Beatles Came to Japan Once. The Footage Remains Sealed

Some Beatles superfans are likely not feeling fine after a decision by Japan's Supreme Court regarding 50-year-old footage of the Fab Four from when they visited the Land of the Rising Sun. AFP reports that Beatles buffs from Nagoya had tried to get their hands on a 35-minute reel that showed scenes from the group's 1966 one-time tour in Japan, citing its importance as a "historical document." The video had been shot during the Beatles' five-concert tour for security reasons, and cops had been willing to release it—but only if all faces except those of the Beatles were blurred out to protect others' privacy.

The fans argued that five decades had passed, meaning most would be hard-pressed to ID anyone seen in the video. Two lower courts sided against the fans' ask, and the Supreme Court similarly rejected the plea. For now, it looks like devotees will have to be satisfied with photos and conversations about that memorable visit. "The final concert given on July 2 was apparently electrifying," one fan laments. In the meantime, here are some photos from their 1966 visit, courtesy of Rolling Stone. (We'd like to see the footage of that time Paul McCartney got high and "saw God.")