Mitsuko Yamada

In the late afternoon in Kyoto’s Ponto-chō, as Tsuruko, a maiko who had just left Tsurunoya, was crossing a small bridge over the Takase River, a Packard came racing toward her. The car’s wheel hit a puddle, and before Tsuruko had a chance to dodge, a splash landed on her kimono. The college student behind the wheel was Tetsuo, the son of the president of Takagi Industries. Struck by Tsuruko’s charm, he got out of the car to wipe her kimono clean, then accompanied her to a kimono shop, where he bought her an expensive bolt of fabric as a gift.

Tokijiro has the unfortunate duty according to the code of the gamblers to join in the fighting when afforded a night’s stay and meals at the home of a town boss. Though he dislikes killing, the strength of his swordsmanship will be tested time and time again in the bloody tale.

One of the first documentaries to focus on the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the film gives voice to survivors of the atomic bombings and documents the long-term effects of radiation on their lives. Combining testimony with stark images of destruction and recovery, it serves as an early cinematic appeal against nuclear war.