Tokyo Filming Locations #11 – Ju-on: The Grudge 2 (2006)

Of course this site focuses mainly on the locations of foreign productions but from time time we go off track whether it be soaps, dramas or even books. This time I hunted down a couple of pivotal locations from Japanese language film ‘Ju-on: The Grudge 2‘ as I had a long break in Hibarigaoka a couple of months ago so I went one stop (by express train on the Seibu Ikebukuro line) to Tokorozawa in Saitama.

Usually I document the locations in chronological order but this time its probably best to do them in the order of finding them so first up is the bridge which features in the films dramatic final chapter on 82 minutes.

    

This was really easy to find despite there being very little on the internet (in English) about its whereabouts.

      

If you take the west exit and go down the steps you will see a Koban (Police box) and Seiyu department store to your right so go down that road following the tracks for about five minutes.

     

There is one crossing before the out of sight bridge so you will have to turn left before hanging right after only about 10 metres. Go down that road until you hit the bridge.

      

Its address is 16-11 and it really couldn’t be any easier.

      

Now for the trickier location which has mystified many. Head down the road with the steps directly behind you (and the two tall apartment blocks in the distance in front of you) and you will soon come to a small car park area below.

 

Turn left and go through it sticking close to the left side and you will see a very narrow alley (above) which you go down and round a couple of corners and then you will see it.

       

I couldn’t get an address for the house but it is in block 14 which if you don’t know anything about how Japanese addresses work will mean nothing to you!

I should thank a blogger called Rachel as, even though she didn’t give directions on her site, she did show enough pictures for me to go on and find this house which is part of Japanese horror film history. It first appears after 8 minutes and again on 34 and 64 minutes.

         

The great thing about both locations is that they are in a quiet area and so with few people around you can (if you want!) take the kind of photos I did without too much embarrassment. I have a tripod which is recommended if you want to actually take a peek over the tall white fence as I did below. The other photo is of the back of the house.

 

For other Japan filming locations click on the links below:

You Only Live Twice    Lost In Translation    Kill Bill    Babel    Godzilla    Walk Don’t Run   Into The Sun    Monster    Wasabi    The Grudge    The Ramen Girl    The Toxic Avenger Pt II    The Wolverine    Memoirs Of A Geisha    The Last Samurai