An abandoned temple in the mountains outside of the old capital city of Kyoto is the scene of a fated meeting between a traveling priest, two women, and a vicious killer. Bloody violence erupts whenever strangers approach the temple. Can the traveling priest bring his belief in the Buddha and rid the three temple residents of the devils that hold their souls?
Cinematography
Misty mountain temple shots that reek of doom.
Acting
Hideko Takamine's femme fatale burns slow then scalds.
Direction
Misumi builds dread like he's assembling a funeral pyre.
Director
Kenji Misumi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shintarō Katsu filmed this between Zatoichi entries, using his blindness training to make Mumyo Taro's movements deliberately uncanny.
The nanbōku-chō setting (14th century chaos) mirrors 1969 Japan's student protests — order collapsing, violence dressed as ideology.
JP
