japanese folklore

23 movies and shows

Bloat

Fri, 07 Mar 2025

After a near-death drowning accident, a young boy's family is horrified to discover he has become possessed by a legendary demon from the depths of the lake. As the family races against time to save the boy's soul, the evil monster inside the child tears the family apart as it seeks to destroy everyone in its path.

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

Sat, 23 Nov 2013

Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthrals all who encounter her. But, ultimately, she must confront her fate.

Howling Village

Fri, 07 Feb 2020

After her brother goes missing, a young psychologist visits an infamous haunted and cursed location known as ‘Howling Village’ to investigate his disappearance and uncover her family’s dark history.

Kwaidan

Wed, 06 Jan 1965

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.

Ox-Head Village

Fri, 18 Feb 2022

Having launched a social media prank about a haunted building, three girls suddenly vanish. Rumours circulate that they were victims of The Ox-Head Village curse, triggering an investigation by two of their friends, desperate to find the truth about what has happened…

Suicide Forest Village

Fri, 05 Feb 2021

One day a mysterious box arrived and a curse began to spread all over. The source of the box is 'Jukai Village'. The village is hidden in Jukai Forest, a suicide spot that once you enter it, you can never come out.

Profound Desires of the Gods

Fri, 22 Nov 1968

Tokyo engineer Kariya arrives on a primitive tropical island, where he interacts with the Futori clan, to drill a well to power a sugar mill.

Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress

Sat, 20 Oct 2012

Hamaji, a young huntress from the mountains, stumbles into the middle of a shogun’s vendetta against a group of human-dog hybrids, the Fusé. Rumors of Fusé murdering innocent people in the bustling city of Edo have sparked a bounty for their heads. Along with her brother, Hamaji joins the hunt for this dangerous quarry, but after accidentally befriending one of them, Hamaji is torn between two worlds: her life as a self-reliant huntress, and the young woman her new friend has helped her to uncover.

The Memory Eraser

Fri, 17 Jan 2020

Ryoichi Yoshimori is a university student. His girlfriend, Kyoko Sawada is a few years older but the pair don’t care as they are deeply in love. After Ryoichi proposes to Kyoko, she suddenly disappears. Several days later, Kyoko re-emerges but claims to have no memory of him. With the help of a classmate/lawyer Chiaki Takaharu and his childhood friend Maki Kawai, Ryoichi attempts to unravel the mystery that may be related to the rumours of a memory erasing individual known as Kiokuya.

Osomatsu-kun: Go For It! Chibita's Oni War

Sat, 31 Dec 1988

Osomatsu-kun New Year's Special involving Chibita and the cast in a parody of several fairy tales, the most prominent being Momotarou and Cinderella.

KARAKASA

Wed, 05 Jun 2024

Ayaka lives with roommates. One day, she is caught in the rain while waiting for her boyfriend when she happens upon an umbrella that had been thrown away. She picks it up but, after that, she is nowhere to be found.

The Burning Buddha Man

Sat, 23 Feb 2013

There is a series of Buddha statue thefts in Kyoto. Beniko, a high school girl, gets the Buddha statue at her family's temple stolen and has her parents killed at the same time. She needs to know what caused the death of a parents and dreams of revenge. She goes on a fantastical journey to ultimately face the demon. The entire film is produced by hand drawing all the gods 'manifesto animation' or 'gekimation' based on the amazing hand drawings.

Ukabu

Fri, 03 Feb 2023

The town where Yui lives was once surrounded by a dense forest. The forest has a legend of people being spirited away by the Tengu inhabited there. Yui remembers that 11 years ago Kayo disappeared in that forest. "Back then, I was right next to Kayo. But, why wasn't I chosen...?" Consumed in her thoughts, Yui steps into the last of the forest as if the swaying wind from the trees is calling her in...

Rokuroku: The Promise of the Witch

Sat, 27 Jan 2018

A quiet woman receives a social media request from a middle-school friend, who she doesn’t remember fondly. The two meet at a hotel’s restaurant where they find a room numbered 666 containing Rokuroku, a long-neck woman wearing a red kimono.

The Virgin Soldier

Sun, 15 May 2016

Two soldiers, Daniel and Jerome, flee a war we don’t see and we know nothing about. Jerome is badly injured, he will die, he says it, he knows it, he is afraid. Then Jerome confesses to Daniel his last will: he does not want to die a virgin, he wants to die loved…

The Moving Picture Fight of the Fox and the Possum

Sun, 31 Dec 1933

A farmer walking in the woods is frightened away by a shapeshifting fox, who then disguises himself as a samurai and makes his way to a temple, haunted by a young shapeshifting tanuki whose various attempts to frighten the fox/samurai away fail. The young tanuki telephones his father, and they join forces against the samurai.

The Giants

Thu, 01 Jul 2021

We follow the epic lives of sumo legends who made it from humble beginnings in Hawaii, to becoming the first foreigners to rise to the highest ranks in sumo. Starting with Takamiyama who paved the path for Konishiki, Akebono, and Musashimaru who soon followed and ignited sumo fandom around the world. As diplomats for the sport and Japanese culture, these 600 pound outsiders share their hero’s journey from a small Hawaiian village, to having God-like adulation from fans across the world.