Love and Honor 2006

Shinnojo Mimura, a low-level samurai, lives with his pretty and loyal wife, Kayo Mimura. He feels stifled by his role as a food-taster for a feudal lord and dreams of opening a kendo school open to boys of all castes. Before he can take action, he falls ill after tasting some whelk sashimi and slips into a coma. An investigation reveals that the poisoning was not the result of a human conspiracy, but simply a poor food choice out of season. After three days, he awakens, only to discover that the toxin has left him blind.

Shinnojo’s family seeks help from his uncle, who laments that he no longer has any influence to lean on and asks Kayo if she knows anyone who might assist. Kayo recalls a possible ally: Toya Shimada, the castle’s chief duty officer and a high-ranking samurai. She tells how Shimada offered aid, but at a price, and that his first offer came with a coercive demand for further trysts, accompanied by threats to reveal the initial incident. The revelation strains the marriage, and Shinnojo, angered by the betrayal, divorces Kayo and orders her to leave the house.

It is soon revealed that Shimada did not actually influence Shinnojo’s stipend; the stipend was a gesture of gratitude from the lord himself. Nevertheless, Shinnojo resolves to reclaim his dignity by mastering the sword again, this time as a blind man, determined to avenge the dishonor toward Kayo. Through his faithful servant Tokuhei, he sends Shimada a message to set up a duel and warns him not to underestimate what a blinded man can do.

The two samurai meet at the stables by the river to decide their fates. In a brutal exchange, Shinnojo severs Shimada’s arm, leaving him horribly disfigured. Shimada survives the moment but refuses to speak of what happened or who injured him. That night Shimada commits seppuku, choosing death over living with the dishonor of a single arm and the unknown truth of the incident.

Tokuhei later reports that a kitchen helper has been found, and after tasting the girl’s cooking, Shinnojo recognizes his wife’s familiar flavors. Realizing the deception and the enduring love between them, Shinnojo invites Kayo back into the house. The two reconcile, agreeing to face the future together with a renewed bond and a shared vow to rebuild their life.