Kwaidan (1964) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

1964 · 183 mins · Japanese

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Directed by

Masaki Kobayashi

Starring

Tatsuya Nakadai, Jun Tazaki, Kenjirô Ishiyama, Takashi Shimura, Haruko Sugimura, Ichirô Nakatani

Following the Japanese folklore tradition of Rashomon and Gate of Hell, this anthology—titled after an archaic word for ghost story—adapts four eerie tales. A penniless samurai marries for money, ending in tragedy. A man lost in a blizzard is saved by Yuki, the Snow Maiden, but her rescue exacts a price. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to play for an audience of spirits. Lastly, an author tells of a samurai who sees another warrior’s reflection in his teacup.