The film is based on Yasunari Kawabata's 1926 short story The Dancing Girl of Izu. A previous adaptation of the same title had been directed by Heinosuke Gosho in 1933.
It was written by Kaneto Shindō and Shinobu Hashimoto, based on the 1706 play Horikawa nami no tsuzumi by Monzaemon Chikamatsu. [3 ] Film historians regard Night Drum as one of director Imai's major works. [4 ] [5 ] [6 ]