The Witches of the Orient

Take a journey back in time to meet the former stars of the post-war national Japanese women’s volleyball team. Now in their 70s, they used to be known as the “Witches of the Orient” because of their seemingly supernatural powers on the courts. From the formation of the squad in the late 1950s, as a workers’ team at a textile factory, right up until their triumph at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, their memories and true magic from long ago bubble up into a heady brew where fact and fable fly hand in hand. Buoyed by a sporty narrative that scores extra points for its inventiveness, musical prowess and energetic editing, “The Witches of the Orient” is a testament to the team’s collective strength of character – an endearing group of women who became pop-culture icons before their opponents knew what hit them.