Japan Synopsis
夜の鼓
Following a yearlong attendance upon his shogun in Edo, samurai Hikokuro makes a long-awaited return to his home and doting wife, Dane. Initially greeted by the effusive welcome of his family, spiteful whispers also reach his ear about an adulterous affair carried on, in his long absence, between his wife and a famous drummer. With Hikokuro’s honor imperiled by rumor, his family insists on a formal investigation into the veracity of the gossip. Through the combined testimony of many witnesses, a tale unwinds around the visits of a traveling musician hired to tutor the family heir, the spurned attentions of the man who started the rumor, and the ultimate truth behind the accusations. The conclusion of events prove as much an indictment of bushidō as it is of the reluctant parties involved. Adapted from a 1706 play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon and based on a true case.
Other Titles From Shochiku
The 1957–1959 Japan Window
Night Drum holds position #20 of 32 Japan films in the 1957–1959 window, below highlighted by audience rating.
The 1950s Japan Landscape
1958 was the decade’s peak output year for Japan — 12 titles released, including Night Drum. Bars below show how the 1950s stacked up year by year (76 total).
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 11 other Japan films in 1958.
The 106th Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
10 audience reviews — more than 6% of Japan films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 8th percentile among Japan films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #3,232 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (29th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is -0.4 points below the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Drama productions specifically: #1,419 of 1,933 (top 73%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Production Companies | Shochiku |
| Runtime | 1h 35m |
| Release Date | April 15, 1958 |
| IMDb | tt0052414 |