Due to an event in his past, Zatoichi won't draw his sword on a certain day every year. That day has arrived. His enemies, however, have no such restriction. Now he must try to survive the day.
A roadside statue of some significance needs to be moved. Its popularity means that there's lots of money to be made in its new location. Two different bosses want their territories to be its new home and they'll do anything to get it.
Zatoichi is smitten by an older pretty woman, but she despises him for what he did to her brother. Zatoichi ends up pursuing her and ends up having to deal with a pimp who sells poor farmer's daughters to the local gang boss.
Zatoichi has been hired to help fight a war between two yakuza gangs, but they are stopped by a man who claims they can't fight because the land they are on is a bird and hunting ground.
Zatoichi meets a young woman named Okiku at a river trying to commit suicide by hanging. He rescues her from some gang members and end up traveling together. They stay at an inn and end up having feelings for each other.
Zatoichi comes across a former sumo wrestler who wants to be his gambling disciple and his purse suffers from trying to feed the wrestler. A planned sumo championship is derailed by local yakuza.
One gang wants to kill Zatoichi. Another wants to get rid of the herb doctor who may interfere with their business. They hire a marksman to kill Zatoichi.
Zatoichi meets a young woman disguised as a ronin on her quest to kill a yakuza boss. But the disguise doesn't fool the lecherous boss or his jealous wife. Zatoichi slaughters almost everyone.
Zatoichi meets a drunken ex-convict, who gives him a lottery ticket. The ex-con goes back to his village only to find his home life is not the way he left it.
Yakuza stab the passenger of a palanquin they believe is Zatoichi only to find it is a woman carrying a baby. Zatoichi undertakes to carry the baby to its father. On the way he enlists an unscrupulous woman to help take care of the baby.
Zatoichi spares an attacker who begs for his life. He gives him money, tells him to be an honest man, and says he will visit him at his shop. But the man is slain as soon as Zatoichi walks away.
Zatoichi finds his old boss Chuji whom he and others considered a god, but who has fallen from grace. Zatoichi tries to get him on the right path again.
A hit man is hired to kill two men carrying a petition to Edo as Zatoichi is passing. The governor arrives at the wedding party of Zatoichi's hosts and inserts himself in the wedding ceremony uninvited. All is not as it seems.
It's the 3 year festival in Itabana and good food is in demand. Zatoichi's traveling companion recommends the restaurant Fukube, but the food doesn't measure up and he gives it a cutting review.
Zatoichi hears a couple expressing their undying devotion to each other. She sells herself into prostitution to pay her lover, Sentaro's debt. But Zatoichi's new prostitute companion is also waiting for Sentaro to come back.
A Goze (blind woman musician) is cast out of her association for falling in love with a man in violation of the Goze rules, but the man's family will not accept her.
Zatoichi returns to the home village that he left many years ago. The head priest there convinces him to end his violent ways and become a priest instead. Will his many enemies leave him in peace?
