Original subtitles

Tales of Zatoichi

It's almost Spring.

The Coming of Spring

I'm really sorry.

I just want to stay for one night. I can stay in a storage room.

No, I just can't Iet you in here no matter what.

-Look, I have money. -Yes, but...

Today, the daughter of the best silk dealer in Koshu, named Narumiya...

...is staying here with her group. It's written right here as well.

I'm truly sorry about all this.

I don't care if they reserved it.

What an awful thing to do.

What are you doing?

Yes...

I was just Iooking at the Happu mountains.

What about those mountains?

Yes, do you remember a woman named Oume at the store?

Of course. I really Iiked her the most.

Yes, that's right.

You were calling her name all the time as a Iittle girl.

Well, she Iives in Shiozawa village near the foot of the mountain.

I just remembered a rumor going around saying that...

...she's pretty ill.

Head CIerk, don't come into her room and say such things.

Oh, sorry about that.

Come now.

Miss, we prepared some carp for you tonight.

Soubei, I'm going to Shiozawa village tomorrow.

What are you saying all of a sudden?

I heard Oume is pretty ill.

She Iives in Shiozawa village.

I want to see Oume.

Who told you that nonsense?

I'm really sorry. It just slipped out...

You think Oume's illness is bunch of nonsense?

You feel I'm wasting my time by seeing her?

Miss.

PIease think about your situation.

You're the daughter of Denbee Narumiya.

An heiress to the best silk dealer in all of Koshu.

If we were on a sightseeing trip, then I'd have no problems at all.

But we just went to Zenkoji temple to give thanks for the master's recovery...

...from his illness.

We'II get to Kofu in four days.

The master is waiting for our return. You can see Oume another time.

No. I'm going tomorrow. I want you to make the arrangements.

-Yes, but... -You will not!

I want you to Ieave.

I'm really sorry.

PIease eat before dinner gets cold. This area is famous for its carp.

I'm not hungry!

Miss.

I won't eat anything until I see Oume.

You're being fretful again.

I hate you. I hate you all.

I don't want to travel with you, Soubei. I'II go home on my own.

Thanks a Iot.

No good.

Does that head clerk really know what he's doing?

He's the one who brought it up.

If we're going to do it, we have to go three days before they reach Nirasaki.

Ig we can't get anywhere with this tomorrow, I have other plans myselg.

Once we get the girl, we'II be in full control. We can just kill the others.

If we Iet the public see us doing anything harsh, It'II make it harder...

...for us to get the money from Narumiya.

Yasuo, I want you to go back and keep an eye on the Iodge.

-What about you? -I have to prepare for the worst.

I'II go and see boss Kagotome.

Right!

Seems Iike everywhere you go, wicked plots spring up Iike weeds.

He said something about Narumiya.

They must be the ones that reserved the Iodge.

Sir!

I can't seem to find miss Omitsu.

What! She's not around?

Chusuke! Go find her. You too, Osugi.

Hey.

The woman is in Shiozawa village. She went there all by herself.

Shiozawa village? Are you sure?

Yes, I'II be heading there soon.

When you go there, ask for Oume who used to work under Narumiya.

If you had gone to Oume's place, it wouldn't have turned out Iike this.

You don't have to keep telling me that.

Hey, what are you waiting for? Go and find her!

Everyone! Just wait a minute, everyone.

Sir, I know where she went.

What? She went to Shiozawa village?

No, she actually went back to the store in Kofu by herself.

What?

Hey, Palanquin bearer!

One of our fellow workers picked up a pretty girl and headed south.

They were on their way to Kofu nonstop.

Thank you.

Okay, everyone! Let's go after her.

Sir, I'm going to check Shiozawa village just in case.

Thanks. Now everyone, get ready!

Palanquin bearer! Hurry!

You don't need any Iuggage!

Something doesn't seem right.

Did someone beat us to it?

Can't be.

But it seems Iike someone else is after her as well.

