JAPANESE HORROR FILMS for dark and spooky nights

Hey!

Are you looking for something spooky to watch before bed? Well, you’re in luck, because today I’m here with some awesome Japanese horror movie recommendations! So go on, make yourself a drink, grab a snack, and enjoy this post.

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Dark Water

Directed by Hideo Nakata | 2002 | Drama, Horror | 1h 41m 

Yoshimi is in the middle of her divorce, and all she can afford to rent for herself and her daughter Ikuko is a run-down apartment in a bad part of town. She’s doing everything in her power to rebuild her life and take care of Ikuko, but odd things keep happening in their new apartment. For example, there’s a strange patch of moisture leaking through their ceiling, and a red backpack regularly appears in some part of the building no matter how often Yoshimi tries to get rid of it. Sometimes the two of them see an apparition of a little girl outside in the corridor or walking within their apartment. What is the reason behind these mysterious occurances?

Tokyo Gore Police

Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura | 2008 | Sci-Fi, Action | 1h 50m

The story follows Ruka, a young woman who hunts human-monster hybrids called the Engineers. In fact, she’s one of the so-called “Engineer Hunters”, which is an especially sadistic and violent part of the privatized Tokyo Police Force. Soon enough Ruka receives a new case and objective: she must track down and kill the leader of the Engineers, the Key Man. However, some odd things happen during her hunt, and she discovers the truth behind her father’s death.

Honestly, it’s one of the strangest Japanese horror movies I’ve ever seen but I applaud them for finishing it in just two weeks! There’s lots of blood and gore but it’s so obnoxiously exaggerated that it becomes kinda funny. (For some reason, the gore in American films like The Evil Dead seems more nauseating, but that’s just my personal opinion.) That being said, you shouldn’t ever go near this movie unless you can withstand watching scenes of self harm, murder, torture, rape, sex, and other triggering things.

For anyone interested in a more thorough review, check out the one on horrorfreaknews.com! (Not an ad. Trust me, they have no idea who I am.)

Kuchisake Onna (aka Carved)

Directed by Kōji Shiraishi | 2007 | Horror | 2 h

The legend of Kuchisake Onna resurfaces in a small Japanese town after many people report seeing a strange woman who wears a surgical mask and scares people by prowling around deserted places. The real panic sets in when several kids go missing, one getting kidnapped right in front of his teacher. Weirdly enough, the people who go missing or die were either ill or somehow managed to irritate the spirit. Two troubled middle school teachers team up to discover the truth behind Kuchisake Onna and stop the spirit’s vengeance.

The urban legend of the Slit-Mouth Woman is one of my personal favourites so I was excited to watch this film. Unfortunately, the plot was quite far-fetched from the the original and the ghost made me chuckle! The SFX makeup was really cool but she moved around like a drunk pigeon and I laughed out loud every time she attacked one of her victims. That being said, I still recommend wathcing this Japanese horror film as it’s one of the classics every horror movie enthusiast should know about.

Onibaba

Directed by Kaneto Shindo | 1964 | Drama, Art, Horror | 1h 43m

It’s the middle of a war and two women are trying their best to survive by themselves out in the countryside. The harvest is nonexistent because of the weather and war, and the only way to get food is by killing samurai and selling their stuff to local tradesmen. Eventually, one of their closest neighbours returns from war and informs them that the old woman’s son (who was also the younger woman’s husband) didn’t survive. Soon enough, her daughter-in-law begins an affair with the neighbour and the older woman makes it her life goal to separate the two lovebirds.

Ju-On: The Grudge

Directed by Takashi Shimizu | 2002 | Supernatural Horror | 1h 43m

A man brutally murders his family, and their house becomes possessed by the vengeful spirits of those he murdered. Everyone who comes in contact with the haunted property will die, thus continuing the curse and killing even more people. The film follows Rika, a young social worker who’s trying to uncover the truth behind the mysterious murders. If she fails to stop the Grudge, the resentful Kayako’s spirit will come after her, too.

Ringu

Directed by Hideo Nakata | 1998 | Mystery, Psychological Horror | 1h 36m

News reporter Reiko investigates the sudden deaths of her teenage niece and her three best friends. Soon enough, she learns of a cursed videotape that kills people seven days after they’ve viewed its contents. With her ex-husband’s help, she finds and watches the cursed tape; sure enough, a stranger calls to inform her that she’ll die in a week. Reiko and her ex have seven days to find a way to stop the vindictive ghost, otherwise they will both die.

House

Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi | 1977 | Horror Comedy, Fantasy | 1h 43m

To get away from family drama, Gorgeous and a group of her best friends decide to visit Gorgeous’ aunt’s remote mansion. Weird stuff happens to them almost immediately after arrival and they become the targets of a peculiar ghost lady / vampire / ghoul.

Honestly, this has to be one of the weirdest Japanese horror films ever made but I genuinely recommend watching it. In a way it’s both great and horrible, and the special effects are simply over-the-top! (Click here to watch the trailer on YouTube.)

One Missed Call

Directed by Takashi Miike | 2003 | Mystery, Horror | 1h 52m

Yumi’s friends start receiving alarming voice mails from themselves. One of her friends, Yoko, receives a voice mail in which she screams while talking to Yumi. Three days later, the call plays out in real life and Yoko dies. Turns out, each person who receives the call hears their last moments, and Yumi discovers that the killer is actually a vengeful spirit. Now she has to find out how this spirit is connected to her, and if she can stop the murders before everyone she loves is dead.

Exte

Directed by Sion Sono | 2007 | Horror | 1h 48m

A young hair stylist Yuko starts her new job at a hair salon, and she’s noticed by a tricophile Yamazaki who’s enamoured by her gorgeous hair. He offers Yuko his high-quality hair extensions, which she graciously accepts. Unfortunately, the materials for these extensions come from a dead girl’s stolen corpse that continuously grows beautiful, yet murderous black hair.

Noroi: The Curse

Directed by Kōji Shiraishi | 2005 | Found Footage Horror | 1h 55m

A Japanese paranormal expert Masafumi Kobayashi disappears during the production of his most disturbing documentary, The Curse. What happens before that, though, is truly eerie. Kobayashi has realized that one of his acquaintances has summoned an ancient demon, Kagutaba, and it seems that they might even be possessed by it…

#QOTD: Have you seen any of these Japanese horror movies? Perhaps you have some good J-horror movie recommendations? Let me know your thoughts down below, I’d love to chat with you!

Until later,

xoCaligo

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This is not a sponsored post; all opinions are my own. I am not being paid to promote anything.