Yôkai hyaku monogatari (1968) - full transcript

This is troubling. Where's the road?

I struggled like mad but they
wouldn't budge at all.

Those huge arms that seemed like they
were made of straw squeezed me.

I started to black out.

Then, when I woke up, it was morning.

There wasn't any evidence of anything
like that ever having appeared.

But this was a monster called
Tsuchikorobi, which I came across

in the mountains three years ago when
I got lost on my way to Mino.

I'll never get over the eerie sound
the wind made back at that time.

Landlord, the light. Hurry!

All right, everyone. Let's do
the curse eliminating ritual.



This is a One Hundred Stories
social gathering.

Every time one story ends, one candle
is meant to be put out.

There is an old saying in which,
when the last light is put out,

an apparition will make
an appearance.

At the end of the gathering,

it is customary to participate in
the curse eliminating ritual.

Good morning!

Ah, good morning!
Good morning!

Hey, I'm on my way.

Come home immediately
after you get paid.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm counting on you, Daikichi.

I'll drag him back even if I have to
put a noose around his neck.

You'd better.



Rock, paper, scissors!
Rock, paper, scissors!

You're it!

You're it!

Hey, avoid ripping up the umbrellas.

Working hard, I see.

Ah, Okiku, visiting?

What's that?

He's Mr. Tajimaya's right-hand
man, isn't he?

Hey, what's the meaning of this?

You're Gohei, the caretaker?

That's right.

In that case, hurry up and get ready
to leave the premises.

Leave? Why?

This property now belongs
to Mr. Tajimaya.

Say what?!

Mr. Tajimaya will tear down this
filthy shrine and build a brothel.

I haven't heard any of this!

That's because there's no need
to tell you about it!

I don't know what's going on but
I can't allow that to happen!

This shrine belongs to the town.
Not to mention it's a shrine after all.

You can't even change
a tile on this place

without the approval of
the Shrine Magistrate.

No need to tell me that,
I already know.

The proper approval was already given.

That's a lie!

What are you doing? Start already!

Stop! Stop it!

Don't interfere!

Gohei!

Let go!

I'd like to meet Mr. Tajimaya.

And what do you hope to accomplish
by meeting him?

Don't get the idea you have any clout.

You're just a caretaker in the
employment of the town.

I know that! But if you build
a brothel here,

it'I I cause a lot of neighborhood
disturbance!

No need to worry about that.

We'll tear down the tenement
house while we're at it.

The house too?

You can't do that! That tenement
house belongs to Mr. Jinbei!

You don't have a say in this if
Mr. Jinbei says yes though.

My father would never
approve of that!

Why don't you go home and
ask your daddy then?

Hey, stay back!

Get rid of that junk!

Yes, Sir.

Hey, that stuff's on loan!
Let me have them back!

You don't understand anything!

This is no place for a girl
to stick her neck in.

Stop it!

Haul this guy's ass out!

Gohei! Gohei!

Yasutaro!

Yasutaro!

Get up! Please get up!

For crying out loud...

Hi, Osen.

Don't you hear the ruckus out back?

Gohei's been beaten
and he's all bloody!

What? Why?

In any case, you're the only man
here in the tenement house.

Please do something!

I can't do anything about that anyway.

Coward! Fine, I won't ask anymore!

Tajimaya

It's wine on the open sea

It's ship number ten

It's a time for celebration

Whee! Getting plastered!

It's sake, it's sake from Fujimi

Darling, the Lord of Hotta
is here to see you.

What? The magistrate?

Yes!

Take care of things.

Yes, Sir.

I'm sorry, not being able to
welcome you properly.

It's quite festive around here.

Yes, thanks to you. We were able
to carry cargo on up to ten ships.

It's good to see you prosper.

Mr. Tajimaya, your payment in regards
to lifting the zoning ordinance

has been approved.

I see. I somehow expected that and
already went ahead with the next step.

