Ghost-Cat of Arima Palace

The Temptress and the Monk

August 1957 •Japanese

A Buddhist monk becomes ensnared by a seductive woman who, according to legend, transforms her lovers into beasts.

Curse of the Blood

May 1968 •Japanese

A samurai kills a blind man who tells him to repay his debts. Because of the samurai's actions his entire family is to bear a terrible curse.

The Passion of a Woman Teacher

July 1926 •Japanese

The curse of a jealous woman destroys lovers on the run. Considered a lost film.

The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen

November 1938 •Japanese

A quintessential example of the period "ghost cat" (bakeneko or kaibyo) movie, this was one of at least six such titles released by the studio Shinko Kinema between 1937-40 featuring Japan's first scream queen, Sumiko Suzuki. Here she plays Mitsue, the possessive onna-kabuki actress betrothed to apprentice shamisen player Seijiro. When one day Okiyo, a beautiful young girl of samurai class, is led to Seijiro's house by his lost cat Kuro, she becomes besotted with him. Dark jealous passions are invoked in Mitsue, which are intensified when Seijiro gifts Okiyo his precious shamisen. The cat is the first to suffer at the end of Mitsue's hairpin, but returns from the grave to assist Okiyo's younger sister Onui avenge her sister's murder.

Ghost Cat of Nabeshima

August 1949 •Japanese

Tanuma Kandayuu is a high class samurai of the house of Nabeshima. He finds a lavish board of Go (a Chinese Board game) at Kinbei's store. He recommend Kinbei to offer it to his lord. Kinbei hesitates at first, since he knows the board has a mysterious legend surrounding it; it's believed that for every game played on the board, one death is required.

Ghost of Saga Mansion

September 1953 •Japanese

A woman loses her son through an evil conspiracy and commits suicide. Shortly afterwards a ghost cat begins haunting the conspirators. This is Takako Irie's first bakeneko (ghost cat) movie; it started a Daiei cycle which was very popular at the time in Japan.

Terrible Ghost Cat of Okazaki

March 1954 •Japanese

The Lord of Okazaki is killed by his brother-in-law. Although the Lord's widow bears a child, she is also killed. Then, a ghost cat begins stalking in the castle.

A Samurai's Love

March 1954 •Japanese

A film about the Ghost of Okiku that's based on the kabuki play Bancho Sarayashiki.

Returning Spirit

July 1955 •Japanese

A tryst between the young warrior Hagiwara Shinzaburo and beautiful Otsuyu is discovered, and the shamed Otsuyu commits suicide with her maid. Their ghosts subsequently appear to Shinzaburo. He obtains a door-protecting charm and a statue of the goddess Kannon from a priest to keep the spirits from his home. A conniving servant removes the protective devices so that Otsuyu can reach her lover and cart him away to the land of the dead.

Appeal on the Cross

June 1956 •Japanese

Kusuo Abe stars in this kaidan.

The Monster Cat of the Fifty-Three Stations

July 1956 •Japanese

A power struggle in the fief of Okazaki causes the death of Namiji, a nobleman's daughter. As her fiancé seeks revenge, he finds Namiji's cat helping him, along the Fifty-Three stations of the Tokaido Road. Co-starring Shintarô Katsu and Takako Irie.

The Ghost-Cat Cursed Wall

June 1958 •Japanese

When a nobleman finds a woman to be an obstacle to his growing political influence, he kills her and her cat and has their bodies immured in a wall. Shortly afterwards, a catlike demon begins to haunt the castle.

White Snake Woman

June 1958 •Japanese

While transporting a bride-to-be in a closed carriage (kago) while during a thunderstorm, a group of servants and onlookers suddenly come upon an apparition of a ghostly white-draped female figure floating down to the ground. As she turns to face the crowd, the woman reveals the disfigured right side of her face. As the procession stands in utter horror, the ghost then takes flight again and down a side street. After the shock wears off, the bride is checked on and everyone is safe in the group. Once the wedding party finally arrives at the groom's home, they apologize for the delay... and proceed to open the kago, only to realize that the bride-to-be is now missing... and all that's left in the carriage is a single white snake slithering about.

Obsessive Snake

September 1958 •Japanese

Utaji heard that her ex-lover Seijirou would get married to Ochiyo a daughter of Ise-ya. She murdered Ochiyo and took over the Ise-ya's shop with Hikoroku a head clerk of Ise-ya. Moreover Utaji killed Hikoroku. But...

Blue Snake Bath

January 1959 •Japanese

Last part of the Snake Woman trilogy.

The Mother Tree

July 1958 •Japanese

A painter leaves his family to paint the homes of his rich clients. A lonely, ruthless samurai falls in love with the painter's wife and rapes her. He later murders the painter and his servants. From the afterlife, the painter's ghost seeks revenge on the samurai, and saves his wife and newborn child.

The Ghost Cat of Ouma Crossing

December 1954 •Japanese

A kabuki actress is murdered. Her pet cat laps its mistress's blood and becomes a demon possessed by the vengeful murder victim.

Ghost Story: One Eyed Jizo

July 1959 •Japanese

A woman abandoned by the man she loved all her life becomes a ghost and takes revenge for her offense!

Ghost of the Pearl Divers

July 1960 •Japanese

Ghost Story: Depth of Kasane

June 1960 •Japanese

Follows the murder of a money-lending masseur by an impoverished samurai. The slain masseur's daughter will also fall victim to his curse, so that she can become empowered as an agent of her father's vengeance.