ABOUT A PLACE IN THE KINKI REGION Press Notes and Photo Gallery From Warner Bros. Japan

Official Site: https://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/kinkimovie/ (Japan)

My friend has vanished.

Before he disappeared, he was collecting accounts of several mysterious events that reportedly occurred in a certain place in the Kinki region.

I have collected the relevant articles, interviews, and other excerpts in this book. And once you have understood everything, I would like to ask for your cooperation.

I hope you will get in touch.

My friend has vanished.

And something isn't right with this place.

Warner Bros. Pictures Japan has provided press notes and photos for their live-action adaptation of the spine-chilling horror novel About a Place in the Kinki Region (近畿地方のある場所について, Kinki Chiho no Aru Basho ni Tsuite), which is now playing in Japanese cinemas. The film is being marketed internationally under the titles ABOUT A PLACE IN THE KINKI REGION and KINKI.

As urban legends, ghost stories, and paranormal phenomena whispered across the Kinki region converge on a “forbidden land,” director Koji Shiraishi (NOROI THE CURSE, SADAKO VS KAYAKO), a master of mockumentary horror, teams up with Miho Kanno (TOMIE, DEAR FAMILY) and Eiji Akaso (THE GREAT YOKAI WAR: GUARDIANS, 6 LYING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, 366 DAYS) to deliver an unforgettable horror experience.

Introduction

A nationwide sensation! The novel with the intriguing title ihas finally been made into a live-action movie!

You've probably seen the cover of that book that catches your eye at the bookstore. A monochrome scene of a lakeside is cropped, with only the title oddly floating above it. It looks ordinary but isn't, with a strange and mysterious feel... That novel, About a Place in the Kinki Region by author Seisuji and publisher KADOKAWA, has sold over 700,000 copies and is currently causing a sensation nationwide.*

In January 2023, when the first chapter was posted on the web novel site Kakuyomu, reactions such as, “Is this really a fictional story or is it a documentary of real events?” and “Does that place actually exist?” were posted on social media, and heated discussions erupted among readers drawn into the novel's world. It quickly became a sensation, and as the serialization continued, it expanded its fan base, particularly among younger readers, recording over 22 million page views.

When it was published as a single volume in August of the same year, its popularity exploded. About a Place in the Kinki Region became an instant hit, dominating the bestseller shelves in bookstores across Japan and captivating Japanese readers as an uncique work of horror.

When it was published as a standalone book in August of the same year, its popularity exploded. Now, this unique work, which has captivated Japanese readers as one of the most read novels, dominating the bestseller shelves in bookstores nationwide, has been adapted into a live-action film!

*An English edition of the novel will be released in December 2025 by Yen Press.

Story

An editor — recently hired to work on a magazine about the occult— suddenly goes missing..

His friend, freelance writer Chihiro Seno (Miho Kanno), learns that, prior to his disappearance, the editor had been digging through the magazine's archives, pulling old articles and unpublished research materials regarding rumors, urban legends, and ghost stories whose truth or falsity could not be determined. These unsolved cases and strange phenomena included the disappearance of a young girl, a mass hysteria incident involving middle school students, urban legends, and the streaming of a haunted video.

Working with the editor's co-worker, Yusei Ozawa (Eiji Akaso), Chie realizes a terrifying truth... all of these mysteries were connected to a certain place in the Kinki region.

Why did the editor go missing? Where is he now?

When everything is exposed to the light of day, a shocking conclusion awaits.

Details

Release Date: Friday, August 8, 2025 (Japan)
Running Time: 103 Minutes

Cast
Chihiro Seno: Miho Kanno
Yusei Ozawa: Eiji Akaso

Staff
Original Story: About a Place in the Kinki Region by Seisuji (Published by KADOKAWA)

Director: Koji Shiraishi
Screenplay: Tetsuya Oishi, Koji Shiraishi

Screenplay Collaboration: Seisuji

Producers: Kei Kushiyama, Hiroshi Ito

Music: Gary Ashiyama, Shigemori Kohei

Cinematographer: Futa Takagi

Theme Song: “Fair and Square” by Ringo Sheena (EMI Records/UNIVERSAL MUSIC)

Production: “KINKI” Film Partners
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Japan (Japan), Nippon TV (Asia and Middle East)