You're one step ahead.

Tajimaya...

You really put your eyes
on a good place.

The shrines you've looked at have
no deities and they're obscure.

Yes, but there are still some places
with those obscure shrines

which are no better than an empty lot.

This is Edo, where it's said the land
is worth its weight in gold.

Depending on the place, it might
make you an enormous fortune.

Thank you.

I'll see to it you reap
the benefits as well.

I'll be looking forward to it.

Shinkichi!

Come and get me!

He's like a child no matter
how much time passes.

Shinkichi, come on out.

Hide and seek again? Go call Oriku!

Yes, Sir.

Come out, Shinkichi!

Dad, don't tell her where I am!

This here is the Magistrate. Say hello.

Welcome, I'm Shinkichi.

My name is Uzen.

Uzen?

Dad, this isn't the magistrate.
It's Uzen.

Moron!

Why weren't you watching him?
Hurry up and take him away!

Yes, Sir. Come on, Shinkichi.

It's Uzen!

My deepest apologies.

What that Tajimaya goon said
isn't true, right, Mr. Jinbei?

Of course.

Even Tajimaya can't come onto
another's property and do
whatever he wants!

That's right!

Mr. Jinbei?

I'm sorry.

Then you agreed to such a thing
with Mr. Tajimaya?

Well, no. I just couldn't
do anything about it.

What's that supposed to mean,
"couldn't do anything?"

You're not the kind of person
to give into threats.

The story is...

I owe him thirty ryo.

Thirty ryo?!

He found out my late wife was
bedridden from a chronic illness

and recommended some
medicine from Holland.

The payment for that kept going and
going and went up to thirty ryo.

In retrospect, this was
something he plotted

and the tenement house
was put up for collateral.

He wants me to pay the thirty ryo
but I can barely pay the interest.

So that's why they were so cocky.

Damn it, how far will those
bastards go anyway?

I'll ask for another postponement,
so please don't make a fuss.

Father!

What's the matter?

It's Gohei!

Gohei!

Damn it!

Daikichi!

Daikichi!

Where are you off to?

To Tajimaya's, of course.

Don't bother. He's not someone
you can do anything about.

But a man just died!

He'll find some way to talk
black into white.

Whose side are you on, anyway?

I just don't want to see
any more victims.

Give it a rest.

What a weird guy.

The reason you were all invited,
beginning with Lord Uzen of Hotta,

the Shrine Magistrate,
was to say thanks for

all the special support which
has been provided.

While I would like to say more thanks
for the additional support,

I felt having an ordinary party
would be lackluster,

so I will provide a different kind
of entertainment tonight.

Tajimaya...

What's about to start?

The one hundred stories.

I see, sounds interesting.

Now, Master.

All right.

Now to begin with, every time
a story ends, I'll ask you

to put out one of the candles
in front of you.

The final one will be
that one behind me.

The first story is a story concerning
the Tone River.

It was in Nakasendo Kurihase,
an area that was prosperous.

It is a story that takes place at
a gathering such as this one.

It was springti me, it was about
this time of the hour,

between seven and nine at night.

The bell which indicated the top of
the hour went "gooong"...

I tried going to City Hall to put in
for a postponement,

but it stinks of Tajimaya. The worker
refuses to accept anything.

Damn it!

I feel bad for Gohei, but there's
nothing that can be done.

Father, will the tenement house
be torn down as well?

No, I'll ask to stop that
from happening,

even if it means I have to
lay my life on the line.

...and his skin started to crawl.

It was obvious there was
a lot of suffering.

There was a man's head which had
turned brown with its teeth clenched.

Lighting up the area slowly, hands and
feet were scattered everywhere.

In one hand, there was a drawn
sword strongly clenched in it

indicating a fierce struggle.
This was the last anyone saw

of the man who was devoured
by the monsters.

Now we come to tonight's last story.

The story takes place here in Edo.

It takes place in town, on a hot
and muggy summer night.

Suicide Prohibited

It takes place in town, on a hot
and muggy summer night.

They're not biting.

I wonder if it'll rain?

Probably not. Anyway, we can't
go back empty-handed.

You shouldn't fish there.

Give it up.

Why?

Since the old days, this has been
a lake of death.

You'll be hit by a horrifying curse
if you take fish from here.

How stupid. There's no curse.

Yes, there is.

Truthfully, there is.

No offense, but please go home.

Interesting, if that's true,
being cursed might be fun.

Of course, I just want to see
what kind of a curse it is.

You guys don't know...

...the horrors of being cursed.

Shut up!

Get lost. The fish will go away.

They're not biting at all.

That damned monk, ruining
the mood around here.

You're still here?

Get lost or I'll kill you!

Damned monk.

Damn, the hook's gone.

Weird, there wasn't any
resistance at all.

Probably caught the bottom
and the string got cut.

Got one!

It bit!

It's big! Careful!

It's a koi!

Pull it in more. Don't let it escape!

This is fabulous!

Let's go back and have a drink!

Let's go, it's going to pour.

Hurry up.

Leave it.

Hey, don't be stupid. Why should we
give up something we caught?

I didn't say anything.

Is that so?

Leave it.

That wasn't me.

Then what was with that voice?

Hey, it was from the lake.

Can't be.

That damned monk from earlier is
playing tricks on us. Let's go.

Ah, welcome home, darling.

Cook this up.

Yes!

And pull out some sake.
We'll drink that first.

But I wonder...

What was that voice all about?

I doubt it was a kid playing tricks.

You're still bothered by that?

Hey! Is the fish ready yet?

In a moment.

Darling, where did you catch this koi?

Why do you ask?

No matter how many times I try
to wash off the blood...

It won't come off?

How absurd. Wash harder.

All right, I'm digging in.

It's good. Have some.

Don't worry about something so trivial.
You'll spoil this meal.

More sake!

I'll go get some.

Still won't come off?

Not really.

I'm going to take some sake.

Help yourself.

What is it?

Nothing...

What's wrong?

Hey, get up. What, drunk already?
You wimp.

Hey, what about the sake?

Yes!

In a moment.

Damn you, monster!

Excuse me. This may be
a strange question,

but did you seen two men fishing
around here yesterday?

Two men? Masterless samurai?

Yes, do you know them?

One of them is my husband but they
haven't come home even after dawn.

I'm sorry.

They were struck by lightning.

For ignoring the curse warnings,

the two masterless samurai
lost their lives.

Light! Light!

This concludes the
One Hundred Stories.

Now let us prepare to go through
the curse eliminating ritual.

An apparition appears if
the ritual isn't performed.

That's just a superstition believed
only by the weak-minded dregs.

Meaning?

There's no need to go through
with the ritual.

That's not good.

These legends have been passed down
for a reason since the old days.

It's not prudent to neglect them.
Do please go through with the ritual.

I said there's no need for it.

But that's...

I'm planning to do my own personal
curse eliminating ritual.

Thanks for your time. Now sit back
and have a good drink. Hey!

Yes, Sir.

Master, this way.

Tajimaya?

What's this?

This is the personal curse eliminating
ritual I mentioned earlier.

Stop staring at that thing.

Mommy, is this an umbrella monster?

That's right.

Monster!

Missing one? Can't be.

But for certain, there's one missing.

That's strange.

At any rate, prepare another one.

Hey, could you take a look
to see what's up?

I think they've all been distributed.

Now, there's nothing
in this world better

than the good luck charms
at your knees.

Please use them as your One Hundred
Stories curse eliminating ritual.

I see, to use as a charm for the
curse eliminating ritual...

This is just like you, Tajimaya.

Don't move.

Now this concludes our evening.

It was fun.

Please see yourselves out, every one.

Who the hell are you?

What reason do you have
to sneak in here?

