Japanese films
by nursejackie | created - 12 Aug 2015 | updated - 30 Mar 2021 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Patriotism (1966)
Not Rated | 30 min | Drama, Short
A Noh dramatization of the suicides of Lt. Shinji Takeyama and his wife Reiko. After participating in a failed 1936 coup and being ordered to execute his friends, he bids his wife an intimate farewell and commits harakiri.
Director: Yukio Mishima | Stars: Yukio Mishima, Yoshiko Tsuruoka
Votes: 2,037
2. Onibaba (1964)
Not Rated | 103 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Two women kill samurai and sell their belongings for a living. While one of them is having an affair with their neighbor, the other woman meets a mysterious samurai wearing a bizarre mask.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Satô, Jûkichi Uno
Votes: 21,857
3. Black Cat (1968)
Not Rated | 99 min | Drama, Horror
Two women are raped and killed by samurai soldiers. Soon they reappear as vengeful ghosts who seduce and brutally murder the passing samurai.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kei Satô, Rokkô Toura
Votes: 8,575
4. Ki no umi (2004)
119 min | Drama
There lies a thickly wooded area in Eastern Japan, near the slopes of Mount Fuji, which is termed, suicide forest. It is infamous for being a destination for those who for various reasons ... See full summary »
Director: Tomoyuki Takimoto | Stars: Sayuri Oyamada, Masato Hagiwara, Haruka Igawa, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
Votes: 70
5. The Haunted Castle (1969)
83 min | Horror
A young woman turns to the supernatural to wreak revenge on an murderous warlord.
Director: Tokuzô Tanaka | Stars: Kôjirô Hongô, Naomi Kobayashi, Mitsuyo Kamei, Yôko Atsuta
Votes: 178
6. Kwaidan (1964)
Not Rated | 183 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A collection of four Japanese folk tales with supernatural themes.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Rentarô Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Misako Watanabe, Kenjirô Ishiyama
Votes: 19,984
7. Antarctica (1983)
G | 143 min | Adventure, Drama
Two Japanese scientists, Ushioda and Ochi, develop a bond with their sled dogs while on an expedition in Antarctica. Ushioda and Ochi eventually leave Antarctica, only to return to search for the dogs inadvertently marooned there.
Director: Koreyoshi Kurahara | Stars: Ken Takakura, Tsunehiko Watase, Eiji Okada, Masako Natsume
Votes: 1,767
8. I Am a Cat (1975)
116 min | Comedy, Drama
The cat of the title roams around the house of a poor schoolteacher in the late 19th century, observing the goings-on of the teacher and his neighbors.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Kuriko Hano, Jûzô Itami, Nobuto Okamoto
Votes: 261
9. Scary True Stories: Ten Haunting Tales from the Japanese Underground (1991 Video)
50 min | Horror
I,want to know about true creepy stories from Japan.
Director: Norio Tsuruta | Stars: Junko Asanuma, Yumi Goto, Hiromi Hisano, Rie Kondoh
Votes: 185
10. Curse, Death & Spirit (1992 Video)
65 min | Horror
This is a series of three short supernatural-themed movies. The first tells the story of a teen girl who dreams of haunted doll. In the second movie, a widowed mother brings her children to... See full summary »
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Kyôko Enami, Michiko Hada, Maiko Kawakami, Yumi Nakamura
Votes: 203
11. Strange Campaign: Mystery File (2013– )
Mystery, Sci-Fi
Stars: Takaya Kamikawa, Taizô Harada, Tomoko Tabata, Ryôta Murai
12. Hontô ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: 15th Anniversary Special (2014 TV Movie)
120 min | Horror
Stars: Ayame Gôriki, Alice Hirose, Satomi Ishihara, Momoka Ishii
Votes: 17
13. Hontô ni atta Kowai Hanashi Summer Special 2015 (2015 TV Movie)
130 min | Mystery
A young man who returns to his family's home after leaving Tokyo finds something else may have followed after him; a young girl dreams of darkness and a small shrine that draws ever closer;... See full summary »
Directors: Tomonobu Moriwaki, Norio Tsuruta | Stars: Rika Adachi, Natsumi Akutsu, Rena Fujii, Kurumi Fukino
Votes: 14
14. Hontô ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2013 (2013 TV Special)
Mystery
Stars: Mayumi Asaka, Tokio Emoto, Taisuke Fujigaya, Kyôko Fukada
Votes: 15
15. Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro: Yûrei manshon (2005)
93 min | Horror
Aimi and her father move into an old, apartment building and learn quickly that things are not normal here. The landlord warns Aimi and her father of the curfew. First, all residents must ... See full summary »
Director: Akio Yoshida | Stars: Mei Kurokawa, Yoshihiko Hosoda, Yûta Sone, Ayaka Maeda
Votes: 490
16. Dark Tales of Japan (2004 TV Movie)
92 min | Horror
Dark Tales of Japan is a collection of five short horror films that are directed by five notable Japanese film directors.
