It's turning!
The Black Tide.!! Is turning!
The Black Tide?
Yes!
Why do you say such a thing?
I just.!
Your advice, please, Sir Tomizo, given your knowledge of this island.
The fishermen say,
when the Black Tide draws near Hachijo Island,
it brings big hauls of bonito and flying fish!
This means, the Black Tide
shifts, drawing closer, then farther from our island.
Just once, I'll show you this.
This is!!
The precious Inou's map, banned by the government.
And this, is a map I made
of the Izu region's seven islands!
Edo lies in this direction!
If I could, I'd show the map to the local islanders,
to help sustain them,
but if it I'm found with it I face certain punishment.
I will not inquire after your plans!
However, gazing out as you do, at the wind and the tide,
day after day from your vantage point,
one can't avoid drawing certain conclusions.
But no exile has ever pinched a boat,
and escaped to freedom!
You need strength, to cross the Black Tide,
and even if you could drift with that tide,
its immense force ensures a watery grave.
However, come July,
the Black Tide hits the island just so
and vast schools of flying fish bless Aigae Bay.
The Black Tide, usually between, 80 and 120 km wide,
shrinks by half, you see.
You understand?
If a southerly wind arose just then.!
Ochiyo, just a little while more.
Bear it!
Denzo! Denzo.!
Hurry, you'll miss the boat.
Yes!
Denzo san,
don't leave me behind, don't leave me!
Must you leave now? Why not await the next boat?
Oh, I would with all my heart, but my mother's gravely ill in Edo.
Denzo.!
Yes!
I'm so sorry!
Tell her when things settle down, I swear I'll come to get them.
Oh, no, no, you must be strong.
Denzo san.
You're feeling much better.
So it was you playing the shamisen!
I like to listen when you sing ballads!
I first heard you sing a ballad,
when Ochiyo and I were gathering wild herbs in the hills.
You were singing as you went down the mountain!
Ever since, I've moved downwind
to play my shamisen quietly!
I see!
Sing!
Sing, now. I'll accompany you!
I'm off!
Thank you for your kindness!
Kisaburo san.
You're planning to steal a boat and escape, aren't you?
Isn't that why you study the tides from that position?
Whatever do you mean?
Stop.
I wish to thank you!! For saving my life.
It wasn't me who saved you!
It was Otoyo!
You have to stop!! Always favoring!!!
Sister Otoyo!
It's not fair!
Take me to Edo, too.
Stop, you've invented it all!
I'm not escaping.
Why do you like that old hag?
Let me be your woman,
take me to Edo!
I'm not going to Edo!
And whether she's old, or anything else,
it's Otoyo I love.
Liar!!
You're just lying!
She's!!
No better than a cheap slut.!
She's.! My wife.
No, don't go!
I mean it, I'm really in love with you!
Bastard! Devil take you.!
Is that you, brother?
Hey, are you OK? What's wrong?
It's you, Kacho.
Where's Kisaburo?
Not here today!
Liar.
I know he's with sister Otoyo. Get him.
Oh, no, you're drunk!
Get him.
Sister's entertaining a customer! Take a peek, if you doubt me!
I feel!! Awful!
Oh, no, no!! You're hopeless.
What a wreck. Hey, Tome, Chuta! You carry her!
You want to visit Kisaburo's shack?
Will you come play with me?
Will you all come play with me?
You're just full of drunken jests.
You're wrong.
I can make you feel a hundred times better!!
Than sister Otoyo does.
I'll come, I'll come!
We'll take her home.
Not so fast!
I'll!! Go with you!
The fools!
Is it all right? Shouldn't we tell sister Otoyo?
Leave her be!
"To each his own as they say!
She's decided to survive on whoring,
and no one can stop her.
What a shame,
she was working so hard! What happened to her?
This is the Devil's own island.
There's no telling what will possess you or when!
I feel awful!!
Here's some water!
No, no!!
What the hell!
You have to.!
Give me the water from your lips.
Take turns!
Caress me, each of you
and rescue me.!
Listen.
If something happens and I'm likely to die,
would anyone die with me?
