This film was so popular that in the U.S. is was booked into some theaters that normally didn't run foreign language films.
This film was the best-seller among all Zatoichi films, due to Toshiro Mifune's portrayal of Yojimbo.
Current prints have replaced the original Toho logo with the Daiei logo.
Toshiro Mifune's character; Yojimbo, carries two swords. This was a samurai practice known as daisho. Translated this means 'big-little'. The bigger of the two blades was the curved katana. The katana was traditionally used for combat and duelling, while the short sword, or tanto, was used for close quarters fighting but was most commonly associated with the ritual suicide known as seppuku.
In the closing frame the titles say 'Toho 1965', although the film was released in 1970.