8 Scariest Japanese Horror Movies That’ll Keep You Awake All Night This Halloween

IMDb: 6.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Where to Watch: Apple TV, Amazon Video, Fandango At Home

The story follows social worker Rika, who visits a house cursed by a violent murder. Inside, she discovers the spirits of Kayako and her son Toshio, victims of a jealous husband. Everyone who enters the house becomes part of the deadly curse. Told through multiple timelines, the film builds a web of terror that spreads from one person to another, leaving no one safe.

IMDb: 7.2/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 99%

Where to Watch: Philo, Shudder, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video

Journalist Reiko Asakawa investigates a mysterious videotape that kills anyone who watches it in seven days. When she and her ex-husband Ryuji view the tape, they race to uncover the truth behind it. Their search leads them to Sadako, a vengeful girl with psychic powers. As time runs out, the line between the living and the dead fades, creating an unforgettable sense of dread.

IMDb: 7.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Where to Watch: Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home

Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan is an anthology of four ghost stories based on Japanese folklore: “The Black Hair,” “The Woman of the Snow,” “Hoichi the Earless,” and “In a Cup of Tea.” Each tale mixes beauty and terror through vivid visuals and haunting sounds. From a samurai haunted by his dead lover to a blind musician visited by spirits, every story explores fear, karma, and the supernatural in poetic and unforgettable ways.

IMDb: 7.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 81%

Where to Watch: AsianCrush, Hi-YAH, ARROW, Retrocrush, Midnight Pulp, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV

Widower Shigeharu Aoyama holds fake auditions to find a new wife. He becomes enchanted by Asami Yamazaki, a quiet woman with a sad past. But Asami hides a horrifying secret. As Aoyama gets closer, he discovers her world of pain, betrayal, and torture. What begins as a tender romance turns into a terrifying nightmare of obsession and revenge that few viewers forget.

IMDb: 6.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 74%

Where to Watch: AMC+, Philo, Shudder, ARROW, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video.

Documentary filmmaker Masafumi Kobayashi investigates eerie supernatural events, from strange noises to sudden deaths. His search uncovers the legend of Kagutaba, an ancient demon sealed long ago. As he interviews witnesses and reviews disturbing footage, the curse begins to close in on him. Noroi masterfully builds tension through its realistic found-footage style, leading to a terrifying ending that feels disturbingly real.

IMDb: 5.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 38%

Where to Watch: Philo, Shudder, ARROW, Apple TV, Amazon Video.

When children vanish in a small town, whispers spread about Kuchisake-onna, the Slit-Mouthed Woman. Teacher Kyoko Yamashita and his coworker, Noboru Matsuzaki, uncover her story: a woman betrayed and mutilated by her husband, now haunting the streets with scissors in hand. She asks, “Am I beautiful?” before revealing her horrifying smile. The film mixes folklore and tragedy, showing how deep pain can twist into eternal vengeance.

IMDb: 7.8/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Where to Watch: HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Amazon Video, Fandango At Home, Apple TV.

Set during Japan’s civil wars, an older woman and her daughter-in-law survive by killing soldiers and selling their belongings. When the younger woman falls in love, jealousy consumes the elder. To scare her, she wears a demon mask taken from a dead samurai. But the mask becomes cursed, fusing to her face. *Onibaba* blends horror, human greed, and guilt into a haunting tale of survival.

IMDb: 6.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 66%

Where to Watch: Criterion Channel

After causing a fatal accident, student Shiro Torazu is tormented by guilt and visions of Hell. He meets people whose sins mirror his own, and together they descend into a terrifying underworld. *Jigoku* presents Hell as a surreal, nightmarish place filled with punishment and suffering. Its haunting imagery and moral lessons make it one of Japan’s most unforgettable horror classics.