Japanese horror movies have always been able to attract audiences in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia. This is not surprising, considering that horror films from Japan are known to always present a gripping atmosphere and rarely disappoint.
With a cultural background full of mystical stories and urban legends that can send chills down your spine, Japanese horror movies have always managed to deliver a visceral sense of dread.
From traditional scary ghostly apparitions to contemporary scares that fit the times, there are tons of horror stories for you to explore. In addition, the always stunning Japanese cinematography further enhances the horror atmosphere.
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New Japanese Horror Movie Recommendations
1. Cloud (2024)
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the movie tells the story of Ryosuke Yoshii, starring Masaki Suda, an ordinary man who relies on online sales of second-hand goods to make ends meet.
However, due to an unintentional mistake, Ryosuke suddenly became an enemy to those around him.
2. Zom 100: Bucket List of The Dead (2023)

Zom 100: Bucket List of The Dead is a Japanese horror movie adaptation of Haro Aso’s famous manga.
The story focuses on Akira Tendo, an office worker who lives a boring and monotonous life. However, when the world is threatened by a sudden zombie attack, Akira sees this situation as an invaluable opportunity!
Instead of feeling anxious, he decides to make a list of goals that Akira wants to achieve before he dies. Together with his friends, they take the risk to go on a thrilling adventure, trying to realize crazy dreams in the midst of a chaotic situation caused by a zombie outbreak.
3. Re/Member (2022)

The movie is directed by Eiichiro Hasumi and tells the story of six high school students who are trapped in a time cycle, experiencing the same day over and over again. They are hunted and brutally murdered every night by vengeful ghosts called “Red Men”.
To break the curse, they must find and assemble the body parts of dead bodies scattered across the school grounds. In this quest, they uncover dark secrets about themselves and their classmates, and face their own fears and weaknesses.
4. Immersion (2023)
Immersion is one of the scariest Japanese horror movies you should watch. This movie tells the story of a VR team, a mysterious death, and makes it difficult for us to distinguish between the real world and the digital world.
With the unique style of Takashi Shimizu, a director known for his horror films, Immersion is able to deliver a very suspenseful storyline. Prepare yourself!
5. Howling Village (2019)

Directed by Takashi Shimizu, the movie follows a young psychologist who attempts to find the whereabouts of his missing brother and unravel the mystery behind it. In his quest, he goes to a haunted house known as a cursed location, known as the ‘Howling Village’.
During her visit, she investigates the cause of her brother’s disappearance and uncovers dark secrets in her family. Watch it immediately if you haven’t already, because this movie is on the list of the best Japanese horror movies on Netflix.
6. Chime (2024)
Chime tells the story of Matsuoka, a teacher at a cooking school who is puzzled by one of her students, Tashiro, who says, “I heard a bell… someone sent me a message.”
The school staff once told Matsuoka about Tashiro’s strange behavior, but she ignored it and continued to act the same way towards Tashiro.
Once, Tashiro revealed something very surprising, “Half of my brain has been replaced with a machine,” and then he dared to take extreme measures to prove it. From that moment on, Matsuoka began to be haunted by the unexpected. Worries began to fill her every day, both at school and at home, making her life feel increasingly strange and frightening.
7. Sadako DX (2022)

Just like the previous movie, Sadako DX still features the suspense of a terrifying long-haired female ghost. This time, the terror begins with a teenager named Ayaka Ichijo who learns about the legend of the curse through a mysterious video recording.
At first, Ayaka wasn’t so sure and just took it as nothing serious. However, things changed profoundly after her sister Futaba saw the footage and died within 24 hours. Ayaka finally decides to investigate further into the deadly video curse.
At first Ayaka doubted the video’s non-serious curse, but things changed after her sister Futaba died within 24 hours of watching the footage. Ayaka then decided to investigate further into the curse.
8. Suicide Forest Village (2021)

The most mystical forest in the world was made into a movie called Suicide Forest Village. The movie tells the story of the Aokigahara forest, which is known as the spookiest and most haunted forest in the world.
Aokigahara Forest is famous for its many scary stories, including missing visitors. It is also considered a favorite location for suicidal people.
9. Henna IE (2024)

If you’re looking for a new Japanese horror movie that will give you goosebumps, HENNA IE should be on your watch list.
The story begins when Amemiya (Shotaro Mamiya), a YouTuber who focuses on horror content and still has a small following, gets a house plan that has a strange and mysterious layout.
Amemiya is very curious and begins to investigate the plans with a mystery-loving architect, Kurihara (Jiro Sato). In addition, Amemiya also gets in touch with Yuzuki (Rina Kawaei), who suddenly appears and claims that she knows the dark secret hidden behind the house. Get ready for some heart-pounding surprises!
10. Lumberjack The Monster (2023)

Lumberjack the Monster is a psychological thriller available on Netflix. The story follows a serial killer who mistakenly chooses his victims. He is then confronted with a very dangerous psychopath, and finally an act of revenge occurs.
This movie is the work of Japanese director Takashi Miike, who is known as a filmmaker who is always able to make his audience feel the tension.
11. SANA: Let Me Hear (2024)

The horror movie SANA: Let Me Hear tells the story of Honoka Kimijima, a temporary teacher who leads an extra class during summer vacation. Along with five students, including Hitomi Miura and Takeru Maekawa, Honoka experiences a tragic event when a female student jumps off the school roof and dies in front of her.
This tragedy triggers a series of mystical events that plague her class. Honoka and her students find a photo of a student named Sana from the 1992 yearbook. They learn that Sana wants to collect everyone’s voices to make a song.
The cursed song Honoka and her students discover carries a terrible curse. Anyone who hears it risks a tragic event. Tension mounts as they investigate the mystery behind the song, risking their lives. Can they unravel the mystery of this curse?
Those are some of the latest horror movies that can be an option for those of you who like the Japanese horror genre. Enjoy watching!