Directors: Yoshihiro Nakamura, Masayuki Ochiai, Takashi Shimizu, Kôji Shiraishi, Norio Tsuruta | Stars: Kayoko Shiraishi, Shôzô Endô, Yoshinori Okada, Kanako Fukaura
Votes: 596
17. Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro (2003–2005)
5 min | Short, Horror
An anthology series based on stories collected throughout Japan, mainly by writers Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama. This series led to the film, Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan: The Movie (2004).
Stars: Rina Uchiyama, Yôzaburô Itô, Satomi Ishii, Kaoru Mizuki
Votes: 174
18. Tokyo Story (1953)
Not Rated | 136 min | Drama
An old couple visit their children and grandchildren in the city, but receive little attention.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Sô Yamamura, Setsuko Hara
Votes: 68,582
19. Floating Weeds (1959)
Not Rated | 119 min | Drama
The head of a Japanese theatre troupe returns to a small coastal town where he left a son who thinks he is his uncle, and tries to make up for the lost time, but his current mistress grows jealous.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Ganjirô Nakamura, Machiko Kyô, Haruko Sugimura, Ayako Wakao
Votes: 8,975
20. An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama
An aging widower arranges a marriage for his only daughter.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Chishû Ryû, Shima Iwashita, Keiji Sada, Mariko Okada
Votes: 10,691
21. Woman of Tokyo (1933)
47 min | Drama
Ryoichi and Chikako are brother and sister. They live together. Chikako works during the day in an office and at night she prostitutes herself to fund her brother's studies at the ... See full summary »
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Yoshiko Okada, Ureo Egawa, Kinuyo Tanaka, Shin'yô Nara
Votes: 1,045
22. Antiquarian Bookshop Biblia's Case Files (2013– )
54 min | Comedy
Biblia Second-hand Bookstore has been quietly open for business in some corner of Kamakura. Its owner is Shinokawa Shioriko, a young, pretty but introverted girl who is extremely shy around... See full summary »
Stars: Ayame Gôriki, Akira, Kei Tanaka, Kôsuke Suzuki
Votes: 75
23. 1 Litre of Tears (2005–2007)
TV-14 | 48 min | Drama, Romance
The story of a 15-year-old high school student, Ikeuchi Aya, who soon discovers she has an incurable disease that affects the cerebellum of the brain. Aya lived her life to the fullest until her death at 25.
