Japan is a country with a rich cultural history, dating back more than 2,000 years ago. Tales from this period have been preserved throughout, forming mythologies that have ties with Shinto and Buddhist religions. Japanese mythology consists of a vast collection of gods, demons, and spirits. From this, came literature and folklore, recalling tales of the evil Yōkai, vengeful Yūrei, and mischievous Kitsune. These legends became cautionary tales, which then made their way into mainstream horror culture.
Here are some of the best horror movies based on Japanese legends, ranked:
6 Hanako of the Toilet (1995)
Shochiku
Directed by Joji Matsuoka, this movie offers a fresh take on the legend of Hanako-san. She is a vengeful ghost that wears a red dress and haunts the toilets of a school. She lures children into her toilet stall and brutally murders them. Despite its well-directed and paced storyline, the depiction of Hanako-san as a sympathetic character wasn’t well-received by the audience, with complaints of the overall horror value of the story going down considerably. However, it is worth watching for those who are avid fans of ancient folklore.
Saeko Mizuno (Yuka Kono) is a new student who arrives at school. Soon, rumors start to fly about her being Hanako-san, an evil ghost that haunts the school toilet. What’s worse, is there’s a serial killer targeting kids in the schools nearby, adding to the threat.
5 Teketeke (2009)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Directed by Kōji Shiraishi, this film is an adaptation of the Japanese urban legend of Teketeke, a young woman who fell in front of a high-speed train and was cut in half, dying and turning into a vengeful spirit. Now, her upper torso wanders about, elbows dragging on the ground, making a ’tek tek’ sound. Anyone who comes across her will also be chopped in half. The film maintains great tension throughout and has scenes that are genuinely terrifying, with tons of well-timed jump scares. However, with lackluster acting and mediocre CGI effects, the negatives of this film outweigh the positives.
Kana Ohashi (Yuko Oshima) is a high school girl who discovers that her friend was brutally murdered. Rumors fly around the town of the infamous Teketeke. She ignores them and heads to the spot her friend had died. There, she finds Teketeke and gets marked with a deadly curse. Kana has a time limit of a few days to break the curse before Teketeke finds her.
4 Carved (2007)
Palisades TartanTornado Film
Directed by Kōji Shiraishi, Carved is a film that brings the 17th-century Japanese legend of Kuchisake-onna (also known as Slit-Mouthed Woman) to life. With its originality, action, and nostalgia of the 2000s-2010s Japanese horror films, this film presents terrifying acting, great CGI, and special effects.
30 years ago, a town was terrorized by the spirit of a beautiful woman whose mouth had been slit. She roams the streets wearing a trench coat and carrying large scissors. The spirit approaches her victims and asks, ‘‘Am I beautiful?’’. Whether they say yes or no, the victim’s response always leads to their gruesome deaths. Now, one by one, children from the town start disappearing again, and it’s up to the locals to figure out how to stop it.
Best Horror Movies Based on Mythology
3 Sadako vs Kayako (2016)
Universal Pictures
Directed by Kōji Shiraishi, Sadako vs Kayako is the horror genre’s Godzilla vs Kong. Pitting two of the strongest and most terrifying ghost spirits against each other in a film designed specifically for long-time fans. The result is a fantastic 90-minute thriller that pays incredible homage to both of its parental films, honoring Japanese mythology in the process. It depicts epic fight scenes, masterful cinematography, and spine-chilling music.
Yuri (Mizuki Yamamoto), a university student, sees the videotape of Sadako (Elly Nanami) which tells her that she will die in two days. Suzuka (Tina Tamashiro), a high school student, gets trapped in a haunted house by a ghost called Kayako (Runa Endo). To save them, Kyozo (Masanobu Ando), a medium, comes up with a plan to turn Sadako and Kayako against each other.
2 Ju-on: The Grudge (2003)
Tokyo Theatres K.K.Lions Gate Home Entertainment
Directed by Takashi Shimizu, The Grudge explores the themes of supernatural curses. The title itself is the name of a curse left by someone who died holding a grudge. This curse turns into a contagious virus that infects anyone who comes into contact with it, thus ruining their lives. The film does a great job of showcasing horror through multiple narratives, playing with time jumps, and leaving the audience on the edge of their seat trying to guess how the two stories connect. The character Kayako (Takako Fuji) has also amassed a cult following as one of the most terrifyingly acted spirits depicted on film, with her iconic cracking voice.
Social worker Rika (Megumi Okina) stumbles across the Ju-on curse when she finds a catatonic old woman in a dilapidated home. A scary little boy and a phantom seem to be sucking the life from her. The story then jumps back and forth in time in a series of chapters named after the characters being hunted by these vengeful souls.
Best Horror Movies About Creepy Dolls, Ranked
1 The Ring (1998)
Toho Co., Ltd.
Adapted from the novel by Koji Suzuki, the first Ring film opened up a new world for horror storytelling, with fans sparking an entire franchise. Directed by Hideo Nakata, the film explores the Japanese legends of demons and vengeful ghosts. The film’s main antagonist, Sadako (Rie Ino), is famously known as the ‘Ring Girl,’ and is regarded as one of the most terrifying horror movie villains to date. With impeccable attention to detail, an equally spooky soundtrack, and timeless horror, The Ring is a masterpiece worth watching.
Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) is a TV reporter and single mother who comes across a disturbing urban legend about a videotape that puts a death curse on its viewer. The watcher then receives a phone call, and within a week, dies. When Reiko ends up watching the tape, she is determined to figure out about the curse and eliminate its core to save her family.
