“The Sword of Doom” (大菩薩峠), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese B1×3 “Three‑Sheet” Theatrical Billboard — 1965 Toho First Release — approx. 86 × 40 in (218 × 103 cm)
This panoramic Japanese cinema billboard—constructed from three overlapping B1 sheets—was issued by Toho for the 1965 domestic release of Kihachi Okamoto’s The Sword of Doom. Surviving examples are exceptionally scarce in any format, and the B1×3 billboard sits among the rarest 1960s chambara displays for its scale, drama, and theatre‑only distribution.
About the film
Directed by Kihachi Okamoto.
Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshirō Mifune, Yūzō Kayama, Michiyo Aratama.
Adapted from Nakazato Kaizan’s monumental serial novel, The Sword of Doom is a bracingly modern jidaigeki—an unflinching portrait of the nihilistic swordsman Ryūnosuke Tsukue (Nakadai) whose brilliance and amorality drive the story toward one of the most fevered climaxes in post‑war Japanese cinema. Acclaimed for its razor‑edged choreography, expressionist lighting, and Okamoto’s taut direction, the film remains a touchstone of 1960s samurai filmmaking.
Poster design
A stark, high‑contrast photomontage anchors the composition with Nakadai’s haunted stare and drawn blade, while flanking action vignettes propel the eye laterally across the wide field. The scarlet brush‑stroke title 大菩薩峠 strides along the base, counterbalanced by crisp cast credits. Format identifiers include the round Toho crest at upper left, a “Printed in Japan © TOHO CO., Ltd. 1965” credit along the lower margin, and the standard Eirin censorship box at lower right—all consistent with Toho’s mid‑1960s billboard practice.
Why collectors prize this example
B1×3 theatrical billboard (three‑sheet) for Toho’s 1966 release—far scarcer than standard B2/B1 posters.
Definitive large‑format display for Okamoto’s masterpiece, dominated by Nakadai at peak intensity.
Cross‑collectible appeal spanning jidaigeki/chambara, Toho studio history, and the Nakadai–Mifune constellation.
Monumental 218 × 103 cm presence with powerful, gallery‑scale impact.
Museum‑level rarity: only a few examples of this format are known to survive.
Conservation
Unrestored and not linen‑backed. Theatre‑used with careful handling; folded twice as issued for distribution (one vertical, one horizontal). Paper remains strong and supple with crisp printing. Suitable for professional conservation framing or for display as is.
Details
Country: Japan
Year printed (1965) / release: 1966 first release
Type: Theatrical billboard poster — B1×3 Three‑Sheet
Size: approx. 218 × 103 cm (86 × 40 in)
Identifiers: Toho roundel at upper left; Printed in Japan © TOHO CO., Ltd. 1965 credit along lower margin; Eirin censorship box at lower right; colossal red title 大菩薩峠 across the base; principal cast billing including 仲代達矢 and 三船敏郎.
Reference: No published plate located at the time of cataloguing; comparable Toho B1×3 billboard formats from the period are documented in trade and archival materials.
Condition
Excellent. Theatre‑used example with very minimal edge/handling/surface wear; folded twice as issued with light stress at intersections only; clean margins; colours vivid; paper fresh. Verso shows mild, even age‑toning and trace handling consistent with period stock. No paper loss. Please review the provided front‑and‑back photographs—shown is the exact poster offered.
It is over 60 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
A singular opportunity to acquire the most dramatic large‑format Japanese poster for Okamoto’s landmark chambara—rarely encountered outside institutional or long‑held private collections and superb for centrepiece display.
