Tokyo Story is based somewhat on the 1937 film Make Way for Tomorrow. However, Ozu uses a slower pace and allows the dialogue to reveal the story in this film. This is seen when we begin to learn of Shige's embarrassment at her mother breaking a chair in school while she was a child, and Shukichi's issues with drinking. This style of narrative structure was called ellipses, and was an innovation of the master director. Also, Ozu would primarily use a stationary camera in this film with a low angle, called a "tatami shot" which he invented. This camera position imitates the low seating position in traditional Japanese culture.
Ozu was a minimalist when it came to what he revealed on screen, and often would break standard rules of camera lines, such as the 180-degree rule. He also wouldn't use the traditional over the shoulder shots, but instead chose to place the camera between characters. This would make it seem as if the character was speaking directly to the audience, and this is most apparent when Kyoko is speaking to Noriko at the end of the film. Also, in transitions Ozu would use static objects as cut aways to lead into the next sequence of scenes. We see this with the shots of the clouds in the sky and the smoke stacks outside Tokyo. Overall, Ozu bucked the traditional Hollywood way of crafting a film and went on to create a style that was all his own, and which has drawn many imitators.
