Snow On The Blades

Snow On The Blades, known in Japanese by its romaji title Zakurozaka no Adauchi and literally translated as Revenge of the Pomegranate Tree Hill, is a 2014 Japanese film directed by Setsuro Wakamatsu.

Background and Literary Source

The film is based on a story featured in the short story collection Goroji dono Oshimatsu by author Jiro Asada, published in 2003 by Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc. Lead actor Kiichi Nakai previously starred in the 2003 film When the Last Sword Is Drawn, which was also adapted from a work by Jiro Asada.

Plot Summary

Kingo Shimura serves his lord Naosuke Ii. When Naosuke Ii is killed by ronin from the Mito Domain, Shimura is denied the right to take his own life and instead receives a secret order to exact revenge. His quest spans 13 years as he tracks down the last remaining target, a samurai named Jyubei Sahashi.

Production and Release

Principal photography for the film began on January 5, 2014. The film features a runtime of 119 minutes, was distributed by Shochiku, and was released theatrically in Japan on September 20, 2014.

Film Festivals

Snow On The Blades was screened internationally, including at the 34th Hawaii International Film Festival on October 30 to November 9, 2014, and at the 9th JAPAN CUTS festival in North America on July 9–19, 2015.