An OKUDA Eiji film
It's coming in.
The sea's moaning and howling,
as it comes into me.
Move out!
Quite a spectacle!
Tonight!! Be gone!
I get all stirred up after a Roll Off!
Not now.! The sea's moaning.
Huh? What's moaning?
Their terrible eyes beseech me
from beneath the waves!
In that case, you owe them heartfelt gratitude!
The spoils from selling them out
will get you back to Edo.
What?
Let's have rice porridge from those vittles the sister whored for.
You cook it!
Porridge, porridge... Let's eat
The spring boat!
Let a young beauty come hither,
with the perfume of Edo 's splendor.!
I saw it in a dream!
What?
A young beauty's coming on this next boat.
There goes Kame with his tall tales.
We've seen nothing of the sort these past few years.
It was a prophetic dream! Me first.
Hey wait! If she's a beauty, we all get a go!
Off we go.
Hey, wait! Wait!!
Sister.
Wouldn't it be fine to return to Edo at last on that ship?
I'm sure it's arrived.! Your pardon!
Get out!
Matsuzaka Keiko
Nishijima Kazuhiro
Ozawa Mayu Ito Mariya
Nezu Jinpachi
Okuda Eiji
Move it!
Walk.
Screenplay: Narushima Izuru
Director of Photography: Ishii Hirokazu
Music: Saegusa Shigeaki
Production Designer: Takeuchi Kouichi
Costume Design: Torii Yuki
Art Supervisor: Kimura Takeo
Behind him, Nikichi. This one's Hyozaemon.
I'm going.
What harm did you do, to be sent here?
What?
What harm did you do?
Gambling.
That so?
In that case, you'll be stuck on this island at least thirty years.
You didn't know?
Alongside killing and arson, gambling's a serious crime!
But if you're blessed with fortune,
you might win a pardon!
Better wait patiently!
Thirty years!!
Right over there.
This'll shelter you from wind and rain for the while.
Exile's got its advantages, you see.
Sure beats being caged up for decades!
Hachijo Island's a veritable paradise!
The one who lived here?
Died last year. Used to guard the temple graves!
Terrible famine. Killed hundreds!
Nikichi, from your wife at home!
Otoki.!
I hereby name those Lord Uesugi has pardoned.
Chikada Torataro, vassal
to Sengoku Michinosuke, pardoned! That's all.
You're the only one!
Woe is me.
Grandma, let's go!
Hey there, Toyogiku!
One, the rules of exile!
In addition to preceding decrees of prohibition,
exiles shall strictly observe all village elders's decrees,
and those who are peasants shall assist in the farming,
always endeavoring to avoid dependence
on villagers' aid!
Affirming the aforementioned,
in the event an exile should commit evil in violation of these rules,
he will be punished accordingly, upon joint consideration!
Exiles should study and remember this.
1838, Year of the Cock, New Years.
Each of you will see to your own welfare, understood?
Kisaburo of Sahara.
"Peasant - Sahara Kisaburo"
'Each of you will see to your own welfare!!
And yet life on this island is hard.
I advise you to study the villagers' ways closely.
Understood?
Hey, young man.
Are you steady on your feet?
Huh?
I'm a monk,
but I hate sutras and love gambling!
When they're hollering ' Even!! ' "Odds!
And the dice spin so smartly in the jar.
When the jar's face down on the tray, it's ' Even" and "Odds,"
and I'll never get enough of it.
But I raped a woman and they exiled me here.
Once you've pitied a wench, it's all over!
Think they'll let me into heaven when I die? Probably not!
Fine, fine, this is good.
Thank you, thanks.
Hey, young men.
It's you, Koheiji!
It's been a long while. Still alive?
Please!
What, that's all?
That's all?
Don't say that!
I can't go to the mountains or the sea!
I pity you, but rules are rules! Go home.
Please!
I haven't eaten in days now! I beg you!
Bring him in!
Oh, Otoyo san.
You've been awful scarce, Koheiji!
Otoyo san!! Otoyo san!
Carry him!
Say there,
you came on the last boat. Are you joining us?
No!! I just lugged him here!
I see! He was quite a burden.
- Get inside, c'mon! - I know, I know.
Otoyo san!
There's no hurry, now!
Make him some porridge.
Hei san!!
You're getting nice and hard!!
C'mon, make love to me.
Brother, can you pass me some firewood?
Thank you!
Sister?
Brother, can you come please?
Sister!!
Men!! Are such fools!
Still hankering after a woman in his condition!
Suddenly.!
He went all quiet on me.!
Hei san!!
If only I'd known!!
I really would've let you!
I'll let you do it,
so come back!
Brother!
Make love to me!
Make love to me.! Instead of Hei san.
And let him die in peace.
Don't!!
I'm scared.
We're all going to die!
