The four vignettes were chosen to represent the four seasons of the year.
The title comes from the book "Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things" by Lafcadio Hearn and is actually a collection of Japanese ghost stories, taken from various sources, some even stemming from China. Originally published in 1904, there are seventeen ghost stories in total, as well as insect studies including butterflies, mosquitoes, and ants. However, only Hoichi the Earless and Woman of the Snow were published in Kwaidan. The Black Hair is based on two stories from Hearn's collection, "Shadowings." In a Cup of Tea was based on a story found in "Kotto: Being Japanese Curios, with Sundry Cobwebs."
The word Kaidan can be translated in English to either "spooky tale" or "ghost story".
In order to achieve an appropriate separation between the four parts of the film, director Masaki Kobayashi shot the film on two separate sound stages. Because of the tight shooting schedule, he would oversee the set design of one vignette on one sound stage while he filmed another on the alternative location.
Despite receiving much critical acclaim, this film received a rather cold reception from American audiences, with feedback from audiences suggested that they preferred horror films with more fast-paced action, scarier monsters, and scares, and lots of special effects. Americans disliked the subtle spookiness, even-pacing, and creepy mood of this film which critics had praised.