Summer of Horror Hiho is an event running from August 23rd to September 06th where horror flicks get screened in cinemas in east, central and western 
Japan – Tokyo: Kineka Oomori in Shinagawa ward; Nagoya: Cinema SKHole in Nakamura ward; Osaka: Theater Seven in Yodogawa ward. Can you remember Vampire Clay? That horror movie was featured as part of this horror movie festival and since then it has travelled around the world and is easily available on legal streaming services so it’s worth keeping an eye on this festival to see what other discoveries there are. This weekend sees another edition of the fest and some of the films have already been shown at western festivals.
What are the film’s in this year’s line-up?
On top of having seminal 70s horror flicks Driller Killer (1979) and The Crazies (1973) there are these films:
Zan’nen’na aidoru wa zonbimeiku ga yoku niau
残念なアイドルはゾンビメイクがよく似合う 「Zan’nen’na aidoru wa zonbimeiku ga yoku niau」
Release Date: August 23rd, 2019
Duration: 90 mins.
Director: Kei Morikawa
Writer:
Starring: Aki Morita, Ruri Shinato, Ari Kadomae, Yui Umemura, Yuki Tsumuraya, Saki Shiraishi, Nana Fujii, Saroahi Morikawa,
Synopsis: Kei Morikawa, the director of one-room comedy Make-up Room (2016) where auds got to see behind-the-scenes of a pink film shoot, has made something of a series using that limited location concept and this is the third instalment. It’s another slapstick situation comedy sending up the film industry but this one doesn’t feature an AV production, no, this takes place at the site of a horror movie starring an idol.
VAMP
Release Date: August 23rd, 2019
Duration: 86 mins.
Director: Kazuya Konaka
Writer: Kazuya Konaka (Script/Original Creator),
Starring: Shion Nakamaru, Mayu Takahashi, Makoto Tanaka, Shiyo Watanabe, Mitsutoshi Shundo, Ren Matsuzawa, Rinko Hayasaka,
Synopsis: Miina has suffered a life of abuse at the hands of her father and she lost hope. This is when a beautiful stranger named Rei appears and murders the man, slitting his throat and glugging down his blood. Rei She calls herself “Hematophilia” and tells Miina that she kills men who don’t deserve to live and siphons out their blood. From this meeting Rei, grows up in the shadow of a beautiful vampire, entering a shadow world of violence and feeling conflicted with every change…
When You Wish Upon A Star 
星に願いを 「Hoshi ni negai wo」
Release Date: August 23rd, 2019
Duration: 118 mins.
Director: Katsumi Sasaki
Writer: Kazuya Konaka (Script/Original Creator),
Starring: Ibuki Kaneda, Kimika Masada, Toshikazu Ozeki, Yuki Hatakeyama,
This one played at the Japan Film Fest Hamburg and Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2019.
Synopsis: A young prostitute named Eve is hooked on drugs and anger but the feelings they generate mask despair which is slowly overtaking her life. One night she meets a naive young woman in a bar and sees her fall into the clutches of a group of unscrupulous pimps. Eve decides to fight to free the woman from the horrific world they inhabit.
Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro Gmen Kotou hen
怪談新耳袋Gメン 孤島編 「Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro Gmen Kotou hen」
Release Date: August 23rd, 2019
Duration: N/A
Director: Kohei Taniguchi
Writer: N/A
Starring: Naoto Tanobe, Tsuyoshi Goto, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Yukihiko Yamaguchi,
No trailer
Synopsis: This is another one of the popular horror documentary “Kaidan Shin-Ear Bag Ruri!” series where a bunch of guys are chasing ghosts.
Shiori no Inmu
シオリノインム 「Shiori no Inmu」
Release Date: August 24th, 2019
Duration: 86 mins.
Director: Amane Sato
Writer: Amane Sato (Script/Original Creator),
Starring: Chihiro Matsukawa, Nagiko Tsuji, Ren Furuya,
Synopsis: Shiori has broken up with her lover and is heartbroken. This is the start of nightly dreams of a mysterious man. These dreams gradually become indecent and bewitch her. However, Shiori’s dream man turns into a nightmare and finally appears in the real world to physically torment her… Chihiro Matsukawa does her first nude and sex scenes in this film…
Beyond Blood 
Release Date: August 25th, 2019
Duration: 92 mins.
Director: Masato Kobayashi
Writer: Masato Kobayashi (Screenplay)
Starring: Alexandre Aja, Beatrice Dall, Julien Maury, Alysson Paradis, Xavier Gens, Coralie Fargeat,
This film has already played at Sitges, amongst other international fests.
Synopsis: Beyond Blood is a documentary by the critic and writer Masato Kobayashi and it looks at the wave of horror films from France in the early 2000s that is called New Wave of French Horror. If you were paying attention to what was happening, it was truly horrific with films like Martyrs and Frontier(s) taking body-horror to new sickening heights.