Sure, I'll die with you any day, Kacho.
Liar.
I'm not lying!
I don't mind dying!
Besides, there's another awful famine coming!
That's right.
I'll die with you, too!
And you, Tobei san?
Not interested?
So you don't much like me, then.
That's not true!
You don't like me, don't come back.
Why on earth wouldn't I like you?
So you will die with me?
Sure!
I'd die with you any day.
Liar.
You're just a bunch of lushes!
It's true!
I'm not lying!
Really?
You really mean it?
I won't!!
Have to.! Die alone?
Yeah, I promise.
In that case.!
Come with me to Edo.
Eat your fill of delicacies,
and enjoy life with me!
Go to sleep, sweet child,
Go to sleep to the whir of the loom
Go to sleep...
Escape by boat!! That's terrifying.!
Ochiyo, you're the only person I want to take along!
But two women and a baby can't manage a boat.
Any word from Denzo san?
Then all the more reason for you to go to him!
He's the papa! Don't you want to show him?
Of course.
I long for Denzo san to hold my baby.
In that case,
let's go, together!
We're escaping, escaping.
Don't drop it, don't drop it!
Get down here!
Get in.
Everyone aboard? Let's go!
This is useless, we can't even slip between currents, let alone
cross the Black Tide!
Shut up, we know that.
Listen, brother, they don't even know we're gone yet!
Let's turn back!
You fool, fishermen rise early.
They're raising a ruckus over their stolen boat, by now!
Stop dawdling and start rowing.!
Better ride the tide here,
and scoot behind the island!
You fool, that'll just set us back towards yesterday.!
Don't fall apart now!
Our boat's gone!
Rifles, they've got rifles!!
It's hopeless. I don't want to be shot to death!
You fool!
If they catch us, we'll all get the Roll Off!
That's right, we all promised we'd die with Kacho, didn't we?
Ochiyo, you're a native islander, you can swim back from here!
I must save you and the child!
Tie this to the baby as a float!
But this is your.!!
Forget it, hurry.
Now be gone!
Hurry now, go.!
Stand up, hurry!
Now!!
Catch the tide! Hurry, get away from Ochiyo.!
They'll escape on the tide.
Don't worry, we'll catch up quick!
Fire!!
Kill them!
Fire!!
Tobei!
Shit.
Brother Tobei.
Tobei!
Riflemen.
Fire!!
Ochiyo!! Dear Ochiyo!!
Restrain him!
What's wrong!! Bring him up the line!
Lord Okubo!
Please hear my plea. Let me prepare Kacho for death.
Prepare her for death?
It won't take but a moment! I want to dress her in this, please.
What's this? This Kihachijo cloth is mighty fine!
I'm begging you.
This belongs to you?
Why such finery.!
Kacho is the only other woman on the island,
who comes from the red-lantern quarters!
They made her their slut when she was only 16!
At least let her be beautiful as she is dying!
I beg of you, sir!
All right.
But be quick about it.
Oh, thank you, sir, thank you, sir!
Sister.
Ochiyo made it. The baby's fine, too.
We're looking after her, so don't you fret.
I promise I'll get her to Edo and take her to Denzo!
So you're!!
I couldn't decide, but I have now!
Before,
didn't you say you wanted to apologize to your folks?
Yes!
That's why you escaped?
Well, I promise I'll go see them,
and tell them what you felt!
Tell me where they live.
Sister!!
Have you anything!! Anything to leave behind?
This.!
My mother gave it to me when I entered the quarters!
Sister.
I'm!! So frightened!!!
It was a hard life!
But it's finished now.
After this, there'll be no more pain, no more hardship.
Come now, your dignity.
When I die, I'll really become a bird,
and I'll soar above the Black Tide, too.
And then,
I'll go to my mother and father
and they will embrace me and welcome me home!
Hey, cook the potatoes.
So, you absolutely refuse to reconsider?
Wherever sister may go,
she'll always be in my heart.
She will always be with me!
I won't be lonely!
Besides,
there's someone here who needs me with him!
If I were to leave his side,
I know he'd die of sorrow.
