Which director wrote and directed the 1985 ramen comedy film Tampopo?

Juzo Itami wrote and directed the 1985 ramen comedy film Tampopo.

Tampopo follows truck driver Goro and his companion Gun as they help a struggling ramen-shop owner improve her cooking and business. The film mixes a central ramen story with comic, sensual, and sometimes surreal food-related episodes.

Itami’s film was promoted as the first “ramen Western,” a playful reference to the American Western and the film’s road-driven quest structure. Its title character, Tampopo, is played by Nobuko Miyamoto, Itami’s wife and frequent creative collaborator; Tsutomu Yamazaki plays Goro.

Tampopo was released in Japan by Toho on November 23, 1985. It later became an international cult classic and is widely regarded as one of cinema’s most memorable celebrations of food, technique, appetite, and the social life surrounding restaurants.