Throne of Blood
Throne of Blood

蜘蛛巣城
Kumonosujō
Spider Web Castle
Director | Akira Kurosawa |
Producer |
Akira Kurosawa Sojiro Motoki |
Screenplay |
Hideo Oguni Shinobu Hashimoto Ryuzo Kikushima Akira Kurosawa |
Photography | Asakazu Nakai |
Art | Yoshiro Muraki |
Sound | Fumio Yanoguchi |
Lighting | Kuichiro Kishida |
Music | Masaru Sato |
Production Companies | Toho |
Release Date | January 15, 1957 |
Runtime | 110 minutes |
![]() 蜘蛛巣城 Kumonosujō Spider Web Castle |
Director | Akira Kurosawa |
Producer |
Akira Kurosawa Sojiro Motoki |
Screenplay |
Hideo Oguni Shinobu Hashimoto Ryuzo Kikushima Akira Kurosawa |
Photography | Asakazu Nakai |
Art | Yoshiro Muraki |
Sound | Fumio Yanoguchi |
Lighting | Kuichiro Kishida |
Music | Masaru Sato |
Production Companies | Toho |
Release Date | January 15, 1957 |
Runtime | 110 minutes |
Washizu and Miki are two generals who serve Tsuzuki, the lord of Spider’s Web Castle. After successfully putting down an insurrection, Washizu and Miki are summoned to the castle to be honored by Tsuzuki. Along the way, the two generals become lost in the labyrinthine Spider’s Web Forest, and encounter an evil spirit. The spirit prophesies that Washizu will become lord of the north garrison, and Miki will take Washizu’s place as lord of the first fortress. Furthermore, Washizu will succeed to rulership of Spider’s Web Castle, as will Miki’s son, Yoshiteru. When the generals finally reach the castle, Tsuzuki promptly promotes both of them according to the prophecy. Washizu’s lady, Asaji, fears that Miki will inform Tsuzuki of the prophecy, and take it as a threat that Washizu will usurp his throne. Washizu tries to sooth his lady but he become increasingly paranoid nevertheless. Tsuzuki appears suddenly, and commandeers Washizu’s post to secure his border, leaving the castle in Miki’s charge. Asaji lures Washizu into her plan to slay Tsuzuki and make the rest of the prophecy come true. Washizu slays Tsuzuki in the night and frames Noriyasu, one of Tsuzuki’s trusted generals. Noriyasu and Tsuzuki’s son, Prince Kunimaru, seek shelter at the castle, but Miki repels them instead. They flee into the forest and align with Washizu’s enemy, Inui.
Miki argues for Washizu to succeed to the rulership of the castle. Washizu intends to name Yoshiteru his heir, in accordance with the prophecy. However, Asaji reveals that she is pregnant with their first child, which throw Washizu’s plans into disarray, making him even more susceptible to Asaji’s schemes. He throws a banquet to celebrate his rulership, but has Miki executed en route. Yoshiteru escapes and joins Noriyasu and Kunimaru. Washizu sees a specter of Miki at the banquet and accidentally reveals his murderous plot. The council of generals begins to grow wary of Washizu’s leadership.
Noriyasu, Yoshiteru and Kunimaru launch a campaign to retake the castle. Asaji delivers a stillborn child and goes mad with guilt over her deeds. Washizu seeks out the evil spirit again to receive guidance, and is told that he will never be defeated until the trees of the forest rise up to fight. Washizu tries to rally his men with the words of the prophecy. On the morning of the battle, the men are astounded to see the trees advancing on the castle through the fog. While it is actually a ploy by Noriyasu to approach the castle unseen, the sight is enough to break the castle’s men and turn them against Washizu. Washizu, now fully exposed as Tsuzuki’s murderer, is fired upon by his own archers and dies.
Top Billed Cast
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically
![]() |
![]() |
Top Billed Cast

