OVERALL: Draw

The R2 UK, R2 Japan, and R4 Australian releases feature the longer version of the film with differing extras.

Note the Japanese release is not English-friendly.

Also available in
- The US by Criterion (Reissue - Original Theatrical Japanese Version)

Three versions of this film exist:
(1.) The original uncut Roadshow version (183 minutes).
(2.) The American version (125 minutes) that omitted “The Woman of the Snow” segment (which was released separately as a short), subsequently replaced in circulation by Janus Films’ prints of the international version.
(3.) The international version (161 minutes).
About the running time differences (all this info is from criterionforum.org forums, and users "Annie Mall" & "editman"):

"Black Hair" episode:
The end of the segment is extended on the longer version. On Criterion it ends on a freeze frame of the samurai husband looking into his reflection on water. On the longer version however, he staggered madly outside the ruin of the house, found a piece of red cloth, which turned into a chunk of black hair and attack him. The blue title at the beginning of the feature (announcing that this film won an award at Cannes that year) is missing from some releases (at least the Japanese and Spanish DVDs).

"The Woman in the Snow" episode:
This episode is where the main differences are to be found. There is a nude scene (clearly censored for international tastes), another where we see the mother breast-feeding a baby and another one still where we actually see the mother and their children visiting the grave of the mother-in-law. The Intermission title card between "The Woman of the Snow" and "Hoichi the Earless" is missing on Criterion-disc.

"Hoichi the Earless" episode:
Longer version has a scene involving the finding of a dead body on a beach that later is seen getting a funeral at sea (we see the funeral boat leaving the shore).

"In a Cup of Tea" episode:
No differences.

CUTS:

• R0 Hong Kong- Mei Ah Home Entertainment - Yes - Shorter international version + possibly missing 2-3 minutes of footage judging by reported run time
• R1 America- Criterion Collection - Yes - Shorter International version (161:15 NTSC)
• R2 Complete Version France- Wild Side - No cuts - Original Cut
• R2 Japan- Toho - No cuts - Original Cut
• R2 Spain- Filmax - No cuts - Original Cut
• R2 United Kingdom- Eureka - No cuts - Original Cut (183:24 NTSC)
• R4 Australia- Madman Entertainment - No cuts - Original Cut (175:27 PAL)

Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!

Comparison added by The Rewind Team on 10/07/03
Comparison last updated by Rick_Curzon on 26/10/24

UPDATE LOG:

28/01/16: Updated Hong Kong aspect ratio, US trailer runtime, UK extras runtimes, Australia extras runtimes, updated tagline, DVDBeaver, added ASINs, capsaholic.
14/07/19: Tidied up the note on versions; mat clearer and easier to read.
06/09/19: Typo.
20/03/20: Revised version notes.
26/10/24: Dates.