Kwaidan
In the tradition of "RASHOMON" and "GATE OF HELL."
7.7(463) 1965-01-06 183 minHorrorFantasyDrama
Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.
DirectorMasaki Kobayashi
ScreenplayYōko Mizuki
ProducerShigeru Wakatsuki
Original Music ComposerToru Takemitsu
Cast & characters
Michiyo Aratama
as First Wife (segment "The Black Hair")
Rentaro Mikuni
as Husband (segment "The Black Hair")
Misako Watanabe
as Second Wife (segment "The Black Hair")
Kenjirō Ishiyama
as Father (segment "The Black Hair")
No photo
Ranko Akagi
as Mother (segment "The Black Hair")
Fumie Kitahara
as (segment "The Black Hair")
No photo
Kappei Matsumoto
as (segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
No photo
Yoshiko Ieda
as (segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
Otome Tsukimiya
as (segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
No photo
Kenzō Tanaka
as (segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
No photo
Kiyoshi Nakano
as (segment "The Black Hair") (uncredited)
Tatsuya Nakadai
as Minokichi (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Keiko Kishi
as Yuki the Snow Maiden (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Yūko Mochizuki
as Minokichi's Mother (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Kin Sugai
as Village Woman (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Noriko Sengoku
as Village Woman (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
Akiko Nomura
as (segment "The Woman of the Snow") (uncredited)
Torahiko Hamada
as (segment "The Woman of the Snow") (uncredited)
Jun Hamamura
as (segment "The Woman of the Snow")
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Katsuo Nakamura
as Hoichi (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
Tetsuro Tamba
as Warrior (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
Takashi Shimura
as Head Priest (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
Yoichi Hayashi
as Attendant (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
Eiko Muramatsu
as Kenreiinmon (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
