The Hidden Blade
Set in 19th Century Japan a young samurai who finds himself in love with a farm girl leaves his home to begin a new life. He has to take stock of his new life when he is put to the test and ordered to kill a traitor who just happens to be his dearest friend.
Where to watch The Hidden Blade in United States
Kanopy
HooplaClick a service to open The Hidden Blade there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Hidden Blade streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Kanopy, Hoopla | — |
| Japan | Hulu, U-NEXT, Plus Shochiku Amazon Channel | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
About The Hidden Blade
The Hidden Blade is a 2004 Japanese-language drama and romance film directed by Yoji Yamada. The cast is led by Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka. It has a runtime of 2h 12m. Viewers rate it 7.4/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla.
The Hidden Blade was produced by Eisei Gekijo, Shochiku, and MAKE-UP DIMENSIONS and made in Japan. It was released on October 30, 2004, and carries a R certification.
- Director
- Yoji Yamada
- Writers
- Yoji Yamada, Yoshitaka Asama
- Release date
- October 30, 2004
- Original language
- Japanese
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan
- Production
- Eisei Gekijo, Shochiku, MAKE-UP DIMENSIONS
The Hidden Blade cast & crew
The Hidden Blade was directed by Yoji Yamada and written by Yoji Yamada and Yoshitaka Asama.
The cast features Masatoshi Nagase as Munezô Katagiri, Takako Matsu as Kie, Hidetaka Yoshioka as Samon Shimada, Yukiyoshi Ozawa as Yaichirô Hazama, Tomoko Tabata as Shino Katagiri, and Chieko Baisho as Mrs. Katagiri.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Isao Tomita, cinematography is by Mutsuo Naganuma, and it was produced by Hiroshi Fukazawa and Ichiro Yamamoto.
Is The Hidden Blade worth watching?
The Hidden Blade holds an audience score of 7.4/10 from 125 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 12m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama and romance, The Hidden Blade is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Hidden Blade
In United States, you can stream The Hidden Blade on Kanopy and Hoopla. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
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Cast of The Hidden Blade
Masatoshi Nagase
Munezô Katagiri
Takako Matsu
Kie
Hidetaka Yoshioka
Samon Shimada
Yukiyoshi Ozawa
Yaichirô Hazama
Tomoko Tabata
Shino Katagiri
Chieko Baisho
Mrs. Katagiri
Kunie Tanaka
Kanbê Katagiri
Sachiko Mitsumoto
Mrs. Iseya
Reiko Takashima
Hazama's Wife
Nana Saito
Bun
Nenji Kobayashi
Kôda
Ken Ogata
Chief Retainer Hori
More from the Samurai Trilogy (Yoji Yamada) Collection
The Hidden Blade — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Hidden Blade in United States?
The Hidden Blade is streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla in United States.
▸Is The Hidden Blade on Kanopy?
Yes — The Hidden Blade is currently available on Kanopy in United States.
▸What language is The Hidden Blade in?
The Hidden Blade is originally in Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Hidden Blade?
The Hidden Blade runs 2 hours 12 minutes (132 minutes).
▸What is The Hidden Blade rated?
The Hidden Blade is rated R. It holds a 7.4/10 audience score from 125 ratings.
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