I refuse!!
I'll never die here!
I swear.!! I swear I'll make it back to Edo!
What the hell are you doing!! You're a man! Act like one!!
Cut it out!
Brother, you can find comfort
in sister's arms because you're such good friends.
But most of those exiled to this island
haven't known such comfort in decades!
They haven't got the money to purchase her charms,
let alone enough to eat.
How is such a man!!
Supposed to go on living?
But that's no reason for you to play the slut!
Still.!
It's so pitiable,
comforting yourself.
You've only been here a few months!
Think of the long, long, months and years that lie ahead.
That prospect!!
Makes you want to die.
It's so sad and lonely,
it makes you want to die!
I'm as much of a slut as you.
Why certainly, proper folks would deem us worthless scum!
But still!! Some among them!!
Worship and cherish this man here like a regular Bodhisattva.
What's the harm in that?
Even birds steer clear!!
Of this devil's island of ours!
So these are fireworks.
A veritable flower of fire!
It's beautiful, blooming brightly in the night sky.
The big river fills with boats, the banks with crowds.
It's quite the spectacle.
And then, and then? Tell me all about Edo, the capitol.
Let's see now,
the cherry blossom festival's popular!
I remember I went to see the Yoshino cherry blossoms as a child.
It was so beautiful.
I've never been to a real cherry blossom festival.
They just planted cherry trees at the gates to the red-lantern quarters,
and we courtesans had to parade for the guests! It was just so sad.
Which is why!! When I make it back to Edo,
I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the blossoms.
Have a drink, sing a song!!
Take....
the vows.!
Settle down...
for good!!
You can sing!
How beautiful!
Have you.! Got yourself a wife?
Is that so? If you don't mind my age,
I'm happy to be your wife as long as you're here.
Don't jest!
I'm not jesting.
Just before you arrived, the sea was moaning and howling,
telling me something would change.
After a while here, you understand the wind and the waves.
Which waves foretell what's coming,
which winds reveal what's to unfold!
So it was you!
I couldn't fathom who'd add this classy touch!
"When the cactus flowers bloom, they'll bear news of pardons."
A proverb born of exiles' single- minded longing for home!
I can think of no greater tribute!
I'm sure his spirit is gratified!
That is Koheiji's grave.
Did you know him?
We met, as his life ended.
Indeed.
Blossoms foretelling pardons on an exile's grave.
I make the rounds of these graves, but I never thought of it.
What is that?
I've been considering making a book of this island's history!
It's my research!
I'm here examining the graves of those
who died in famines, last year's and others!
So many taken by famine.
The authorities will punish me if they learn of my map!
A secret!
I'm Kondo, an exile in Mitsune Village!
Feel free to call at anytime!
Depending on how you look at it, it's not so bad, is it?
From now on, I can make your case directly to the authorities!
That means you'll get your pardon before you know it!
Why the face? C'mon, now.
I'm sad that you can't go back to Edo with me, too.
But my long hard haul here is over!
Pour me a cup to celebrate!
That's right.
Let's celebrate your pardon in advance, too.
What happened?
I'm sorry!! I don't want them
to worry about me!!
Does it hurt? You were groaning!
What happened?
Water.! Please!!
Sure, certainly.
I'm sorry.
Don't say a word!
It's all right!
I want to tell you everything, start to finish.
There's more than one or two,
who've been rolled off the cliff in a basket,
because of my squealing!
But I decided I'd become a demon!
I couldn't bear to die.!!
Banished to a place like this.!
Certainly I considered it might be a ruse!
But I pushed those thoughts as far away as I could!
Because it was.!
My one and only hope.
That's enough, I understand! Get some rest.
You've got a bad fever!
At fifteen,
I set fire to the red-lantern quarters
and was exiled here!
I knew I was lucky my life had been spared,
but this place was a living hell.
Hundreds of exiles starved to death in the terrible famines.
I was so ravenous.
I nearly went out of my mind.
It was hell.
Giving myself to so many men just to survive!
I was with-child so many times, never sure of the father!
Each time!!
I shoved a mulberry branch inside to get rid of it!
I bled so hard!
It hurt like hell.
In order to not be with-child,
I'd force seaweed and leaves,
anything I could, deep inside.!
But it was pointless!
Finally, Hikaru
taught me to use funori seaweed!
I'm scared.
I'm not young anymore!
My body's ruined!
I can't bear to die in this place!
I can't let my tainted flesh
return to dust on this forsaken island.
Never! Never!
I'll!! Take you home to Edo!
You're not tainted!! You're beautiful.
Thank you!
But I'm done with deception!
There's a deep darkness inside you!
I felt that from our first encounter!
When I'm drawn in and fall into that darkness.!
It comforts me. I swear.!!
I'll never deceive you.