Stars: Erika Sawajiri, Ryô Nishikido, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Takanori Jinnai
Votes: 2,881
24. Tantei no tantei (2015– )
54 min | Mystery
A suspenseful, action packed, fast paced, intelligent detective thriller. The cool, beautiful Sasaki Rena is the lone investigator who works for for a medium sized research agency called ... See full summary »
Stars: Keiko Kitagawa, Arata Iura, Masanobu Sakata, Yûko Takayama
Votes: 145
25. Wasted Land (2009– )
Drama
Iki Tadashi is a military leader who was captured by the Soviets during World War II. Treated as a war criminal, he was sentenced to many years of labor in a harsh Siberian detention camp. ... See full summary »
Stars: Hiroo Ôtaka, Toshiaki Karasawa, Emi Wakui, Mikako Tabe
Votes: 50
26. Kyôko to Shûichi no baai (2013)
134 min | Drama
Kyoko is married with a young son and works as an insurance agent. Due to a series of unfortunate events, she brings shame to her family and has to leave her hometown. Shuichi has been in ... See full summary »
Director: Eiji Okuda | Stars: Sakura Andô, Tasuku Emoto, Mitsuru Hirata, Takumi Kazune
Votes: 59
27. Genji monogatari: Sennen no nazo (2011)
136 min | Drama, Fantasy
"Genji Monogatari" focuses on the love and hate relationships surrounding Hakaru Genji. Lady Fujitsubo is Genji's first love. Miyasutokoro Ryokuzono is obsessed with Genji and eventually ... See full summary »
Director: Yasuo Tsuruhashi | Stars: Tôma Ikuta, Miki Nakatani, Yôko Maki, Mikako Tabe
Votes: 174
28. Lady: Saigo no hanzai purofairu (2011– )
Drama
Rookie investigator Shoko Kazuki has just returned from the U.S. after being trained by the FBI in the art of criminal profiling. Recruited by a newly-formed Crime Profiling Support unit (... See full summary »
Stars: Keiko Kitagawa, Tae Kimura, Yûta Hiraoka, Jun Kaname
Votes: 65
29. The Brothers Karamazov (2013)
54 min | Drama, Mystery
Set in present day Japan in a provincial town, Bunzo Kurosawa, a greedy and violent father, is murdered in his own home. Bunzo has 3 sons: oldest son Mitsuru (Takumi Saito), second son Isao... See full summary »
Stars: Tsubasa Yadome, Hayato Ichihara, Takumi Saitô, Kento Hayashi
Votes: 59
30. Flowers for Algernon (2015)
54 min | Sci-Fi
A medical procedure allows the developmentally disabled to become geniuses. It follows the patient who is experimented on and his new relationships.
Stars: Tomohisa Yamashita, Chiaki Kuriyama, Masataka Kubota, Asuka Kudô
Votes: 1,082
31. Border: Keishichô Sôsa Ikka Satsujinhan Sôsa Dai 4-gakkari (2014– )
54 min | Drama
Ishikawa Ango is a very capable detective that lives only for his job. One day, while investigating a crime scene, he gets shot in the head by the criminal that was still lurking about. ... See full summary »
Stars: Shun Oguri, Munetaka Aoki, Haru, Ken'ichi Endô
Votes: 408
32. Long Vacation (1996)
45 min | Drama, Music
A group of friends do their best to handle life's daily struggles. Two of them, an ambitious musician and a struggling model, are drawn to each other.
Stars: Takuya Kimura, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yutaka Takenouchi, Izumi Inamori
Votes: 1,367
33. Kurosagi (2006)
45 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Kurosaki, aka Kurosagi (Yamashita Tomohisa), is a swindler who cheats other professional con artists to help their victims and avenge the death of his own family. Kurosaki buys information ... See full summary »
Stars: Tomohisa Yamashita, Maki Horikita, Yui Ichikawa, Kôji Katô
Votes: 1,451
34. Wuthering Heights (1988)
143 min | Drama
A retelling of Emily Bronte's tale of vengeance and obsessive love, set in medieval Japan.
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida | Stars: Yûsaku Matsuda, Yûko Tanaka, Tatsuo Nadaka, Eri Ishida
Votes: 292
35. Fusa (1993 TV Movie)
92 min | Drama, Mystery
When an amnesiac woman walks into the household of a young samurai no one knows what to make of the mysterious newcomer. However, with her serene beauty and hard working etiquette both the ... See full summary »
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Kiichi Nakai, Yûko Asano, Furankî Sakai, Hisashi Igawa
Votes: 86
36. Norwegian Wood (2010)
Not Rated | 133 min | Drama, Romance
Toru recalls his life in the 1960s, when his friend Kizuki killed himself and he grew close to Naoko, Kizuki's girlfriend, and another woman, the outgoing, lively Midori.