I hope you two
can enjoy a real cherry blossom festival.
The beautiful blossoms
will cascade as in a dream!
Sister.
Please, please, at last!!
Find your happiness!
Sister.
How is it, brother?
It's fine, hurry, Kame!
Here we go!
Oh, gods Oh, Buddha,
please bestow a miracle upon us!
Not a miracle, brother.
I've studied the winds and tides forever for this day.
We can make it, we can!!
We'll traverse hell!
I see it. I see it.
.! The Boso!! The Peninsula.
Land, I see land!
Sister, thank you so much for everything!
Thank you so much!
Please be well!
You men, too.
Kisaburo, thank you!
Kame, Sakichi, we're off!
Ochiyo, you bring him up well!
This is where we part, Ochiyo. Kobikicho's just ahead!
I thank you!!! From the bottom of my heart!
Ochiyo, you and your baby died once at sea!
So don't pay any mind to anyone. You deserve your happiness!
Yes!
And for Kacho's sake, too.
"Wanted Gonroku"
'Kamezo"
"Sakichi"
"Kisaburo"
"Toyogiku"
It's no good.
I have a friend in Shimonoseki, in Choshu!
We'll find refuge there for a while.
We can deliver Kacho's comb after things have settled down, right?
I can't go!
What are you saying?
I'm so glad you took a woman like me and called me your wife.
It's more than enough for me!
You go by yourself!
Don't be daft.
Once we get to Shimonoseki, we'll never make it back to Edo!
I made a promise to that girl.
Even if we did escape,
and I could stay with you,
I'll never find happiness unless I deliver
her message and her comb!
All right.
But as soon as we've done that,
we make straight for Shimonoseki! And then!!
If we manage to welcome a new spring,
we'll view the cherry blossoms, just as Hikaru said!
It'll be the real thing, this time!
Under a real, big cherry tree!
We'll have our own private wedding ceremony!
All right?
Excuse me, which is the Kinoshita's place?
The fourth rowhouse after you turn left!
I'm off, then!
Will you be back late?
I should be home early.
Then, do you mind stopping at the fishmonger's?
All right.
Ochiyo!!
We cannot thank you enough!
Now our child's spirit can rest in peace!
We should go!!
Oh, no, you mustn't!
You came so far, let us repay you, for our daughter's sake.
We don't have much, but I'll fix some food up for you!
Please, please, take your time!
At least don't leave without
having a cup of sake.
Thank you, but we must be going.
I beg you!
She's gone to the next life. Let me hear,
just a little more about my daughter.
She was sentenced to death,
but she was our only daughter!
Please, please.!!
Get to the Magistrate's office on the double.
They're both fugitives with prices on their heads.
Their tale of pardon is a whopping lie!
I'm sure that they deceived our daughter.
I've seen their likenesses posted by the Magistrate's office.
You were planning all along!!
Thanks to her arson,
we never got the money the geisha house owed to us!
Sending us folks who had prices on their heads,
was a last act of kindness for her parents, you see?
Ouch!
You damned fool! Don't bite me!
If you can't see what you're not meant to,
what do unseeing eyes see instead?
Sister.
What is it?
I hear the sea moaning.
A horrible sound!
Don't, it's bad luck!
They tricked us!
Some parents. Of course they'd sell off their only daughter!
I'll hold them off somehow while you escape!
Why? We promised to stay together to the end!
We'll be together in the next world.
But I want you to be free now, if only for a moment!
What's the point of freedom without you?
I want to see you pardoned.!
I'm so happy!
But, it's enough. I'm satisfied!
Now I understand, at last! I longed for this darkness.
I'm so happy I met you.
I can't imagine a better place to die.
We'll be married in the next world!
All right!
It hurts!
Otoyo!
Idiot!
Do Edo whores sell their milk for a living, simpleton.
I'm sorry.
She's got a brat!
Adds to her charm, no?
They're flaunting a captive whore who escaped exile.
They say she's a real looker!
What the.!
Move! Please move! Let me pass!!
Sister Toyogiku!
Be gone!
Directed by Okuda Eiji
English subtitles: Linda Hoaglund