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Deep Dive: Yasukuni (2008)

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Yasukuni
Yasukuni is a film directed by Li Ying that examines the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, where over 2 million war dead are enshrined, including more than 1,000 war criminals from the 1946–1948 Tokyo Tribunal. The film focuses on the shrine's historical significance and its sword-making tradition, featuring the last living Yasukuni swordsmith, 90-year-old Naoji Kariya, as he works on his final creation. The film has generated significant controversy in Japan, particularly among right-wing nationalists who pressured theaters to cancel screenings. Despite this, the film was eventually shown to the public in Tokyo on May 3, 2008, amidst tight police security. Audience feedback has been positive, with many describing the film as objective and enlightening regarding the shrine's history.

Why Watch

  • •See Naoji Kariya's final sword-making process
  • •Find out about the Yasukuni Shrine's war criminal enshrinees
  • •Meet the controversies surrounding the film in Japan

Did You Know

•More than 1,000 enshrined individuals are war criminals from the Tokyo Tribunal.
•The film took ten years to complete and was released in 2008.
•Naoji Kariya, the last Yasukuni swordsmith, is 90 years old.
•The film won the best-documentary award at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Perfect For

Japanese historyWar memorialsDocumentary filmmaking