Director: Anh Hung Tran | Stars: Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara, Kengo Kôra
Votes: 12,460 | Gross: $0.01M
37. Onmyoji: The Yin Yang Master (2001)
R | 112 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
When samurai Hiromasa comes to Seimei, Kyoto's court Onmyoji (a fortune teller in commune with the spirits), to warn of a plot against the government, the two discover that the court's formidable magician, Doson, is indeed planning a coup.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Mansai Nomura, Hideaki Itô, Hiroyuki Sanada, Eriko Imai
Votes: 1,554
38. Onmyoji 2 (2003)
R | 112 min | Action, Fantasy
A group of demons in the ancient Japanese capital of Heian is dismembering members of a family of Japanese nobles.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Mansai Nomura, Hideaki Itô, Kiichi Nakai, Kyôko Fukada
Votes: 595
39. Dark Water (2002)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A mother and her 6-year-old daughter move into a creepy apartment whose every surface is permeated by water.
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Hitomi Kuroki, Rio Kanno, Mirei Oguchi, Asami Mizukawa
Votes: 34,927
40. Emperor (2012)
PG-13 | 105 min | Drama, History, War
As the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, General Fellers is tasked with deciding if Emperor Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal. Influencing his ruling is his quest to find Aya, an exchange student he met years earlier in the U.S.
Director: Peter Webber | Stars: Matthew Fox, Colin Moy, Tommy Lee Jones, Eriko Hatsune
Votes: 14,849 | Gross: $3.35M
41. Loft (2005)
R | 115 min | Horror
Reiko, a prize-winning writer, moves to a quiet isolated house to finish up her new novel. One night she sees the man next door transporting an object wrapped in cloth. She finds out he is ... See full summary »
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Stars: Miki Nakatani, Etsushi Toyokawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Yumi Adachi
Votes: 1,223
42. Saikyô heiki joshikôsei: Rika - zonbi hantâ vs saikyô zonbi Gurorian (2008)
Not Rated | 86 min | Action, Horror
Rika never expected to encounter the living dead as she skipped school to visit her grandfather. She is forced to survive and discovers incredible zombie fighting skills.
Director: Ken'ichi Fujiwara | Stars: Lisa Kudô, Takeshi Yamamoto, Mai Minami, Tsugumi Nagasawa
Votes: 474
43. Boku to tsuma no 1778 no monogatari (2011)
139 min | Drama
A science fiction writer finds out his wife has cancer, and decides to write her a story every day to keep her alive, like a reverse Scheherazade or perhaps to cope with the inevitability of his loss.
Director: Mamoru Hoshi | Stars: Kazuyuki Asano, Jun Fubuki, Yôko Imamoto, Tai Kageyama
Votes: 292
44. Mai bakku pêji (2011)
141 min | Drama
in 1969, Sawada (Satoshi Tsumabuki) is filled with idealism that permeated that era and starts working as a gonzo journalist for a weekly magazine. Two years later, Sawada interviews ... See full summary »
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita | Stars: Shioli Kutsuna, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Munetaka Aoki
Votes: 191
45. I Went To (2000)
111 min | Action, Crime
New magistrate cleans up a corrupt town in his own comic Samurai way.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Koji Yakusho, Yûko Asano, Tsurutarô Kataoka, Ryûdô Uzaki
Votes: 564
46. Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan (2006)
PG-13 | 135 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Japan will sink down to the deep sea. The governments only hope is evacuate all Japanese to some other countries.
Director: Shinji Higuchi | Stars: Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Kô Shibasaki, Etsushi Toyokawa, Mao Daichi
Votes: 1,544
47. The Booth (2005)
Not Rated | 74 min | Horror, Thriller
Shogo (Ryuta Sato), the arrogant and condescending star of a popular call-in radio-show must temporarily broadcast out of Studio 6, a creepy and dilapidated booth abandoned since its last ... See full summary »
Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura | Stars: Maiko Asano, Makoto Ashikawa, Mansaku Ikeuchi, Seiko Iwaidô
Votes: 450
48. Under the Flag of the Rising Sun (1972)
96 min | Drama, Mystery, War
One woman's search to find the truth about her husband's death in World War II.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Tetsurô Tanba, Sachiko Hidari, Shinjirô Ebara, Isao Natsuyagi
Votes: 1,169
49. Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980)
PG | 162 min | Drama, History, War
A petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken'ichi Hagiwara, Jinpachi Nezu
Votes: 38,171
50. Mother (1963)
100 min | Drama
Tamiko is a divorced mother with a seriously ill son, struggling to save him and give both a sense of their existence. She lives with her mother and brother, but will marry a man older than... See full summary »
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Haruko Sugimura, Homizu Aratani, Kentarô Kaji
Votes: 146
51. Gate of Hell (1953)
Not Rated | 89 min | Drama, History
A samurai pursues a married lady-in-waiting.
