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Kwaidan

Play trailer Poster for Kwaidan 1964 2h 44m Horror Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 46 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai (Rentarô Mikuni) marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden (Keiko Kishi), but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi (Katsuo Nakamura) is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author (Osamu Takizawa) relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.
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Kwaidan

Kwaidan

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Critics Consensus

Exquisitely designed and fastidiously ornate, Masaki Kobayashi's ambitious anthology operates less as a frightening example of horror and more as a meditative tribute to Japanese folklore.

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Critics Reviews

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Wanda Hale New York Daily News 09/20/2021
3.5/4
An artistic triumph for the director Masaki Kobayashi, his cameramen and his art directors. Go to Full Review William J. Nazzaro Arizona Republic 09/20/2021
Kwaidan is not for everyone. It is for the lover of the offbeat and eerie. It is a film you will not soon forget. Go to Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times 09/20/2021
This awesome and enthralling Japanese [film] weaves a spell of enchantment with its weird stories, which unfold amidst settings of surrealistic splendor that have been photographed in the most breathtaking color since Gate of Hell. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 03/06/2024
4/5
…rewards adventurous viewers with haunting, timeless ideas and luminous images…this absorbing folk-tale is rendered in a painterly manner by director Masaki Kobayashi and the overall effect is somehow soothing rather than disturbing... Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/12/2022
4/4
A film of methodical pacing, theatricality, and avant-garde flourishes, which work in harmony to acknowledge that something lies beyond any grounded understanding of reality. Go to Full Review Chris Plante Polygon 10/25/2021
The stories themselves fall somewhere between classic fables and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. And the feeling? There's nothing quite like it. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Homu L @AkemiLord Jun 28 One of the prettiest movies ever made. I'd say it's worth it just to watch for the colors. It's like a moving painting! See more Fumi A @Lordoflords Mar 6 Utterly fantastic movie. One of the best Japanese horror movies; very dark, very moody. With amazing color1 See more Screen_Stack S @Screen_Stack Feb 6 The Good: The Black Hair was a great story of pride, regret and sorrow, and I can't help but feel that it'd make a great possibility for a full feature length body horror in 2026/2027. The Woman of the Snow was pretty okay in terms of the story, but the set pieces and backdrops were utterly gorgeous. This one was about a man who's life was spared by The Woman of the Snow during a blizzard, with one caveat. He could never tell anyone about what happened or she'd come back and kill him. I won't say anything else, but throughout this tale, the sky is various forms of eye, watching the young man. Truly inspiring set piece design. The Ugly: There wasn't anything 'ugly' about this one, but Kwaidan just couldn't hold me interest enough to let the sensory issues slide The Last Word: For me, this one's a miss. You might enjoy it, especially if you're a fan of high cinema See more Oui L @RT59273892 08/04/2025 Great film. Came with the criterion boxset; loved it alot! See more Lau S @LaurainSilentill 07/29/2025 Great Japanese movie! I little bit outdated, but I liked it! See more Madoka A @RT95510435 06/25/2025 Spooky. Dark. Will give you nightmares! See more Read all reviews
Kwaidan

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Cast & Crew

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Masaki Kobayashi

Director

Rentarô Mikuni

Husband

Michiyo Aratama

First wife

Tetsurô Tanba

Warrior

Katsuo Nakamura

Hoichi

Keiko Kishi

Yuki

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Kwaidan

Kwaidan (1964) Kwaidan (1964) Kwaidan (1964) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai (Rentarô Mikuni) marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden (Keiko Kishi), but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi (Katsuo Nakamura) is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author (Osamu Takizawa) relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.
Director
Masaki Kobayashi
Producer
Shigeru Wakatsuki
Screenwriter
Yoko Mizuki
Production Co
Toho Company Ltd.
Genre
Horror, Fantasy
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 29, 1964, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 15, 2015
Runtime
2h 44m
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