Then I'II stick around and see what happens.

I'II be waiting at the Iodge in Usuda.

You're unbelievable.

See you.

No...

Get me that cane.

There. It's right in front of you.

-Where is it? -There! There!

-What? -Right there in front of you!

Just wait a minute.

-That's it, that's it! -Okay, is this it?

Here you go.

Come on, reach out further.

It's not nice to Iaugh when someone makes a blunder.

I didn't know you were blind.

PIus you're dressed real funny.

I don't know who you think you are, but it's not nice to talk Iike that.

Ah, forget it.

Anyway, you're not from around here, are you?

Yes.

I'm from around here.

Even though I'm blind, I can tell by your scent.

Well, you're not from Edo...

What about you? I mean, where are you from, sir?

Ichi.

Just call me Ichi the masseur.

I'm Omitsu.

Omitsu of Narumiya.

Narumiya?

Really?

That silk dealer...

You know about us?

Yes.

-Ichi... -I just know the name.

I want to go to Shiozawa village.

Do you know where it is, Ichi?

That's deep within the mountains.

Where are your followers?

I Ieft the Iodge by myself.

They told me I shouldn't go to Shiozawa village.

Well, you're not going to make it by yourself.

Anyway, I suggest you go back to the Iodge.

I really want to go to Shiozawa village.

Oume is in Shiozawa village.

I heard she's very ill.

Oume...I want to see Oume.

Who is this Oume?

A nanny who raised me.

I can go by myself.

Miss, Miss!

You're going the wrong way...

Miss! Oh great...

Excuse me! Miss!

The spring birds are chirping.

That's a bush warbler.

Bush warblers are called spring birds.

When they chirp, spring arrives.

I see.

Hot and cold.

Coolness of the wind, warmth of the sun.

When you're always traveling...

...the way to tell the changing of the season is by feeling it on your skin.

Hey, the spring bird chirped again.

-You sure the girl went to Shiozawa? -I don't think it's a Iie.

That head clerk said he's going to catch up with us soon. Where is he?

Ichi?

What is it?

Where's the bathroom?

Bathroom?

There's no bathroom this deep in the woods.

Why don't you just do it somewhere around here?

That's very embarrassing!

Then you'II have to hold it in.

Ichi!

-Pardon, which way are you going? -That way.

I guess you couldn't make it through with your Iegs.

I'm fine.

My Iegs are fine, but do you have any money, Ichi?

Well, I have some money.

That's good to hear. Then can you go and get me some food?

I'II pay you back Iater.

You're hungry? AII right then.

I haven't eaten anything since Iast night.

They told me I shouldn't go to Shiozawa village.

So I got angry and didn't eat a thing.

PIease go buy me some food.

What? I can't really get anything from around here.

I tell you what. If you Iike...

...you can have these.

You came prepared. Can I get some chopsticks?

Chopsticks? What are you talking about?

Rice balls taste best when they're eaten with your hands.

Go on.

I'm not eating that without chopsticks.

You eat it Iike this.

Well?

Good, isn't it?

Yes.

UME

She passed away after catching a cold near the end of the year.

She didn't have a family, so the villagers made a grave for her.

Oume...

Oume...

I would've came earlier if I had known about it.

I'm sure Oume can rest in peace since you came to visit her grave.

We all have a certain Iife span, you know.

Don't take it so hard.

Ouch...

-Are you all right? -It hurts...

Is something wrong?

Great...

It Iooks Iike you won't make it to Iwamurata on those Iegs of yours.

If we see a Iodge nearby, we'II stay there for the night.

Yes.

That woman...

Ouch...

Ouch, ouch, ouch...

It hurts.

Ouch, ouch, ouch...

Ouch!

Thank you, miss.

I seem to have slipped on the rocks and sprained my foot.

Ichi...

Can you take a Iook at her?

You know what. We can't take a person that can't walk with us.

-Let's go, Iet's go. -It hurts! It hurts!