Director: Teinosuke Kinugasa | Stars: Machiko Kyô, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata, Yatarô Kurokawa
Votes: 4,275
52. Kikujiro (1999)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, Comedy
A young, naive boy sets out alone on the road to find his wayward mother. Soon he finds an unlikely protector in a crotchety man and the two have a series of unexpected adventures along the way.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Yusuke Sekiguchi, Kayoko Kishimoto, The Great Gidayû
Votes: 22,163 | Gross: $0.20M
53. Hachi-ko (1987)
107 min | Biography, Drama, Family
The true story about a dog's loyalty to its master, even after his death.
Director: Seijirô Kôyama | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Kaoru Yachigusa, Toshinori Omi, Toshirô Yanagiba
Votes: 5,829
54. Onaji tsuki wo miteiru (2005)
106 min | Crime, Drama
Two young heroines struggles to keep their true gender identities a secret when they are forced apart by they fascist government. Watch as they travel through worlds of bureaucracy to find each other once again.
Director: Kenta Fukasaku | Stars: Yôsuke Kubozuka, Meisa Kuroki, Tarô Yamamoto, Edison Chen
Votes: 157 | Gross: $12.51M
55. Fires on the Plain (1959)
Not Rated | 108 min | Drama, War
In the closing days of WWII, remnants of the Japanese army in Leyte are abandoned by their command and face certain death by starvation.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Eiji Funakoshi, Mantarô Ushio, Yoshihiro Hamaguchi, Osamu Takizawa
Votes: 5,321
56. April Story (1998)
67 min | Drama, Romance
In spring, a young girl leaves the island of Hokkaido to attend university in Tokyo.
Director: Shunji Iwai | Stars: Takako Matsu, Seiichi Tanabe, Kazuhiko Kato, Kaori Fujii
Votes: 4,082
57. Koizora (2008)
45 min | Drama, Romance
An ordinary senior high school girl named Mika meets Hiro, a showy boy with dyed hair and pierced ears. It is a "pure love" story of the two going through many unimaginably sad incidents while nurturing their love single-mindedly.
Stars: Erena Mizusawa, Kôji Seto, Akiko Kikuchi, Nao Matsushita
Votes: 308
58. Ashura no gotoku (2003)
135 min | Comedy, Drama
The ups and downs of the Takezawa family after one of the four daughters found out that their father had been in an unknown love affair.
Director: Yoshimitsu Morita | Stars: Shinobu Ôtake, Hitomi Kuroki, Eri Fukatsu, Kyôko Fukada
Votes: 287
59. Epitome (1953)
131 min | Drama
Shusei Tokuda's starkly realistic novel about a poor girl pressed into becoming a geisha was forcefully adapted by Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba). When Ginko (Nobuko Otowa, Shindo's wife) falls in... See full summary »
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Sumiko Hidaka, Isuzu Yamada, Sô Yamamura
Votes: 120
60. Alone on the Pacific (1963)
104 min | Adventure
Kenichi Horie is determined to challenge his family, the law and the nature crossing the Pacific to America in a small sailboat. Despite his careful planning many unforeseen events will test his determination.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Yûjirô Ishihara, Masayuki Mori, Kinuyo Tanaka, Ruriko Asaoka
Votes: 503
61. Gintama (2017)
TV-MA | 20 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Miniseries based on the movie Gintama Live Action the Movie (2017) which tells the story of Sougo Okita's sister, Mitsuba, who pays him a visit, sparking feelings in her former love Hijikata, and intensifying the rivalry between Hijikata and Okita.
Stars: Shun Oguri, Yûya Yagira, Ryô Yoshizawa, Kie Kitano
Votes: 407
62. A Story of Yonosuke (2012)
160 min | Drama
Were people's lives changed by having known Yonosuke?
