The Hidden Blade

In 1860s Japan, where the old ways were slowly giving way to Western influences, two stalwart samurai, Munezo Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase) and Samon Shimada (Hidetaka Yoshioka), bid a sorrowful farewell to their friend Yaichiro Hazama (Yukiyoshi Ozawa), who was about to embark on a journey to Edo (now Tokyo) under the shogunate's watchful eye. As they parted ways, Katagiri couldn't help but express his concerns about Yaichiro's character and the temptations that lay ahead in the bustling metropolis. His warnings went unheeded, as Yaichiro's desire for sensual pleasures while stationed in Edo was all too apparent.

Meanwhile, back at the Katagiri household, dinner conversations revolved around the family's financial struggles since the untimely demise of Katagiri's father, whose ritual suicide had followed a scandalous discovery on a construction project. The mother, anxious to alleviate their difficulties, floated the idea of marrying off Samon to her own daughter, Shino (Tomoko Tabata), while also acknowledging the presence of Kie (Takako Matsu), the family's literate and etiquette-trained housekeeper, who harbored secret affections for Katagiri. As it turned out, around the same time that Shino married Samon, Kie had wed a merchant and left their employ.

The passage of three years brought with it the loss of Katagiri's mother, leaving him to navigate his own path. A chance encounter in town revealed that Kie was thriving in her new life, but beneath the surface, Shino confided in Katagiri about Kie's miserable circumstances – forced into a life of drudgery and servitude by her husband, Mrs. Iseya (Sachiko Mitsumoto), with no respite from her endless duties. Moved by Kie's plight, Katagiri intervened, insisting that divorce papers be filed and then whisking her away to his own home for convalescence.

As the winds of change swept across Japan, the samurai were compelled to adapt to Western weaponry, a development anathema to the elder members of their clan. News arrived from Edo that government officials had quashed an uprising against the shogun, with Yaichiro's name implicated in the affair. As Yaichiro was brought back to the village in chains, Katagiri's loyalty was tested when Hori (Ken Ogata), the chief retainer, demanded he reveal his friend's supposed co-conspirators. With honor as a samurai at stake, Katagiri refused to betray his friend, earning him dismissal from their midst.

As the narrative unfolds, it becomes evident that Kie has fully recuperated and is once again entrusted with the duties of housekeeper at Katagiri's abode. Though their affection for each other remains palpable, they are acutely aware of the societal chasm between them and conduct themselves accordingly. However, gossip eventually prompts Katagiri to dispatch Kie back to her rural upbringing, where she is reunited with her father.

In a subsequent turn of events, Yaichiro escapes from confinement and takes a family hostage, prompting Hori's demand that Katagiri eliminate the threat. Recognizing Yaichiro's superior swordsmanship, Katagiri pays a visit to their former instructor (Min Tanaka), now a humble farmer, and learns a perilous technique that involves turning one's back on an adversary. The next day, Katagiri arrives at the outskirts of the village and attempts to reason with Yaichiro, who refuses to surrender, citing Hori and the other leaders' incompetence. As the two engage in a duel, Katagiri employs the newly acquired technique to inflict a severe wound, only for Yaichiro to attempt the same maneuver, ultimately falling prey to hidden foot soldiers.

Katagiri's sense of dismay is palpable upon learning of Yaichiro's dishonorable demise. Upon his return to the village, he encounters Yaichiro's bereaved wife (Reiko Takashima), who reveals that she had secretly visited Hori the previous evening and secured a promise from him to spare Yaichiro's life in exchange for her favors – a vow he never intended to keep. Honour-bound by an oath to take her own life should Yaichiro meet his demise, she follows through on her commitment.

As Katagiri grapples with the morality of the situation, he becomes increasingly uncertain about his loyalty. He approaches Hori with his treachery, only for the latter to crudely confess his duplicity. Realizing that the Hazamas were mere pawns in a corrupt system, Katagiri decides to exact vengeance by striking down Hori with a slender blade (known as "the hidden blade" technique), leaving behind minimal bloodstains – a testament to his mastery of this stealthy art.

Katagiri then interred the blade at the Hazama family grave, serving as an act of atonement and relinquishing his samurai status. Resolved to abandon his warrior's path, he departs for the island of Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido), where he intends to forge a new life as a tradesman. However, before embarking on this new chapter, Katagiri visits Kie, now freed from social constraints, and proposes marriage – an offer she graciously accepts. The film concludes with the couple clasping hands atop a hill, lost in contemplation of their future together.