-I feel sorry for her. -Omitsu.

PIease take her along.

I won't go if you don't take her.

Oh, miss...

AII right, then.

Let's go, Iet's go. Where does it hurt, miss?

-Right here... -Where? Right here?

Ouch, it hurts.

-PIease carry her. -Okay, okay...

Let's go.

-Oh my, thank you. -Come on.

Thank you so much.

-Miss. -Ouch...

I thought it was your other foot that hurt.

I'm hurting all over the place.

What are you doing? You pervert!

I was checking to see if you have a tail.

You don't have to do anymore, miss.

Don't worry about it.

People are always doing things for me, so it's fun to do things for others.

Oh my...

You're a really nice person.

Ichi is a much better person than I am.

Where did you meet that man?

Iwamurata.

He helped me when I almost got Iost.

He even took me to Oume's village.

He also carried me Iike he did with you.

Here.

Thank you so much.

But you know, miss...

You can't really tell a book by its cover.

You shouldn't trust people after knowing them just one or two days.

No, Ichi is a good person.

Thank you.

Miss, that man is...

There's very few people at the bath. Why don't you come in with me?

Are you kidding? I'm not going to take a bath with you.

I can't see anything, you know.

You can't see me, but I can see you.

I see, then I'II just be on the Iookout.

AII right, miss. Let's go.

I don't believe that.

He's not a murderer.

If you've been traveling constantly Iike I have...

...you see and hear many things.

Zatoichi will do anything for money.

He doesn't care about killing people.

He's notorious among scoundrels.

You have the wrong person.

It's not Ichi.

You just don't know how nice he is, Onobu.

Oh dear, you really Iike him, don't you?

But you'II see.

The only reason he's nice to you is because he wants money.

Ichi isn't Iike that!

I'm sorry, miss.

It's not Iike I hate him.

I'm just afraid something bad might happen to you.

I'm only trying to Iook out for you. PIease understand.

Yes, I understand.

But Ichi is not Zatoichi. You probably mistook him gor someone else.

If you really want to find out for sure...

...you should go check his cane.

If he is Zatoichi, his cane will reveal a sword. A very deadly cane.

-Okay, that'II be all. -Thanks.

Everyone.

It was a nice bath.

Did your foot heal up?

Yes.

Looks Iike the bath here really works wonders.

Thanks to the bath. I heard it's much better than a massage.

Here is your tea, sir.

Thank you so much. Really.

A cane is vital to a blind man. You shouldn't touch it without asking.

Well, thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

I guess I'II go take a bath now.

Ichi.

Yes?

Don't they smell good? I thought you might Iike them, so I picked them.

Thank you very much. Where did you get them?

They're everywhere. Like a yellow rug on the field.

I wish I could show it to you.

Really? So picked them from that place?

Yes, that's right.

Omitsu, you see... these rape blossoms are...

...crops that the farmers value greatly.

They squeeze the seeds to get oil. It's an important crop.

So you shouldn't be picking these as if they were yours.

Now you go back there to the farmers and tell them...

...you're sorry and apologize.

Go on now. Go.

But they had Iots of it. We'II just give them some money instead.

Go pay them, Ichi.

Paying them money isn't going to do it.

It's an important crop to the garmers. You have to tell them you're sorry.

Omitsu, even though you're a beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant...

...if you can't say you're sorry, then you're not going to be a good wife.

I don't have to apologize to anyone.

Do you really mean it?

Yes.

I really mean it.

You might be wealthy, but there is...

...nothing worse than a dishonest woman.

You don't have to come with me.

I can go back by myself.

I know about you.

You want to come with me. If you come along, you can get a reward.

You didn't even show me your cane.

I guess Onobu was right. You're really Zatoichi.

Well?

Now you know the truth.

He Iegt agter you revealed his identity. That's Zatoichi's true nature.

You have nothing to worry about.

We only spent half a day together, but I feel like you're my younger sister.

Leave it to me, all right?

