This period film is inspired by one of the most notorious scandals to have taken place in Edo-period Japan. The heroine, Ejima, was a lady of the Ooku, the harem of Edo Castle in which the Shogun’s mother, wife and concubines resided, forbidden from contact with any other man except in the presence of the Shogun. The institution played a key role in the Byzantine world of Japanese court politics during the Edo era. In 1714, Lady Ejima was sent to pay her respects at a Buddhist temple in the city, and chose to pay an unauthorised visit to the kabuki theatre – a violation of protocol that was to have tragic consequences.
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Cast
36 people
Chikage Awashima
絵島
Known for
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Early Spring
Ichikawa Danjūrō XI
生島新五郎
Also in
Edo no yubae
Mitsuko Kusabue
宇津
Known for
Yearning
Jigen Daisuke
Mieko Takamine
月光院
Known for
The 47 Ronin
Kuniko Miyake
天英院
Known for
Tokyo Story
Good Morning
Ichikawa Sadanji III
家宣
Also in
Edo no yubae
小林きよし
家継
No other roles listed
阪東彦三郎
紀州公吉宗
No other roles listed
Teiji Takahashi
間部越前守
Known for
The Ballad of Narayama
Tokyo Twilight
Tatsuya Ishiguro
新井白石
Known for
Chikamatsu Monogatari
Fires on the Plain
Eijirō Yanagi
土屋相模守
Known for
The Tale of Zatoichi
The Idiot
Joji Kaieda
秋本但馬守
Also in
The 47 Ronin
The Red Bat
Hideo Ōba Director · Seiichi Funahashi Story Masayoshi Ikeda Composer
First release October 30, 1955 · Produced in Japan · Original title 絵島生島
Production
Shochiku
Production
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
絵島生島
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
Japan · October 30, 1955
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
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Some details come from TheTVDB.