Director: Shûichi Okita | Stars: Ayumi Ito, Kengo Kôra, Gô Ayano, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 2,313
63. 11.25: The Day He Chose His Own Fate (2012)
119 min | Biography, Drama
In 1970, famed Japanese writer Yukio Mishima commits suicide after leading a failed coup.
Director: Kôji Wakamatsu | Stars: Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Arata Iura, Shinobu Terajima, Ichirô Hashimoto
Votes: 252
64. Joshû Shiguma (2006 Video)
Not Rated | 81 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
The prey becomes the hunter. A female prisoner must battle a force stronger than any before her.
Director: Sasuke Sasuga | Stars: Shôko Hamada, Momo Iizawa, Kôichi Kitamura, Kyômi
Votes: 71
65. Ikiru (1952)
Not Rated | 143 min | Drama
A bureaucrat tries to find meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Takashi Shimura, Nobuo Kaneko, Shin'ichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka
Votes: 87,546 | Gross: $0.06M
66. Kuroi Jukai (2016 TV Movie)
108 min | Mystery
Director: Jôta Tsunehiro | Stars: Keiko Kitagawa, Osamu Mukai, Ikki Sawamura, Eiko Koike
Votes: 39
67. Closest Love to Heaven (2017)
90 min | Comedy, Romance
When Ninon found out that her neighbor and popular classmate Yuji only has one year to live. She decided to go out of her way and help him attain happiness on his remaining time.
Director: Taisuke Kawamura | Stars: Taishi Nakagawa, Marie Iitoyo, Shôno Hayama, Rieko Miura
Votes: 769
68. Hachimitsu to kurôbâ (2008– )
Drama
Honey and Clover follows the lives of five college students and their love triangles.
Stars: Hiroki Narimiya, Yutaka Matsushige, Takashi Kashiwabara, Riko Narumi
Votes: 204
69. Until the Break of Dawn (2012)
129 min | Drama
High school student Ayumi is trained by his grandmother to act as a "tsunagu," an intermediary for people who want to reach the dead.
Director: Yûichirô Hirakawa | Stars: Tôri Matsuzaka, Kirin Kiki, Ryûta Satô, Mirei Kiritani
Votes: 271
70. A Story Written with Water (1965)
120 min | Drama
A young man who's about to marry is torn between his fiancée and the love for his mother. His past, dreams and desires unfold simultaneously.
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida | Stars: Mariko Okada, Yasunori Irikawa, Ruriko Asaoka, Isao Yamagata
Votes: 440
71. Chikuzan hitori tabi (1977)
119 min | Drama
After over 50 years of wandering up and down Japan, finally in the 1970s the rough-hewn blind shamisien player and folk-song collector named Chikuzan became a musical sensation. This ... See full summary »
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Ryûzô Hayashi, Nobuko Otowa, Mitsuko Baishô, Dai Kanai
Votes: 111
72. Cruel Story of Youth (1960)
Not Rated | 96 min | Crime, Drama
A harsh young man seduces a freeloading young woman and eventually takes advantage of her knack for hitch-hiking to rob middle-class men.
Director: Nagisa Ôshima | Stars: Miyuki Kuwano, Yûsuke Kawazu, Yoshiko Kuga, Fumio Watanabe
Votes: 2,535
73. Flowers (I) (2010)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama
A story of six women from three different generations, each living their own journeys in their respective periods, spanning decades of dramatic changes in Japan from the 1930s to the present.
Director: Norihiro Koizumi | Stars: Yû Aoi, Kyôka Suzuki, Yûko Takeuchi, Rena Tanaka
Votes: 335
74. Cape Nostalgia (2014)
117 min | Drama
A story set in a café situated along a small cape and run by an elderly woman named Etsuko and aided her nephew Koji.
