposer
- 1953Hiroba no kōdokuComposer
- 1954Seven SamuraiComposer
- 1954Sansho the BailiffComposer
- 1954Chikamatsu MonogatariComposer
- 1954The Princess SenComposer
- 1954Forever Be MineComposer
- 1954The Black FuryComposer
- 1954HanranComposer
- 1955Princess Yang Kwei-feiComposer
- 1955Taira Clan SagaComposer
- 1955Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-TreeComposer
- 1956Samurai of the Great EarthComposer
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.