The 2002 supernatural horror film Ju-on: The Grudge was directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film was actually the third installment of the Ju-on series but was the first to be theatrically released. Like Ringu, Ju-on: The Grudge had an American remake called The Grudge in 2004, but the Westernized version was also directed by Takashi Shimizu. Luckily, the remake maintained Shimizu's taste in directing and was a major success.

In Ju-On: The Grudge, a grisly murder left its mark on a house in Tokyo long after the deadly events took place. When a new family moves in, they find themselves emotionally influenced and possessed by the strong emotions and spirits left behind in the home.

Ju-On: The Grudge earns a spot in this list for its well-done elements of storytelling and unique ghost story. The scene where Kayako's ghost crawls in a bone-cracking manner down the stairs while emitting a terrifying death rattle has become an iconic image in Japanese horror. The thought of inadvertently touching a cursed space whose darkness will follow you even if you leave is definitely terrifying.