Director: Izuru Narushima | Stars: Hiroshi Abe, Yûko Takeuchi, Renji Ishibashi, Kyûsaku Shimada
Votes: 205
75. Fuyu no sakura (2011– )
45 min | Drama, Romance
"Fuyu no Sakura" is described as a pure love story with similarities to the popular Korean drama "Winter Sonata" (titled "Fuyu no Sonata" in Japan). Kusanagi plays a gentle glass craftsman ... See full summary »
Stars: Miki Imai, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Rosa Katô, Masanobu Takashima
Votes: 27
76. Erased (2017)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
After finding his mom killed, Satoru's time-traveling ability takes him back 18 years for a chance to prevent her death and those of three classmates.
Stars: Yûki Furukawa, Tomoka Kurotani, Reo Uchikawa, Brenda Joan Wong
Votes: 4,390
77. Erased (2016)
120 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Struggling manga author Satoru Fujinuma is beset by his fear to express himself. However, he has a supernatural ability of being forced to prevent deaths and catastrophes by being sent back... See full summary »
Director: Yûichirô Hirakawa | Stars: Tamae Andô, Kasumi Arimura, Yasushi Fuchikami, Kôta Fudauchi
Votes: 944
78. Teacher and Three Children (2008)
118 min | Drama
Set at the end of the Taisho era (1920s) at Ishiuchi Jinjo Higher Elementary School in the mountains of Hiroshima prefecture, there was a fervent teacher called Mr. Ichikawa. He always placed his pupils first and took any issues to heart.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Akira Emoto, Etsushi Toyokawa, Naomasa Musaka, Maiko Kawakami
Votes: 60
79. Station to Heaven (1984)
133 min | Drama
A woman plots her abusive husband's demise with the help of her lover, who only wants her as a prostitute.
Director: Masanobu Deme | Stars: Sayuri Yoshinaga, Toshiyuki Nishida, Tomokazu Miura, Kimie Shingyôji
Votes: 116
80. Botanical Books (2016)
112 min | Drama, Romance
Sayaka works as a property agent. One day after work, she finds a man, named Itsuki, collapsed outside her house. She takes him in and they start to live together. Itsuki teaches her about cooking and plants, but holds many secrets.
Director: Kôichirô Miki | Stars: Jôji Abe, Kazuyuki Aijima, Duncan, Hana Imai
Votes: 515
81. Hymn (1972)
112 min | Drama
The story tells of the adoration of Sasuke for his mistress, the blind Shamisen teacher Shunkin, who treats him imperiously and subjects him to cruel beatings.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Tokuko Watanabe, Jiro Kawarazaki, Daijirô Harada
Votes: 117
82. Tokyo Sonata (2008)
PG-13 | 120 min | Drama
An ordinary Japanese family slowly disintegrates after its patriarch loses his job at a prominent company.
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Stars: Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyôko Koizumi, Yû Koyanagi, Kai Inowaki
Votes: 11,804 | Gross: $0.28M
83. Blade of the Immortal (2017)
R | 140 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
Cursed with a life of immortality, a samurai is tasked by a young girl to help avenge the death of her father. Based on the manga series by Hiroaki Samura.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Hana Sugisaki, Sôta Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara
Votes: 19,439 | Gross: $0.15M
84. Kaikyô (2007– )
Drama
Based on a true story about a Japanese woman, seeking her true love, who lived in Korea before, during, and after World War II but is forced to move back to Japan.