Who the hell are you?

Oh, I heard that voice by Iwamurata's Rokujizo statues Iast night.

Looks Iike you boys didn't get Narumiya's daughter yet.

What did you say?

Listen to this masseur's wisecrack.

If you know that much, then we can't Iet you Iive.

One, two! One, two! One, two! One, two...

That wicked woman... where's she taking her?

Well?

-Evens. -Odds.

Go place a bet.

I won!

Well Iisten, I'II be willing to help you depending on your situation.

You're offering a reasonable gift in return, right?

That will be unimaginable.

We're dealing with Narumiya. The best silk dealer in all of Koshu.

-Maybe 5,000 or 10,000 ryos... -What did you say?

5,000 or 10,000 ryos?

We'II kidnap his daughter while she's on her way back grom Zenkoji temple.

We came all the way from Nagano to get the ransom from her father.

I see.

We were told that she went to Shiozawa village by herself.

So we Ieft here yesterday morning.

We went to Shiozawa village and waited for her.

But some weird pest came along with her.

Well, it's deep in the mountains. You got poisonous insects and pit vipers.

What kind of pest was it?

-It was a masseur. -What?

I know it's embarrassing, but that masseur got us good.

-But you got stung pretty bad there. -No, Boss, the masseur got in our way.

Masseur? You mean Iike this?

He was unbelievably strong. He took us out in an instant.

We were wrong to have fought him in the dark. He's used to darkness.

But if we fought him in the daylight...

Fight him in the daylight? That's nonsense.

Country yakuza Iike you can't beat him.

You calling me a country yakuza?

No, I'm talking about these boys.

That masseur is Zatoichi.

Zatoichi?

I have something to talk about with boss Kagotome.

Miss!

That girl...

Miss.

Come.

Boss Tomegoro, this is the daughter of Narumiya.

-Boss, I'd Iike to talk in private. -Sure, sure.

Come this way, miss. Get outta here, you fools.

Come on now.

-Damn it! She snatched her away! -Hey.

She outsmarted you. Give it up.

-But... -ln life, there's always someone better.

-You bastard! -Don't make a fuss over it.

I'II give you some spare change.

Wow, thanks for coming.

Now that you're here, make yourself at home.

Look at you. You're a pretty cute girl.

Well, of course, right, Miss?

Boss Kagotome is a good person, isn't he?

He will take you back to Kofu safely. Right, Boss?

Of course, of course.

Oh my...

What's wrong? You have a stomachache?

I want to go home. PIease take me home right now.

We can't take you back right now.

We have some things to take care of.

You're an important money... I meant girl.

We first contact Narumiya and wait for them to reply.

Then things get much more complicated.

You don't need to contact them. I'm sure they're worried about me.

AII you have to do is take me home. PIease get the palanquin bearers.

You see, we can't do that. Right, Onobu?

Yes, that's right. Miss, you'II be home very soon.

Let's just take it nice and slow.

I want to go home. PIease take me home.

Take that!

Nisaburo, what are you doing to our precious item?

You're too nice, Boss.

Listen, you should be Iucky you're still alive.

If you weren't Narumiya's daughter, we would've sold you to a brothel.

That's right, that's right.

Got it?

If you keep complaining, we're going to have to hurt you.

That's right, that's right.

Onobu, I'm scared...

I guess it got to you, huh?

Don't worry.

We need you in order for us to get the money from Narumiya.

I won't Iet them harm you.

Then, you're in this, too?

Of course.

Why else would I take care of a spoiled kid Iike you?

But this is all because you played along with my charade.

If I get the money, I'II settle down with the man I Iike.

He's a gambler named Shimakichi from Abiko. A really good looking man.

He's here in Usuda.

He'II be very happy.

Don't feel bad.

We gollow her around gor three days and all we get is some Ioose change?

Next time I see that woman, she's gonna get it.

Brother, are we just gonna sit back and do nothing?

Can't we do something about it?

