The time period of Feudal Japan ran roughly from 1185-1603 CE. It was a period marked by many struggles, including constant warfare. However, some of the most well-known aspects of Japanese culture also flourished during this era, such as ikebana flower arrangements and Noh theater. Some of the best films ever made are set in this era, with many of the most well-known coming out of Japan in the 1950s, when Japanese cinema began achieving worldwide acclaim. Let’s look at some of the best films that take place in feudal Japan.
6Ugetsu (1953)
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, one of the best directors Japan has ever created, this 1953 film takes place in the late sixteenth century, during the conquests of Oda Nobunaga. The story centers around two men: Genjuro, a potter, and his half-brother, Tobei, who dreams of becoming a great samurai. Fleeing an approaching army, Genjuro takes some of the pots he’s made across Lake Biwa to safety in another town, where he encounters the mysterious Lady Wakasa. Meanwhile, Tobei manages to acquire some armor and a spear and begins his training to become a samurai. Unfortunately, the wives of the two men take a turn for the worse while their husbands' fortunes improve. One of the wives is sexually assaulted and reduced to working in a brothel. The other is murdered by starving soldiers seeking food. To make matters worse, Lady Wakasa is not at all what she seems, and Genjuro needs to escape her clutches and return to his family as soon as possible. It’s a wonderful movie and a very good ghost story.
5Rashomon (1950)
One of the most iconic films ever made, Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 masterpiece tells the story of a samurai’s murder from three different points of a view: a bandit’s(magnificently played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune); the samurai’s wife, and the samurai himself, speaking from beyond the grave through a medium. The three accounts are very similar, though slightly different as each person tries to paint themselves in the best possible light. The truth retelling of the events eventually comes out, but it’s not told by a fourth person: a woodcutter, who recounts the story to a priest and a commoner as they seek shelter out of the rain under the Rashomon city gate. TheRashomoneffect, a used term to describe the retelling of a single event from multiple perspectives, is named for this film and has been seen in countless TV shows and movies ever since.
Related:Akira Kurosawa: The Best Films From His Middle Period
4Ran (1985)
The Japanese word “Ran” translates to “chaos” or “turmoil” and Akira Kuroswa’s 1985 film of the same name (the only time he was ever nominated for a Best Director Oscar) has plenty of that.Based on William Shakespeare’sKing Lear,the film sees an elderly warlord divide his kingdom amongst his three sons. However, disagreements soon arise, and it’s not long before the three sons are at each other’s throats. Possibly the most beautifully shot film Kurosawa ever made (an impressive feat given that his eyesight was failing while making it), this epic also features some of the greatest battle sequences ever set to film. A definite must-see from Japan’s most famous director.
3Seven Samurai (1954)
Arguably the most famous film on this list,Seven Samuraihas been often imitated, but never bettered. In the US, the film was actually released under the title of “The Magnificent Seven,” which is what the US remake of it was named, transplanting the setting from medieval Japan to the US Old West. The original’s story sees a village hire seven ronin (masterless samurai) to defend their village and crops from constant bandit raids. The film boasts some truly impressive battle scenes, especially the final one. All seven ronin stand out as unique and memorable characters.Seven Samurai’s legacy is an astounding one.It’s appeared on pretty much every single “Greatest Films Ever Made"list in existence. It’s high praise, but this film deserves it.
2Princess Mononoke (1997)
Possibly the best film Hayao Miyazaki has ever made, this 1997 animated masterpiece tell the story of a young prince named Ashitaka, who gets caught in the middle of a conflict between the gods of a forest and the humans cutting it down for resources. The film is set during the Muromachi period of Japanese history, sometime between 1336 and 1573 CE.As one would expect for a Studio Ghibli film, the animation is top-notch. The characters are all memorable, especially San, a young woman raised by wolves, and Lady Eboshi, the film’s main antagonist. The film features strong environmentalist themes, but it isn’t a simple “good vs evil” story. It’s much more complex than that. It’s also one of the best animated films ever made. The film was Japan’s submission for the Foreign Language Film Oscar for 1997, but sadly, was nominated.
Related:The Best Studio Ghibli Musical Scores, Ranked
1Sansho The Bailiff (1954)
1954 was a great year for Japanese cinema, withSeven Samuraiand this film both coming out that year. Directed by the great Kenji Mizoguchi,Sansho the Bailiffis one of the greatest movies ever made, and one of the most emotionally devastating.The upstanding governor of a province is forced into exile, leaving behind his wife and two children: his son, Zushio, and daughter, Anju. The governor imparts some words of wisdom about mercy upon young Zushio and hands him a statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The mother and children are betrayed and separated, with the mother becoming a prostitute and the children sold into slavery at a manor run by the tyrannical titular character. Years later, Zushio has become one of Sansho’s top henchmen, but an incident involving a dying old woman reminds Zushio of an incident from his childhood, causing him and Anju to plot an escape from the manor, with Anju providing cover for Zushio. Zushio not only recovers his family’s noble standing, but liberates the manor and frees all of Sansho’s slaves. The emotionally powerful and devastating part comes at the end, when Zushio is reunited with his mother and breaks down in tears, only to be told by his mother that he lived up to his father’s teachings. When we say emotionally devastating, we mean emotionally devastating. Definitely keep some tissues nearby when watching this masterpiece.