Taketoki Washizu

Lady Washizu

Noriyasu Odagura

Yoshiteru Miki

Kunimaru Tsuzuki

Yoshiaki Miki

Kuniharu Tsuzuki

Washizu Soldier

Warlord

Warlord

Lady Washizu's Handmaid

The Evil Spirit

Warlord

Washizu Soldier

Washizu Soldier

Warlord

Washizu Servant

Warlord

Tsuzuki Soldier

Washizu Soldier

Washizu Soldier

Washizu Servant

Miki Servant

Warlord

Tsuzuki Messenger

Washizu Soldier

Tsuzuki Messenger

Warlord

Phantom Warrior

Phantom Warrior

Phantom Warrior
Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically

Washizu Soldier

Washizu Soldier
製作 Producer |
黒澤明 Akira Kurosawa |
本木荘二郎 Sojiro Motoki |
|
脚本 Screenplay |
小国英雄 Hideo Oguni |
橋本忍 Shinobu Hashimoto |
|
菊島隆三 Ryuzo Kikushima |
|
黒澤明 Akira Kurosawa |
|
撮影 Photography |
中井朝一 Asakazu Nakai |
美術 Art |
村木与四郎 Yoshiro Muraki |
録音 Sound |
矢野口文雄 Fumio Yanoguchi |
照明 Lighting |
岸田九一郎 Kuichiro Kishida |
美術監修 Art Supervisor |
江崎孝坪 Kohei Ezaki |
音楽 Music |
佐藤勝 Masaru Sato |
監督助手 Assistant Director |
野長瀬三摩地 Samaji Nonagase |
特殊技術 Developing |
東宝技術部 Toho Laboratory |
製作担当者 Production Manager |
根津博 Hiroshi Nezu |
出演者 Performers |
|
三船敏郎 Toshiro Mifune |
|
山田五十鈴 Isuzu Yamada |
|
志村喬 Takashi Shimura |
|
久保明 Akira Kubo |
|
太刀川洋一 Yoichi Tachikawa |
|
千秋実 Minoru Chiaki |
|
佐々木孝丸 Takamaru Sasaki |
|
清水元 Gen Shimizu |
|
高堂国典 Kuninori Kodo |
|
上田吉二郎 Kichijiro Ueda |
|
三好栄子 Eiko Miyoshi |
|
浪花千栄子 Chieko Naniwa |
|
富田仲次郎 Nakajiro Tomita |
|
藤木悠 Yu Fujiki |
|
堺左千夫 Sachio Sakai |
|
大友伸 Shin Otomo |
|
土屋嘉男 Yoshio Tsuchiya |
|
稲葉義男 Yoshio Inaba |
|
笈川武夫 Takeo Oikawa |
|
谷晃 Akira Tani |
|
沢村いき雄 Ikio Sawamura |
|
佐田豊 Yutaka Sada |
|
恩田清二郎 Seijiro Onda |
|
高木新平 Shinpei Takagi |
|
増田正雄 Masao Masuda |
|
浅野光男 (東映) Mitsuo Asano (Toei) |
|
井上昭文 Shobun Inoue |
|
小池朝雄 Asao Koike |
|
加藤武 Takeshi Kato |
|
高木均 Hitoshi Takagi |
|
樋口迪也 Michiya Higuchi |
|
大村千吉 Senkichi Omura |
|
桜井巨郎 Giro Sakurai |
|
土屋詩朗 Shiro Tsuchiya |
|
松下猛夫 Takeo Matsushita |
|
大友純 Jun Otomo |
|
坪野鎌之 Kamayuki Tsubono |
|
大橋史典 Fuminori Ohashi |
|
特別出演 Special Appearance |
木村功 Isao Kimura |
宮口精二 Seiji Miyaguchi |
|
中村伸郎 Nobuo Nakamura |
|
流鏑馬指導 Horse Archery Instruction |
金子家教(大日本弓馬会範士) Iori Kaneko (Dainippon Horse Parliament) |
遠藤茂(大日本弓馬会教士) Shigeru Endo (Dainippon Horse Association) |
|
監督 Director |
黒澤明 Akira Kurosawa |