Money?

One Hundred Stories...

You gave this some thought.

How fitting for a group of monsters
possessed by greed.

Say what?!

Ryuemon! If you think everything
will go according to your plans,

you have another thing coming.

Now excuse me.

Don't let him escape!

What happened?

Unfortunately...

He must have had some goal
to have snuck in.

I'm sorry.

Sorry?! What if he was an investigator
from the high magistrate?

"I'm sorry" isn't going to cut it!

We had very tight security for
the entrances and exits.

Sir, there's no question he's
some masterless samurai

hanging around Jinbei's
tenement house.

What?

Allright, we'll capture him for sure.

Darling, I'm a little concerned.

About what?

We didn't do the ritual.

How foolish. There's no such thing
as an apparition.

Lea ve it.

Leave it.

Leave it.

Shinkichi!

Sir!

Here...

Leave it.

Tajimaya must have
really deep pockets.

Yeah, there was seven, eight
hundred ryo just counting

the money he gave to us as a
charm to eliminate a curse.

He wouldn't fork over that kind of
cash if he wasn't doing well.

Leave it...

What was that voice?

We didn't do the ritual.

Can't be.

But all three of us heard that!

What? It was only caught
by a whirlwind.

Let's hurry up and go home.

Leave it...

Leave it...

I can't wait any longer. I have my
own circumstances as well.

As promised, I will take charge
of the tenement house.

I figured I would be asking
for the impossible

but I came to discuss that anyway.

If you tear down the tenement house,

the tenants will have now here to go
and won't be able to live.

I don't care.

Mr. Jinbei...

If I were to say I won't tear down
the tenement house,

what would you do?

I would do anything.

I don't think it's a bad deal.
It's about your daughter.

About Okiku?

I want her to go as my daughter

to the Hotta Shrine Magistrate's
place and work there.

Well, this isn't a decision
for you to make alone.

Talk it over with your daughter and
give me an answer by this evening.

But my daughter...

If she's the daughter of Tajimaya,
then he won't turn her down.

What?

Dancing, it's dancing.

Stop it. That tickles.

That's enough.

Mommy! Hurry up and come here.

What's the matter?

Some monster showed up.

It's true. Hurry.

What's going on?

He said some monster showed up.

Can't be.

It's true.

It's really true.

What monster? Doing something
foolish like this...

It really did come out!

An umbrella monster licked my
cheek with its long red tongue.

Enough already!

Hurry up and change the sliding doors.
And paint over the walls too!

Yes!

It's true.

Hey...

About the other night...

We've been watching you
ever since then.

Well, thanks for the trouble.

You'll accompany us to the mansion.

That's inconvenient. I have business
at the tenement house.

Shut up! We'll take you there
by force if we have to!

Kill him if we can't capture him!

Go around!

Hey, where's Yasutaro's house?

He hasn't come in the past
two or three days.

I'm asking you where it is.

That fifth house over there.

This way!

Damn, he's quick.

When he returns, report it
to City Hall. Okay?

Hide him and you'll regret it!

What's with them?

They're Hotta's thugs. Yasutaro really
gave them trouble the other day.

What?

Sorry for entering without asking.
Are those goons gone?

What have you been doing
the past three days?

I didn't want to
inconvenience every one.

What are you, anyway?

Just a typical masterless samurai.

I'll pretend that's it.

But it's not just the Hotta goons.

Even Tajimaya's desperately
looking for you

so maybe you shouldn't go
near them for a while.

There's something I want to give you.

Here.

What's with this?

There's thirty ryo there.

It originally belonged to Tajimaya
that night. Give it to Mr. Jinbei.

And use this to...

That's right. Pay off the debt
to Tajimaya.

But this is rather odd.

Who cares? The money's not marked.

Just tell Mr. Jinbei the money
fell out of the sky.

Later.

Yasutaro!

Please be careful.

I'd like to get the deed back now.

Toubei, bring us a drink.

