Zatoichi and the Chess Expert
Zatoichi and the Chess Expert

座頭市地獄旅
Zatōichi Jigokutabi
Zatoichi Hell Journey
Director | Kenji Misumi |
Original Story | Kan Shimozawa |
Screenplay | Daisuke Ito |
Photography | Chikashi Makiura |
Sound | Iwao Otani |
Lighting | Kenji Furuya |
Art | Akira Naito |
Music | Akira Ifukube |
Editor | Kanji Suganuma |
Production Companies | Daiei |
Release Date | December 24, 1965 |
Runtime | 87 minutes |
Preceded by | Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (1965) |
Followed by | Zatoichi's Vengeance (1966) |
![]() 座頭市地獄旅 Zatōichi Jigokutabi Zatoichi Hell Journey |
Director | Kenji Misumi |
Original Story | Kan Shimozawa |
Screenplay | Daisuke Ito |
Photography | Chikashi Makiura |
Sound | Iwao Otani |
Lighting | Kenji Furuya |
Art | Akira Naito |
Music | Akira Ifukube |
Editor | Kanji Suganuma |
Production Companies | Daiei |
Release Date | December 24, 1965 |
Runtime | 87 minutes |
Preceded by | Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (1965) |
Followed by | Zatoichi's Vengeance (1966) |
During his travels, Zatoichi befriends Jumonji, a wandering ronin who is an expert at chess. They take to playing chess with each other in their heads, since Zatoichi is blind. Zatoichi also befriends Otane, a traveling musician, and her daughter, Miki. When Miki is injured and falls ill, Zatoichi and Jumonji work together to raise the funds to buy the medicine to cure her. Otane is grateful to Zatoichi, but is secretly conflicted; she’s actually a scout for a feuding yakuza boss who is pursuing Zatoichi.
At Hakone springs, Zatoichi meets Sagawa, his sister Kume, and his retainer, Roppei. Roppei, a gentle servant, is brutally killed outside a temple during his morning prayers. Zatoichi learns that Sagawa and Kume are on a mission of revenge, pursuing their father’s killer. Roppei was the only one who knew the murderer’s face, and now they have no way of identifying him. However, Zatoichi learns that the murderer was a skilled chess player, and begins to suspect Jumonji.
Otane confess to Zatoichi, and they attempt to leave Hakone and outrun the yakuza boss. While on the road, Zatoichi and Jumonji play one last game of chess, before Zatoichi exposes Jumonji as the murderer and strikes. Sagawa and Kume appear to take their revenge on Jumonji. At the same time the yakuza appear and capture Miki, luring Zatoichi into battle. Zatoichi fights to save Miki and slays the yakuza. Zatoichi leaves Otane and Miki and continues his travels alone.
Top Billed Cast
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Top Billed Cast

Zatoichi

Jumonji

Kume

Otane

Sagawa

Roppei

Benji

Boss Eita

Momokuri

Shinzo

Shunpachi

Hakone Samurai

Denkichi

Ejimaya

Innkeeper

Boatman

Litter Bearer

Litter Bearer

Shaman

Contestant
企画 Planning |
奥田久司 Hisashi Okuda |
原作 Original Story |
子母沢寛 Kan Shimozawa |
脚本 Screenplay |
伊藤大輔 Daisuke Ito |
撮影 Photography |
牧浦地志 Chikashi Makiura |
録音 Sound |
大谷巌 Iwao Otani |
照明 Lighting |
古谷賢次 Kenji Furuya |
美術 Art |
内藤昭 Akira Naito |
音楽 Music |
伊福部昭 Akira Ifukube |
編集 Editor |
菅沼完二 Kanji Suganuma |
擬斗 Action |
宮内昌平 Shohei Miyauchi |
助監督 Assistant Director |
友枝稔議 Minoru Tomoeda |
製作主任 Production Manager |
吉岡徹 Toru Yoshioka |
現像 Developing |
東洋現像所 Toyo Laboratory |
出演者 Performers |
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勝新太郎 Shintaro Katsu |
|
成田三樹夫 Mikio Narita |
|
林千鶴 Chizuru Hayashi |
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岩崎加根子 Kaneko Iwasaki |
|
山本學 Gaku Yamamoto |
|
丸井太郎 Taruo Marui |
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五味龍太郎 Ryutaro Gomi |
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戸浦六宏 Rokko Tora |
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須賀不二男 Fujio Suga |
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北城寿太郎 Jutaro Hojo |
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藤岡琢也 Takuya Fujioka |
|
伊達三郎 Saburo Date |
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高見国一 Kuniichi Takami |
|
山本一郎 Ichiro Yamamoto |
|
遠藤辰雄 Tatsuo Endo |
|
玉置一恵 Kazue Tamaki |
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堀北幸夫 Yukio Horikita |
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沖時男 Tokio Oki |
|
越川一 Ichi Koshikawa |
|
小柳圭子 Keiko Koyanagi |
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小林加奈枝 Kanae Kobayashi |
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藤山直子 Naoko Fujiyama |
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藤川準 Jun Fujikawa |
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岩田正 Tadashi Iwata |
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山岡鋭二郎 Eijiro Yamaoka |
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勝村淳 Jun Katsumura |
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千石泰三 Yuzo Sengoku |
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南正夫 Masao Minami |
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森下昌子 Masao Morishita |
|
監督 Director |
三隅研次 Kenji Misumi |