Civil War is over, as are the excesses of the Genroku Era. The superficiality of times past has left its mark on the populace who now wish to enter into a new era of sound values. Rain falls, waters rise. A group of travelers, impeded in their journey by a flooding river, takes refuge in a small country inn. Ihei Misawa, a Ronin, a samourai with no lord or master who excels in the art of combat, and his wife Tayo, are amongst the group. She lives for her husband; he, to help his fellow man. The rain is incessant and pressure builds amongst the travelers. Ihei decides to challenge the master samourai of the region to fight in exchange for money and food. His victory enables him to invite all the inn’s residents to a banquet, and puts him in a commanding role. Ihei, who’s never had much luck with his previous work, could not have hoped for better, but the master samourai of Lord Shigaki’s court consider him an impostor and that his position should belong to one of them. During a fighting lesson organised by Lord Shigaki, in which Ihei demonstrates the mastery of his art before all the court, Shigaki is accidentally injured, to his great annoyance. Upon discovering that Ihei fights for money, Shigaki’s advisors inform Ihei that he cannot expect to keep his position as combat master. Tayo rushes in and explains that her husband only does this in order to help people in need. The couple then decide to continue on their way. Lord Shigaki, getting wind of this conversation, decides to go after them…
