The Snow Woman

---

Long ago,

on the border between Mino

and Hida, where there is much snow,

the legend of the Snow Woman

circulated among the people who lived there.

They say that one evening,

during a strong snowstorm,

the spirit of snow turned

into the terrible Snow Witch,

and roamed the mountains

and plains.

And if a man accidentally

spied her,

the Snow Woman immediately

took possession of him.

Common villagers believe

this legend.

Kaidan Yukijor

(Ghost Story of the Snow Fairy)

Producer:
Ikuo Kubodera

Writer:
Fuji Yahiro

Cinematography:
Chishi Makiura

Sound Recording:
Yukio Unabara

Lighting:
Shunji Kurokawa

Art Direction:
Akira Naito

Music:
Akira Ifukube

Editing:
Hiroshi Yamada - Sound Effects: Nobu Kurashima

Action Director:
Eiichi Kusumoto - Assistant Director: Atsuhiko Katsuro

Production Manager: Masanori Sanada

Development:
Tokyo Developing Laboratories

Cast:

Shiho Fujimura

Akira Ishihama, Machiko Hasegawa

Taketoshi Nait, Fujio Suga,

Masao Shimizu

Mizuho Suzuki, Sachiko Murase,

Yoshiro Kitahara

Jutar Hojo, Sen Hara,

Tatsuo Hananuno

Tokio Oki, Jun Fujikawa,

Yukio Horikita, Shinya Sait,

Hajime Koshikawa, Kiyoshi Haruta,

Eijir Yamada, Ken'ichir Imura

Directed by:

Tokuzo Tanaka

At last, at last, I have found it!

This tree is remarkable!

It looks like a living being.

Truly! It stood here

for many years.

And now... at last, we found it

completely by accident.

Thanks!

Master, the weather is terrible.

What shall we do?

This night will be very nasty.

Let's stay here until the night

is over. It doesn't matter.

But there will be much

to tell about after.

It is a very happy evening,

we have found the splendid material

for which we searched so long.

And the blizzard's howl sounds to me

as if it were a song of celebration.

Yes, we will obtain the

permission of the Bailiff,

and saw this tree

as soon as possible.

At last I will begin the work.

My name will be known

in Mino mountains,

and my work will remain

with the people for a long time.

And the people will remember for

thousands of years

that the goddess

Kannon was made by my hands.

You, so young

and so beautiful...

I decided that I will not

kill you.

But in return, you mustn't tell

anyone about what you saw today!

Even your most intimate people.

Even relatives, children,

or your wife.

If you say even one word,

I will kill you.

Keep silent about this!

Swear!

Yes, yes, I swear!

I won't talk! I won't tell anyone!

I'll be silent. Please, don't kill me!

What's happening?

- Did you have a nightmare?

- It's alright.

I slept badly.

Are you hiding something

from me?

What nonsense!

I have nothing to hide.

I hope so.

You see, I know you well.

But I can't understand anyway

what caused my husband's death,

and why you're sick

since then.

I just forgot to put wood on the fire,

and he froze in his sleep.

The people who brought you home

the next day said the same thing.

Well, if you know nothing more,

then I should believe their words.

Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

The tree! They brought the tree!

The tree which master found!

What? My husband?

Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

Here is the village! At last!

Hey, heave-ho! Heave-ho!

Heave-ho!

Here is the tree!

They brought it at last!

Bonze!

The Prior of the temple said,

today they brought that good material,

which the deceased Shigetomo

found.

He said you're the successor

of the master.

Set about the work

on the goddess Kannon immediately.

But I... What do you say?

I completely lack the experience

for such an important work.

Never mind. The deceased Shigetomo

has always praised you.

And the Prior insists that despite

your youth, your work is noteworthy.

Thank you for such

complimentary words.

Yosaku, if you refuse this job it would

be extremely impolite. You must agree.

Yes, I will undertake this work

which the master desired so much to do,

although I'm not worthy of this honor.

I have taken advantage of your roof.

Please, excuse me.

Get out of the rain!

If you stand under such intense rain,

you will be utterly drenched.

Don't hesitate,

please, come inside.

No, I don't wish to impose

on you...

Why? People shoud help each other

in situations like this.

Let me open the door

for you.

It's an old house,

there's no need to hesitate.

Thank you very much for your care.

It's so unexpected...

It's a spring rain already,

nevertheless it is cold.

Here, please,

drink this hot beverage.

No, thank you.

I will continue on my way, soon.

But you can't go now, can you?

Where are you headed?

Guj Hachiman.

So far?

Such a young girl under

such rain!

I wish you only good things.

Please, spend the night here.

Mistress, this girl has got soaked.

Forgive me, you must change

into dry clothes immediately!

Please, here you are!

Here is clothing,

if you please.

You're so beautiful!

I look at you and envy you!

It looks like the hand of

a living person!

Is this the hand

of the goddess Kannon?

Just a sample.

It's a very complicated work,

and I'm inexperienced,

so I must repeat it ten times more.

It turns out well!

My master was an outstanding

craftsman.

The hand is very bad.

It's beautiful.

I would like to have

such beautiful hands.

Your hands are beautiful!

I was entrusted to carve the main

sacred statue for our local temple.

To obtain this work is a great honor,

for any master of Buddhist statues.

But I'm not sure that I have the

ability for this. So I worry very much.

Don't worry.

Surely, everything will be all right.

You're very gifted.

I undertook this work,

risking my life,

because my master

couldn't make it, but I...

Surely, you will complete it!

Thank you, I don't know why, but

it seems to me that I lack courage.

It is late already.

Good night.

No. I would like to look more.

If I will not disturb you...

Of course not.

Everything's all right now.

You saved me.

Don't worry.

Mistress, what's the matter?

I felt heaviness in my sleep,

at night.

But Miss Yuki looked after me.

So everything is okay, now.

I see. Excuse me,

I slept like a log.

Never mind. You worked very hard

and got very tired.

Miss Yuki's parents were doctors.

- She recognized all my symptoms

right away. - Really?

There is an excellent medicine for

this illness. I'll go for it later.

Where?

It is an herb. I believe

it grows somewhere hereabout.

Here's the herb. A medicine.

There's a lot of it here!

Really. And here, and here.

Miss Yuki. Are you in a hurry

to leave?

Couldn't you stay in our house,

until the mistress gets well?

Someone is waiting for you,

probably.

Me... I have no one.

Really? Neither do I.

You too?

I didn't know my parents.

My deceased master saved me

and raised me as his son.

I see...

But as for you, Miss Yuki...

do you have a fiance?

- Really?

- And have you already a bride?

Nonsense! Who would marry me?

Really?

Miss Yuki!

What impudence! I don't care if you're

just children, I'll show you no mercy!

Bailiff!

Children, what did you do?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes