The history of Japanese horror can be traced back hundreds of years.
During the Edo period (1603-1868) and Meiji period (1868-1912), a tradition of strange, supernatural tales known as “kaidan” spread through word of mouth, and the countless folktales and urban legends that originated continue to be used as sources of inspiration for Japanese horror cinema.
Japanese theater forms of Kabuki and Noh frequently had elements of horror in them and often shared narrative themes of supernaturalism and vengeance.
Kabuki theatre was very interactive and theatrical, and Noh theatre was heavily stylized and more commonly included demons and spirits.
Much of the imagery in Japanese horror has taken inspiration from kaidan and theatres.
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