The blind
masseur Zatoichi is hired as muscle for the
yakuza Sukegoro (Eijiro Yanagi) as he thinks that war is inevitable with his rival Shigezo (Ryuzo Shimada). Zatoichi has a distinguished reputation as a swordsman and Sukegoro thinks that purchasing his services is money well spent. Shigezo responds by hiring a
ronin of similar repute, Miki Hirate (Shigeru Amachi). Ichi presents himself as a meek, humble man and is commonly underestimated and looked upon suspiciously. His being a masseur, which was a position of low regard in
feudal Japan, merely increases the hostility that is shown towards him. The only person who respects him is Hirate, who as a
ronin understands what it feels like to be an outcast. Though Hirate and Ichi know they must fight when the war begins, they develop a sense of friendship. Hirate is eager to fight Zatoichi, as he is terminally ill with
tuberculosis and wishes to die fighting. As Hirate becomes increasingly sick, Sukegoro takes advantage by ordering an all-out attack on Shigezo and removing Ichi from his payroll. Hirate learns that Shigezo intends to kill Ichi anyway by sniping him with a
tanegashima. The dying warrior drags himself from his bed and pledges to kill Ichi in an honorable manner. Ichi learns from a boy at the temple where Hirate was staying of his intentions, and also learns the reason. After the tense final fight, in which Zatoichi prevails and cuts Hirate down, he rejects the advances of the
yakuza mistress Otane (Masayo Banri), who has become disillusioned with her lifestyle, to continue as a solitary wanderer. ==Cast==