Introduction

Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion (日蓮と蒙古大襲来, Nichiren to Mōko Daishūrai) is a 1958 Japanese drama film directed by Kunio Watanabe.

Outline

Nichiren, a famous Japanese Buddhist monk who returns from his studies to create a new form of Buddhism in preparation for fighting the Mongol invaders during the 1200s. A Buddhist sect and their government supporters target him and he is persecuted for it. Will Nichiren be able to survive before the Mongols threaten Japanese shores?

Cast

• Kazuo Hasegawa … Nichiren.
• Raizo Ichikawa … Hojo Tokimune.
• Takashi Shimura.
• Shintaro Katsu … Shijo Kingo.
• Naritoshi Hayashi … Nichiro.
• Shoji Umewaka … Hiki Kojiro.
• Yatarao Kurokawa … Nissho.
• Chikage Awashima … Yoshino.
• Junko Kano … Hagie.
• Ganjiro Nakamura.

Trivia

• This widescreen epic was produced at the height of the Cold War referring to the failed Mongol invasion as a metaphor for the threat of communism and reified an idealised image of Japan as historically resisting aggression from the Chinese mainland.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Kunio Watanabe.
• Producer(s):
  • Masaichi Nagata … executive producer.
• Writer(s):
  • Fuji Yahrio … screenplay.
  • Kunio Watanabe … screenplay.
• Music:
  • Eiichi Yamada … original music composer.
• Cinematography:
  • Takashi Watanabe … director of photography.
• Editor(s):
• Production:
• Distributor(s):
  • Daiei Studios.
• Release Date: 01 October 1958.
• Running Time: 145 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: Japan.
• Language: Japanese.

Video Link(s)