Special Series

Priest of Darkness

河内山宗俊

Directed by: Sadao Yamanaka
1936 / 82 minutes / Unclassified all ages

A missing knife. A cascade of chaos. A comedy of errors.

In a smoky gambling den nestled within Edo’s backstreets, the petty theft of a samurai knife sparks a spiralling chain of betrayal, greed and sacrifice. Adapted from Kawatake Mokuami’s kabuki play, Priest of Darkness follows Kōchiyama, who whiles away his days gambling, and the wandering rōnin Kaneko. The two become entangled in the misfortunes of Hirotarō, a reckless young man desperate to escape poverty with his courtesan lover. But when Hirotarō’s quiet yet resolute sister Onami is faced with the threat of being sold to settle his debts, Kōchiyama—who is no stranger to shady deals—risks everything to save her. 

Director Yamanaka’s film walks a delicate line between comedy and fatalism, revealing a society where the kind and vulnerable are exploited by those in power. Sharp in satire yet rich in pathos, Priest of Darkness unravels illusions of honour and redemption, offering a portrait of Edo life that is as harsh as it is compassionate.