Kwaidan

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Kwaidan

1964

2h 44m

Horror

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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.

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Fumi A

@Lordoflords Mar 6

Utterly fantastic movie. One of the best Japanese horror movies; very dark, very moody. With amazing color1

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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

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Oui L

@RT59273892 Aug 4

Great film. Came with the criterion boxset; loved it alot!

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Lau S

@LaurainSilentill Jul 29

Great Japanese movie! I little bit outdated, but I liked it!

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Madoka A

@RT95510435 Jun 25

Spooky. Dark. Will give you nightmares!

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Lily R

@lllikll 05/19/2025

Great Japanese movie! When of the all time bests! Alot of atmosphere and suspense! It's an awesome piece of cinema1

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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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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