Yes, Sir.

Well, I'd rather...

Tajimaya house rules.

Well, have a drink.

That Tajimaya's probably shocked.

He made his plans assuming that
the loan would never be paid back.

Thanks to you, Osen.

There's no need to thank me for this.

But he's rather late. He should
have come back by now.

Why don't the two of you pick him up?

I can do that by myself.

You shouldn't.

Right, Okiku?

Some... somebody... help...

Mr. Jinbei? He hasn't come.

That can't be...

We're still waiting for him.
Today was the appointment.

He came here to return the money.

The money?

Hopefully he didn't meet with an
accident on his way over here.

Toubei!

Hey! That can't be.

Anyway, let's go back.

It's weird.

I'll take care of it.

What?

There...

Father!

Damn!

Tajimaya's behind this,
there's no doubt about it!

But, Daikichi, even that time
with Gohei...

He's the type that can cover something
that took place in front of us.

There's nothing we can do.

Damn it!

If I knew this would happen, I never
would have given him the money!

Osen, it's not your fault.

You did that, thinking you'd be able
to help Father.

Tajimaya will probably come to
demolish the tenement house next.

I won't let that happen!

Of course! We're not just going
to go away quietly either!

Daikichi, I don't want anyone else
to be inconvenienced anymore.

Okiku, you can't be thinking of letting
Tajimaya own you, right?

Excuse me.

At the moment, as you can see...

Well, I've heard. It's unfortunate
Mr. Jinbei ended up like this.

But a promise is a promise.
Starting today,

I'd like to tear down the shrine out
back and the tenement house.

Today?!

Hey! Can't you see the
circumstances here?!

It's the day after a tragedy!

I'm just following orders. I only came
to tell you what Tajimaya wants.

Then you're determined to
start tearing down today?

Can't be helped.

Allright...

If that's how it's going to be, then
we're prepared for the worst!

What do you guys have in mind?

Hey, kid. You think you
can win by force?

That's our line!

We have the deed. Thanks to Mr.
Tajimaya, we waited until today.

Damn...

You idiot!

Daikichi!

Daikichi!

Stop it! I'll meet with Mr. Tajimaya.

What are you saying, Okiku?!

I don't want anymore wrongs
to be committed!

I'm prepared for the worst.

Don't say such a stupid thing!

Daikichi, I'm happy
you feel that way,

but there's nothing else
that can be done.

Please, forgive me.

Daikichi...

Still no idea where he is?

I'm sorry. He hasn't even come near
the tenement house since then.

It's best to take care of it just in case.
Hurry up and search again!

Yes, Sir.

My Lord, the promised object
is now in hand.

What is it?

Come on in.

So, she's finally mine.

Yes, from this day on she's
at your discretion.

You went through a lot of trouble.

Do you plan to cancel the demolition?

No, this is this and that is that.
I plan to proceed accordingly.

You can't!

I'll have it demolished by tonight,
raise the ground tomorrow,

then move in some contractors
in your presence.

Mr. Tajimaya, that's not
what was promised!

I don't remember promising that.

Let go! Let go of me!

I'm going home!

If you'll accept the Magistrate's love,

there's no happiness higher
than that as a woman.

There's absolutely no way for you
to escape from this mansion.

Well, then...

Hurry up and tear them down! Got it?!

Right!

Damn you, even tricking Okiku!

After we're done with the shrine,
it's the tenement house next!

We'll tear it down by tonight!
Take the time to get lost now!

In that case, we'll be a road block!

If you can tear it down, try it!
We'll go inside and won't come out!

What are you saying?!

Stop it.

So, you really won't come out?

Fine, we'll smash you
along with the house.

Hey, hurry it up!

Get a hold of yourself! Hey, help me!

Are you okay?

Leave us.

Yes, Sir.

How about it?

Are y ou ready?

There's nothing to be scared of.

No!

I can't say that you have
a tasteful hobby.

