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This is available only in the Ozu Boxset. On the DVD cover is printed an apology- "due to the original negative film condition, you may find some passages uncomfortable, we are sorry."

This is quite unfortunate. With three different version of the same film, I wouldn't recommend any of these DVDs.  The Criterion has some vivid, if inaccurate, colors and this is one of their few tape-sourced transfers. Aside from 2 pages of liner notes the Criterion has no Extras. The Criterion appears to be the worst in terms of clarity and sharpness. The Panorama transfer was taken from the same film elements as the Shochiku, this is why both look similar. Both have a kind of dull greenish tinge (which tends to kill all the blue) to the image which looks very sloppy.  Like the Criterion they are both tape sourced. The Shochiku is on a dual layered disc, where as the other two are on single layers. The Shochiku has no English subtitles. As the Panorama image quality appears as clear as the Shochiku AND it has English subs. I have been told that the Panorama has a number of little image problems that aren't discernible from the stills. They're the sort of problem that Criterion just wouldn't allow - digital errors, static areas of the screen due to over-compression. Its very unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be a release of this film on DVD that is worthy of its stature... or of director Ozu. 

Criterion, being the premiere DVD production company in the world should re-issue this title (perhaps in a Boxset with "I Was Born... But").  

- Gary W. Tooze