Based on the writings of the folklorist Lafcadio Hearn.

Based on the writings of folklorist Lafcadio Hearn (aka: Yakumo Koizumi)

Originally produced as a motion picture in 1965.

Special features: original theatrical trailer (in Japanese with English subtitles); color bars.

Program notes on container insert include an essay by film critic David Ehrenstein.

Black hair -- Woman of the snow -- Hoichi, the earless -- In a cup of tea.

Director of photography, Yoshio Miyajima ; editor, Hisashi Sagara ; music, Toru Takemitsu .

Cast for the black hair: Michiyo Aratama, Watanabe Misako, Mikuni Rentaro.

Cast for the woman of the snow: Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi, Jun Hamamura.

Cast for hoichi, the earless: Katsuo Nakamura, Tetsuro Tanba, Takashi Shimura.

Cast for in a cup of tea: Kanemon Nakamura, Noboru Nakaya, Osamu Takizawa, Haruko Sugimura.

Consists of four stories of the supernatural based on Japanese folk material. In The black hair, a poor young samurai leaves his first wife to marry a rich woman. When he is unhappy in his second marriage, he returns to his first wife, who at first appears unchanged from when he last saw her. In The woman of the snow, a woodcutter is spared by a mysterious ghost-like woman in the snow, but must promise never to tell anyone what he has seen. In Hoichi, the earless, a blind musician-monk named Hoichi is commanded by a gathering of ghosts to sing the saga of their ancient deeds. The head monk paints Hoichi's body with prayer verses to protect him, but unfortunately overlooks Hoichi's ears. In In a cup of tea, a writer wonders what would happen to a person who drinks another's soul and finds out.

DVD, region 1 ; Dolby digital mono.

In Japanese, with optional English subtitles