Stars: Kyoko Hasegawa, Hidekazu Mashima, Emiri Henmi, Kôsuke Toyohara
Votes: 6
85. Ikitai (1999)
119 min | Drama
It is based on the story of The Ballad of Narayama updated to the present day, with the substitution of putting a parent into an old people's home for the abandonment of the original.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Rentarô Mikuni, Shinobu Ôtake, Akira Emoto, Hideko Yoshida
Votes: 136
86. Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Not Rated | 128 min | Drama
The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Gô Katô, Tatsuyoshi Ehara
Votes: 14,089
87. The Geisha House (1998)
113 min | Drama
Young Tokiko works at a geisha house as a maid, waiting for her maiko practice (apprenticeship of geisha) to begin. The movie depicts detailed lifestyle of geishas at that time, showing their rules, loves, beauties and humanities.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Maki Miyamoto, Sumiko Fuji, Kaho Minami, Mai Kitajima
Votes: 256
88. Fukurô (2003)
119 min | Comedy, Drama
A mother and daughter living alone in a small village in deep Japan manage to get out of poverty seducing men, who offer their sexual services and then poisoned with a drink similar to sake.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Akira Emoto, Daijirô Harada, Mansaku Ikeuchi, Ayumi Ito
Votes: 191
89. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)
TV-MA | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former assassin who has resolved to never kill again has his vow sorely tested.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Yû Aoi, Munetaka Aoki
Votes: 29,011
90. Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno (2014)
TV-MA | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Kenshin Himura goes up against pure evil Makoto Shishio who is attempting to overthrow the Meiji government. The fate of the country hangs in the balance as Kenshin Himura takes up the sword that he vowed to never draw again.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Yôsuke Eguchi
Votes: 18,347
91. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014)
TV-MA | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Shishio has set sail in his ironclad ship to bring down the Meiji government and return Japan to chaos, carrying Kaoru with him. In order to stop him in time, Kenshin trains with his old master to learn his final technique.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Emi Takei, Munetaka Aoki
Votes: 14,600
92. Control Tower (2011)
68 min | Drama, Music, Romance
The story of youth. Kakeru, a 15 year old boy, and Mii (Little My) , a female transfer student. They are two lonely teens who cannot find their place in life, but who gradually learn to relate to each other through the power of music.
Director: Takahiro Miki | Stars: Ai Hashimoto, Miyuki Matsuda, Gô Rijû, Kento Yamazaki
Votes: 179
93. Postcard (2010)
114 min | Drama, Romance, War
Toward the end of World War II, middle-aged soldier Keita is entrusted with a postcard from a comrade who is sure he will die in battle. After the war ends, Keita visits his comrade's wife ... See full summary »
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Etsushi Toyokawa, Shinobu Ôtake, Naomasa Musaka, Akira Emoto
Votes: 266
94. Hitokiri (1969)
140 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A destitute ronin allies himself with an established clan, but its ruthless leader tries to turn him into a mindless killer.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yukio Mishima, Yûjirô Ishihara
Votes: 1,228
95. Gift (III) (2014)
91 min | Drama
Zenzo Shinozaki made a fortune in his lifetime working as a company president. Due to his bad temper, he has been isolated from people. Saori Yamane works as a hostess at a bar. In her past... See full summary »
Director: Tarô Miyaoka | Stars: Atsuko Anami, Ken'ichi Endô, Takanari Ishii, Hayato Kakizawa
Votes: 128
96. Hide and Go Kill 2 (2009)
R | 83 min | Horror
A deadly game of online hide and seek puts a young woman's life in danger.
Director: Masafumi Yamada | Stars: Yukie Kawamura, Mayuko Kawakita, Masahiro Usui, Ben Yuzawa
Votes: 311
97. Dogwood Tree (2010)
128 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
This is a love story of a couple over the span of 10 years. Kouhei fell in love with Sae at first sight and soon they became a couple. But they had to part as Sae aims to go to a college in Tokyo while Kouhei is an aspiring fisherman.
Director: Nobuhiro Doi | Stars: Yui Aragaki, Tôma Ikuta, Nichola Grant, Manatsu Hayashi
Votes: 1,306
98. I Have to Buy New Shoes (2012)
115 min | Drama, Romance
Freelance writer Aoi Teshigahara lives in Paris, France; photographer Sen Yagami came to Paris at his younger sister Suzume's insistence. Over the next three days, Aoi Teshigahara and Sen ... See full summary »
Director: Eriko Kitagawa | Stars: Miho Nakayama, Osamu Mukai, Mirei Kiritani, Gô Ayano
Votes: 369
99. Hayabusa (2011)
Adventure
Under the guidance of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) the Hayabusa 'Falcon' spaceship shoots for an asteroid in order to correct samples and conduct scientific studies and then ... See full summary »
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi | Stars: Yûko Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Nishida, Masahiro Takashima, Shirô Sano
Votes: 127
100. Kagami no onna-tachi (2002)
129 min | Drama
Three women who share memories of the Hiroshima disaster try to uncover the hidden family ties that may or may not bind them together.
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida | Stars: Mariko Okada, Yoshiko Tanaka, Sae Isshiki, Hideo Murota
Votes: 249
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