You!

Yasutaro!

I'm going to take her home.

Damn you!

Yelling won't do any good.
You called your goons away.

I'll eventually come back to say hello.

Okiku...

After him! After him!

For an old piece of crap, it sure
was a bitch to tear it down.

That's one down.

Sir! Sir!

The tenants won't move out.

What? Tear two or three down
and they'll run.

What's that?

Sir, what's that?

Take that!

It's a curse!

It has to be a curse!

A curse!
It has to be a curse!

A curse!
A curse!

Calm down!

Don't panic!

Allright, we'll clean this up later.

The tenement house!
Hit the tenement house!

But, Sir, I...

You idiot!

Damn these fools...

Genji!

If you don't go in first, then
who will? Genji?!

Who, me?

It's quiet all of a sudden.
I wonder what happened?

It's strange.

Ah, Okiku!

Okiku!

Everyone's safe?

What happened to those guys?

We have no idea.

Hey!

No one's around.

Can't let our guard down now.
Everyone, look after Okiku.

Right!

Don't go.

There are things I still need to do.

Okiku!

Daikichi!

How did you...

Yasutaro, he...

Yasutaro?

Still not asleep?

The monster came back.
It said it likes me.

Idiot, hurry up and go to sleep. If you
don't, a real monster will come.

But it already has.

Hey, hey!

Stop it! Stop! That tickles!

Tickles!

Troublesome kid...

Gone, gone...

Oh, it's you, young master Tajimaya.

What are you doing
in a place like this?

What about you yourself?

It came out.

What did?

A monster!

A monster? It came out
in front of me too.

What? Where?

Over there.

What?

It was there until a moment ago.

For an idiot, he plays a mean joke.

Did you say something?

Oh, nothing.

What monster appeared for you?

It was a no-face. No eyes, no nose...

No-face...

No-face...

Like this?

What's the meaning of this?!

A monster!

A monster?

Now even you're saying
such ridiculous things.

It's not a lie! I saw them
with my very own eyes!

What did their faces look like?

It was...

Better not say.

Just come out and say it!

If I do, then your face will...

What nonsense are you blabbering?!

Sir, this has to be the curse from
not performing the ritual!

There's no such thing as a curse.

No, they really did come out!

The underlings all ran away, and...

Hey, I wonder what happened
to Mr. Toubei?

Allright...

I'll accompany you.

Sir...

What a creepy old woman.

Can't be! This place is...

What?

It's where we killed Jinbei.

What?!

What's that?

Look...

Juusuke!

What's the meaning of withdrawing
after having come this far?!

That 10,000 ryo you were supposed
to put to use was given to

the junior lord Akinokami Honjo,
who plans to

restore Nikko to its former condition.

By the time the restoration is finished,

the current lord will be retiring.
At that time, the title of

the junior lord is supposed
to be recommended to me!

I'll show you the evidence.

This is the document
I received from Aki.

There's no turning back.

Have you forgotten your obligations?

Are you trying to pop the bubble
of my deepest desires?

Your silence tells me nothing!
Show me your face!

Show it!

Show it? Like this?

Damn you, monster!

Damn you!

My Lord!

My Lord!

My Lord!

Is something the matter?

My Lord!

Get away! Stay away!

What are you doing?!

Damn you, monster!

It appears your greed has turned
on you by driving you insane.

Go away!

Hannai!

You!

You've come to your senses.

What the hell are you?!

Why are you pestering me?!

Lord Uzen, you'd better be
prepared for the worst.

What?

All of your evil deeds committed by
treacherous misuse of your authority

as shrine magistrate will soon be
reported to the high magistrate.

So you were... after all...

Kuro Sugahi, from the high magistrate.

There's no escape, Lord Uzen.

You'll be visited by an investigator
within three days.

Now excuse me.

Yasutaro!

So he was dead after all.

Why?

There are things man just can't
measure or understand in this world.