A Story from Chikamatsu

Nothing is more unpredictable than a person’s fate

Set in 17th century Japan and based on a play by Chickamatsu Monzaemon.

Set in 1693 during a period of rigid feudal hierarchy and strict social customs, the film unfolds in the estate of a miserly scroll maker named Ishun.

Ishun's wife, Osan, is approached by her ne'er-do-well brother who needs money. Knowing that there is no way that Ishun will agree to the loan, Osan turns instead to her husband's most trusted clerk for help.

A series of mistakes and misunderstandings lead to Ishun believing that his wife and his clerk are having an illicit affair. The two flee, first to Osaka then to the mountains around Lake Biwa.

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