Pre-war Asakusa was a riotous district of cabarets, dance-halls and brothels - a striking backdrop for Shimazu's story of innocence and experience. Pretty, young Reiko is the new dancer in an infamous theatre troupe, and her fellow performers try to protect her virtue in a land of vice. Meanwhile, an ageing actor wants to be a hero off stage as well as on, and the troupe matriarch Marie has to keep them all together.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Ken UeharaShichirō Yamagami | Shichirō Yamagami |
 Mieko TakamineReiko Kosugi | Reiko Kosugi |
 Daijiro NatsukawaChōjirō Kanda | Chōjirō Kanda |
 Seiji NishimuraSasaki | Sasaki |
 Yoshiko TsubouchiOryū | Oryū |
| KKaneko FujiwaraYoshino | Yoshino |
 Shin TokudaijiJun Asukai | Jun Asukai |
 Haruko SugimuraMarieda Matsushima | Marieda Matsushima |
 Reikichi KawamuraGunji Ōhira | Gunji Ōhira |
 Fumiko OkamuraKureko | Kureko |
 Hideo TakedaKōhei Handa | Kōhei Handa |
 Tatsuo SaitōKampei Fujii | Kampei Fujii |
 Chishū RyūShin'ichi Katori | Shin'ichi Katori |
 Akio IsonoSenkichi | Senkichi |
| SShotaro AkagiFukumatsu | Fukumatsu |
 Shinichi HimoriFutokō | Futokō |
 Toshiaki KonoeNimura | Nimura |
 Sozo OkadaArakawa | Arakawa |
| KKōichi ItōSakuragi | Sakuragi |
 Tokuji KobayashiPerfumer | Perfumer |
| KKimiyo Ōtsukadancer in 'Carmen' | dancer in 'Carmen' |
| MMitsuko Higashiyamadancer in 'Carmen' | dancer in 'Carmen' |
 Masami Morikawadancer in 'Carmen' | dancer in 'Carmen' |
 Yaeko Izumodancer in 'Carmen' | dancer in 'Carmen' |
| KKazuko Komakidancer in 'Carmen' | dancer in 'Carmen' |
 Kanji KawaraNot listed | Not listed |