The upcoming film “Sunekosuri no Mori” stars Takahashi Issei and is directed by Watanabe Kazutaka. The cast also includes Aoto Nijiko and Kurosaki Kodai. Drawing inspiration from the Okayama folk legend of the yokai Sunekosuri, the film tells a story of love that is both beautiful and cruel, set deep within a remote forest.
Sunekosuri is a yokai said to appear on rainy nights, clinging to people’s legs and preventing them from moving forward. Using this legend as its foundation, the film explores the intersection of human lives and supernatural beings, as well as the emotions that arise within an isolated and enclosed natural setting. The narrative blends folklore with a quiet yet unsettling emotional undercurrent.
The story begins when a young man injures his leg in the forest and is guided by the beautiful singing voice of a woman to an ancient shrine. There, he encounters a mysterious man and the man’s young wife, Sayuri, who live together in seclusion. As his injury gradually heals under their care, the young man spends his days in the shrine, experiencing a sense of time standing still.
Life unfolds in a calm and repetitive rhythm, giving the impression that this peaceful existence could last forever. Beneath the stillness, however, lie emotions and relationships that point toward a love both tender and unavoidably tragic. “Sunekosuri no Mori” is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 10.
