Kwaidan (1964): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1964, Kwaidan is a fantasy, drama and horror film directed by Masaki Kobayashi, running about 183 minutes. “Bizarre, unearthly, terrifying - a nation's legend, an author's imagination, a director's creation manifest in the superlative - Kwaidan” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. 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.

Who’s in it. Kwaidan stars Michiyo Aratama as First wife (segment "Kurokami"), Misako Watanabe as Second Wife (segment "The Black Hair"), Rentaro Mikuni as Husband (segment "Kurokami") and Kenjirō Ishiyama as Father (segment "Kurokami"), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, Kwaidan has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Kwaidan page.

If you liked it. Fans of Kwaidan tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.