Original release Japanese billboard poster, 1966 — ultra rare, unbacked and in excellent condition for its age and format
Offered here is a dramatic, large-format Japanese theatrical “billboard” poster for Irezumi—released internationally as The Spider Tattoo—Yasuzō Masumura’s celebrated film of desire, betrayal and revenge, starring Ayako Wakao. Released in Japan on 15 January 1966, this Daiei production brings together the writing of Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, a screenplay by Kaneto Shindō and the extraordinary cinematography of Kazuo Miyagawa.
Issued as two B1 sheets designed to form a single B0-scale composition, this ultra rare billboard gives exceptional prominence to the film’s defining image: Wakao’s exposed back bearing an enormous, sinister spider tattoo, her face reflected in a mirror beside her.
Details
• Film: 刺青 (Irezumi)
• English title: The Spider Tattoo / Irezumi
• Release date (Japan): 15 January 1966
• Studio: Daiei, Kyoto studio
• Distributor: Daiei
• Director: Yasuzō Masumura (増村保造)
• Principal cast: Ayako Wakao (若尾文子), Akio Hasegawa (長谷川明男), Gaku Yamamoto (山本学) and Kei Satō (佐藤慶)
• Screenplay: Kaneto Shindō (新藤兼人)
• Original works: Jun’ichirō Tanizaki (谷崎潤一郎), drawing on The Tattooer and The Murder of Otsuya
• Cinematography: Kazuo Miyagawa (宮川一夫)
• Format: Japanese B0 two-sheet billboard, issued in two B1 sections
• Approx. size (standard for format): Approximately 155 × 103 cm overall; each B1 section approximately 72.8 × 103 cm
• Size note: These are standard-format dimensions. Individual sheets and the intended overlap should be measured before framing.
• Condition: Excellent for its age and format; unbacked, with original folds and minor tears previously repaired on the verso with tape. These repairs were not carried out by Japan Poster Shop.
Context: Daiei, Tanizaki and Yasuzō Masumura
Irezumi occupies a distinctive place within Masumura’s explorations of desire, individual freedom and the struggle for power. Working within Daiei’s studio system, he brought an unusually direct, confrontational sensibility to stories of people resisting the roles imposed upon them. His female protagonists, in particular, could possess a force and independence that unsettled everyone around them.
Here, Kaneto Shindō combines material from two Tanizaki works, bringing the author’s fascination with beauty, cruelty and possession into a tightly constructed period drama. Miyagawa’s rich colour photography gives that world an extraordinary physical presence: skin, patterned fabric, lacquer and shadow become integral to the film’s atmosphere.
The result is a work in which literary sophistication and disturbing imagery reinforce one another—qualities captured with particular clarity in this poster.
Ayako Wakao: A commanding central performance
Ayako Wakao was one of Masumura’s most important creative collaborators, and Irezumi offers a striking expression of their partnership. Already an established star, she gives Otsuya a combination of outward composure, sensuality and formidable resolve.
After eloping with her lover, Otsuya is betrayed, sold into a geisha house and forcibly tattooed. Wakao makes her subsequent transformation unsettlingly complex: vulnerability gives way to calculation, while the men who attempt to possess her become increasingly entangled in their own desires.
The poster expresses that tension through its paired views of Wakao. Her composed face appears in the mirror, while the enormous spider spreads across the back presented to the viewer. The contrast between the reflected portrait and the threatening tattoo gives the design much of its psychological force.
The film this poster represents
Critical reputation and a continuing legacy
Irezumi remains admired for Wakao’s morally complex performance, Masumura’s uncompromising direction and Miyagawa’s sumptuous colour cinematography. Its combination of an intimate period setting, disturbing eroticism and reversals of power continues to give it a compelling place within Japanese cinema.
Its 4K restoration and continuing inclusion in Japanese and international retrospective programmes have brought renewed attention to those qualities. Six decades after its original release, the film’s treatment of bodily autonomy, artistic obsession and the desire to control another person retains a disquieting immediacy.
For collectors, original release material connects directly with this enduring work—and few formats give its imagery the presence afforded by a complete two-sheet billboard.
The poster
The spider tattoo, the mirror and Ayako Wakao at monumental scale
The composition is dominated by Wakao seen from behind, her patterned kimono lowered to reveal the great spider tattoo across her back. The creature has a woman’s face, flowing dark hair and visible fangs; its long, jointed legs extend across the pale skin, transforming the body into the principal image of the design.
At the left, Wakao’s face appears in a round mirror above a black dressing table decorated with gold ornament. Her elaborate coiffure, pale ribbon and red-beaded hairpin fill the upper section, while the red kimono lining curves around the tattoo below. Large black title characters descend along the right, balanced by vermilion lettering and the green announcement of full-colour photography.
Key visual elements (as seen in the artwork):
• The enormous, female-faced spider tattoo, rendered in dark, intricate linework across Wakao’s back
• The reflected portrait in the round mirror, allowing the viewer to see both her face and the tattoo simultaneously
• Rich red kimono lining and finely patterned black fabric, framing the exposed skin
• Black lacquer and gold decoration, lending depth and richness to the setting
• Monumental brushstroke title lettering, with 刺青 above the vermilion phonetic title いれずみ
• Green 総天然色 lettering—“full colour”—and the original Daiei emblem
• Smaller dramatic figures and the original production credits, concentrated along the lower portion of the composition
The original Japanese advertising copy reinforces the imagery, linking a man’s desire to carve his soul into pale skin with a woman’s discovery of the sinister spider nature dormant within her.
At B0 / two-sheet billboard scale, the tattoo becomes an overwhelming presence. The contrast between the delicate face in the mirror, the densely patterned textiles and the spider’s spreading legs gives the poster exceptional visual impact.
Rarity and survival
An exceptional survival in two-sheet billboard format
This is an ultra rare original release billboard for Irezumi, retaining both of its large B1 sections.
Designed to function as one substantial theatrical display, the format presents particular challenges for preservation. Its scale makes handling and storage demanding, while the two separate sheets must remain together for the composition to survive intact. Fold lines, vulnerable edges and the junction between the sections are all inherent considerations when collecting material of this size.
The appeal of this example lies in the combination of a significant film, an extraordinary image and a scarce large format. The spider design gains remarkable authority at this scale, making the poster an especially striking piece for a collection of Japanese cinema, Ayako Wakao or 1960s theatrical design.
Condition
Excellent for its age and format, with previous verso repairs
This example is in excellent condition for its age and large two-sheet format. It retains strong colour and a highly effective overall presentation, with original fold lines, associated creasing and handling wear visible in the detailed photographs.
Minor tears have previously been repaired on the verso with tape. These are pre-existing repairs and were not carried out by Japan Poster Shop. There is also some age-related marking and discolouration on the reverse, particularly along certain folds, together with handwritten annotations - these are not visible from the front.
Condition includes:
• Original two-sheet billboard format, with both sections present
• Unbacked; not currently linen-backed
• Original fold lines and handling wear consistent with age and format
• Minor tears previously repaired on the verso with tape
• Some age-related marking, discolouration and handwritten annotations on the reverse
• Strong colour and excellent overall display appeal
Professional linen backing is also an excellent option for collectors wishing to bring the two sheets together on a single support and substantially reduce the prominence of the fold lines. This would allow the composition to be presented as one unified image.
Whether framed in its present unbacked state or professionally linen-backed beforehand, this poster will display exceptionally well—a commanding presentation of one of Japanese cinema’s most striking images.
