The Life of Chikuzan (1977)

Chikuzan Takahashi was a partially blind singer and shamisen player who spent his life wandering through northern Japan, performing in villages and amassing a vast repertoire of folk music before he became a cult figure in the 1970s. This remarkable film mixes documentary footage of Chikuzan performing with dramatic recreations of his life, including his harsh childhood, early apprenticeship, and lifelong search for love.