5 Films & TV Shows Set In Japan During The 18th Century

• 

  47 Ronin

  🇯🇵 Japan The 18th Century

  For courage. For loyalty. For honor. — Kai—an outcast—joins Oishi, the leader of 47 outcast samurai. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honour to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors.

  Released in 2013 • 119 minutes
• 

  Highlander III: The Sorcerer

  New York Scotland 🇯🇵 Japan 🇲🇦 Morocco The 1990s The 18th Century The 16th Century

  Throughout time they have hunted each other fulfilling the prophecy, that there can be only one. — Starts off in the 15th century, with Connor McLeod training with another immortal swordsman, the Japanese sorcerer Nakano. When an evil immortal named Kane kills the old wizard, the resulting battle leaves him buried in an underground cave. When Kane resurfaces in the 20th century to create havoc, it's up to McLeod to stop him.

  Released in 1994 • 99 minutes
• 

  Crest of Betrayal

  Tokyo Prefecture Kyoto Prefecture The 18th Century

  Iuemon is left master less after his master, Lord Asano, attempts to kill the treacherous Lord Kira and out of desperation and due to the extreme poverty he now lives in, poisons his wife Oiwa and marries the daughter of one of Lord Kira's men. This comes back, literally, to haunt him.

  Released in 1994 • 106 minutes
• 

  The Fall of Ako Castle

  Tokyo Prefecture Kyoto Prefecture Hyōgo Prefecture The 18th Century

  This is the story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin." Based on historical events in 1701-2, the movie tells the tale of the Asano clan's downfall and the revenge of its former samurai on the perpetrator of the catastrophe. Lord Asano was goaded, or tricked, into drawing his sword inside the Shogun's palace -- a crime which carried the death penalty. The newly installed Shogun was furious at Asano and ordered all his clan's assets seized, meaning some 20,000 samurai and commoners were unemployed and landless at a stroke. Forty-seven of these ronin (masterless samurai) banded together to take attempt revenge on Lord Kira, who had goaded Asano into drawing his sword.

  Released in 1978 • 159 minutes
• 

  Double Suicide

  Osaka Prefecture The 18th Century

  Successful and married with children, paper-mill owner Jihei knows better than to contradict the strict social and moral codes of 18th-century Japan. But when he meets the lovely courtesan Koharu, he becomes a man obsessed. Koharu returns his love, even foregoing other customers while Jihei schemes to somehow buy her freedom. His efforts yield ruinous consequences for his business and his family life, and Koharu is meanwhile purchased by another client.

  Released in 1969 • 105 minutes