In a castle town in Oshu, the tyrannical Hikoemon Nomura keeps his second wife, Otoku, confined indoors. When Hikoemon’s brother Seijirō tries to assault Otoku and is stopped by the servant Jihei, he accuses them of an affair. Enraged, Hikoemon blinds Jihei and kills Otoku. Surviving, Jihei swears revenge and reappears seven years later at the Tone River crossing.