“Irezumi: Spirit of the Tattoo” / “Sekka Tomuraizashi” (雪華葬刺し), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1982, Daiei Kyoto / Yoichi Takabayashi, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) C254
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1982 for the first release of Irezumi: Spirit of the Tattoo (雪華葬刺し / Sekka Tomuraizashi), the acclaimed erotic-aesthetic drama directed by Yoichi Takabayashi, based on a story by the award-winning writer Baku Akae.
A visually arresting Japanese poster, this piece combines irezumi tattoo culture, erotic drama, literary gothic atmosphere, and Kyoto studio history in one highly memorable theatrical design. The film is also notable as the final feature production from the historic Daiei Kyoto Studios before its closure, giving the poster additional cultural and cinematic significance.
Film background
Directed by independent auteur Yoichi Takabayashi, Irezumi: Spirit of the Tattoo is a refined and psychologically charged drama centred on desire, memory, pain, and the transformation of the body into art. The film stars Masayo Utsunomiya, Tomisaburo Wakayama, and a young Masaki Kyomoto, with its story drawn from the work of Baku Akae, known for his darkly aesthetic, gothic literary sensibility.
The film belongs to a distinctive strand of Japanese cinema where tattooing is treated not merely as decoration, but as an act of obsession, identity, eroticism, and fate.
Poster design
This Japanese B2 is dominated by a striking central image of Masayo Utsunomiya seen from behind, seated before the shimmering waters of Kyoto’s Kamogawa River. Her bare back is covered by an elaborate traditional irezumi tattoo depicting a woman in a vivid blue and red kimono entwined with a coiling dragon.
The image is both elegant and confrontational: the river glitters in the background while the tattoo fills the centre of the composition with extraordinary visual power. The design balances beauty, intimacy, and danger with unusual restraint.
At middle left, a small black-and-white inset shows the process of traditional tebori tattooing, grounding the poster’s dramatic image in the physical ritual of the craft. Along the lower edge are four small portrait images of the principal cast.
The red vertical tagline reads:
「女の悲しみをこえ 愛の証 この柔肌に刻みます——」
“Beyond a woman’s sorrow, the proof of love is carved into this soft flesh—”
The large red title 雪華葬刺し stretches across the bottom in bold, elegant characters, with cast and production credits arranged around the image. The lower credits include Daiei Kyoto Studio, Daiei International Film, and Shochiku distribution markings.
The central tattoo image makes this an especially displayable and distinctive B2, with visual appeal well beyond ordinary film-poster collecting.
Condition
Very good condition. Please review the photographs carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
The poster presents strongly from the front, with excellent colour, powerful imagery, and very good overall display impact. There are visible fold lines, light handling creases, and age-related signs consistent with an original theatrical poster from 1982. The reverse is clean overall, with expected vintage handling visible.
These condition points have been taken into account when pricing. Once framed, the poster will display very well.
This is an original 1982 Japanese theatrical B2 poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is over 40 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