-You can't do anything about it. -What?

Oh, well, well, hello.

Let's try and value our Iives.

Yes!

That was close.

Hey...

Move it!

No!

What are you doing? I thought we had an agreement!

What agreement?

You bring the girl all on your own and now you're asking us for money?

-Then give me back the girl! -Try to take her back on your own!

Damn it!

-Let's go! -Yes.

You just wait! Onobu of Oiwake isn't going to back down that easily.

You'II pay for this...ouch...

Looks Iike they got you too.

You're a very cruel person.

Are you going to kill me?

I don't kill women.

-PIace a bet. -I'm betting 3 on evens.

Odds, odds.

Ready? Here we go.

I win again.

It's just not my day.

Ready? Let's keep going.

-Who the hell are you? -Yes, I'm a masseur.

I don't need a masseur. I'm not that old.

Well, the boss called for my service.

-He's in the back. -I see.

Evens!

-Evens! -Evens!

That's an odd.

Huh? What?

Excuse me, where is the room of your boss?

-To the back and around the corner. -Oh I see, thank you.

Someone called for a masseur?

Yeah, that's why he's here.

How much do you think they'II pay us?

I don't think they'II pay 5,000 or 10,000 ryos.

Boss.

They're the best silk dealer in Koshu.

Really?

Who is it?

I'm a masseur.

Masseur? I don't need a masseur. Who Iet you in here anyway?

Boss, I know you don't need a masseur.

I came here so I could talk to you.

Well, I heard that the daughter of Narumiya is here.

Since it's not good for her to stay in a place filled with scum Iike you...

...I came by to get her out of here.

What the hell is this masseur saying?

-Daughter of Narumiya? -Yes.

And you are?

People call me Zatoichi.

Zatoichi?

Boss, maybe you shouldn't be so greedy.

I think you're better off being a palanquin bearer.

You bastard!

Nisaburo, say something!

Instead of talking...

...we can do this!

I'm telling you to go get Omitsu.

Get the girl!

Hurry up!

Hey, pour me some sake.

Yes, yes, yes.

Ichi.

You have nothing to worry about now.

Thanks for the treat. Now Iet's go.

Hey, the guests are Ieaving. Get their sandals.

Yes.

-Hey, young man. -Yes.

PIease tie the strings on my sandals.

Yes.

Hey, tie them up real good, so they don't come Ioose. Got it?

Yes!

Ichi!

Ichi!

AII right, all right, Ichi.

Stop! Drop your sword, boys!

I'm sorry. I'II withdraw, so please Iet me go. AII right?

Just pretend nothing happened and Iet me go.

Omitsu?

Omitsu?

Take that Kagotome. Now the 5,000 ryos can be ours.

Now we can be husband and wife.

Thanks for everything, Onobu.

Oh, stop it. Forget the formalities.

I'm thanking you.

My dear...

I don't need you anymore.

What?

I'II say that I saved the girl from Kagotome.

After I take good care of her, I'll marry her and be part of Narumiya's family.

Don't feel bad.

Damn you!

Generally, I'd Iet things pass by.

But I can't Iet you get away after what you just did.

You...

You must be Zatoichi.

Anyone can do this.

But this is where it gets difficult.

Try moving an inch and you'II be shooting out blood from your body.

Oh! Miss! This way!

Miss!

Miss!

I'm glad you're safe.

I'm sorry to see you Iike this.

You're safe now.

I'm glad. I'm really glad.

-Miss! -Miss!

Miss!

Miss...

Ichi...

...I'm sorry.

I'm sorry!

I'm sorry!

To Be Continued...

To Be Continued...

In order to exact revenge on Zatoichi for killing their boss...

...the two remaining members of the family challenge Ichi to a duel.

At the same time, their uncle, the big boss, tries to...

...become their guardian and appears before them.

But Ichi went to the duel as promised, and...

Tune in for the next episode, "Way of the Yakuza".

Way of the Yakuza

See you next time!