Hey? Who's that wench?
She's from the red-lantern quarters!
Yeah, guess you're right!
Move!
That'll never work, give it here.
Amazing!
I'll show you the trick, someday at my leisure!
You'll never survive here, without knowing how!
Thank you!
Never mind.
Tome!
Hey! What are you up to! Putting moves on her.
Don't let him sweet talk you, miss! He's up to no good.
Got in your way!
Over here, stand up!
Ouch, ouch.!!
Help!
How's it going, miss?
What's going?
Don't play the fool with me.
Look, in three days' time, they've nearly finished
what's usually ten days' work.
You know they're not just doing it from the kindness of their hearts!
' Good faith surely finds recompense! '
Get it?
Whether you find this place paradise or perdition,
is really entirely your choice.
But remember this.
They're all paupers!
As long as you follow my advice,
you'll always wear fine clothes
and never know the taste of hunger!
Come to my shack!
I'll show you a pile of coins and gorgeous bolts of Kihachijo!
Know what that is?
The finest textiles.
It's the fine stuff the locals weave to pay their annual land tax!
Let go of her!
If you trifle with that girl, it'll be hell to pay!
Headstrong as ever, Chiyo?
Just what kind of hell will I have to pay?
I'll set fire to that beloved Kihachijo you sleep with
and drool over, you dimwit.
Thank you!
It's beautiful!
Otoyo san,
a harlot from the red-lantern quarters like you,
lives in Mitsune Village.
She doesn't know how to do a stitch of work,
just sells her body!
Kinjiro's one of her best customers.
A steady stream of exiles enter her shack
and she acts like the queen of exiled geisha!
The worst. I hate her!
It's not just Kinjiro. They're all after your tail!
Want to try?
But!!
It's fine.
They say you never let an exile touch the loom.
We're fine in here.
You'd better learn to work!
Don't end up like Otoyo san!
Sister,
it's gotten awful dark all of a sudden!
Could there be a storm coming?
Hikaru!
I've got a bun in the oven!
A bun?
A baby, I mean! I'll have it over there!
There's a man called Denzo.!
He's an exile, but he's really honest!
No wife and children?
No, he says he'll marry me when we go back to Edo!
In Edo?
See, my Pa and Ma both died of the contagion!
So he says he'll take me to Edo with him.
He's sure he'll be pardoned next year!
That's no fair!!
I'll be all alone, again.
It's not for a long while yet. See how small my belly is still?
Don't you worr y.
As long as I'm here, I promise I'll protect you!
I want to go back to Edo, too.
Go back and see my mother and father!
Well, when I get there,
I promise to tell them you're doing fine.
Cheer up, now.
"In awe, in awe!!
We beseech'
It's not possession by an evil spirit.
It's probably sweet-blood!
Sweet-blood?
The blood and urine go sweet,
your tears go bloody and you lose your sight.
That's what I've heard tell!
Can't you help him?
If he could get to Edo to see a doctor,
maybe they could cure him!
But he's well beyond my powers.
Hey!! Grub's ready!
Grub time!
Let's eat, let's eat.
What's wrong, Kisaburo? You look pathetic!
Are you all right?
All the vegetables on the island are picked clean!
They say it's killed two hundred.
In Sakaue Village, folks who lost a child to famine went mad,
and ate their child for four days!
It's a real tragedy. And then this storm.
All hell's breaking loose.
In times like these, at least we don't have family to worry about!
We've got provisions squirreled away!
We won't starve to death for a while!
Let me eat.
I'll pay you double, no triple, the usual!
Hey, feed me!
No.
All right, five times then!
When famine comes, your wealth is worthless!
Otoyo! Otoyo!
She's not here!!
What!
Otoyo!
Otoyo! Give me food!
A landslide crushed my house!
Always flaunting your wealth and lording it over us!
In this famine, you're just worthless scum!
Well said.
Be gone!
Want it, huh?
Bet you want it! Take it!
What! In that case.!
Look here! You can take a good look!
Look.
Tome! Enough! Move!
Be gone!
Stomach full of hidden rice
The magistrate, magistrate
I'm so famished...
So famished....
What the hell are you up to, you shit!
Still full of piss and vinegar!
Huh, Ochiyo!
Want me to stab that baby in your belly.!
Come with me.
I'll feed you enough pure white rice to kill you,
just to thank you for calling me names!
Aren't you famished, Kacho?
You don't want to starve to death in this hell hole!
Stop it.!
So famished!
Tell me you're famished, too.
I'm famished!
I beg you! I beg you!
Please help Ochiyo. She's going to have a baby.
Get back, Denzo!
The whole island's starving to death,
but take a look at the plenty here in the magistrate's!
It's so cruel!
More wood!
Open it!
Hot, hot, hot!!
You famished?
Quiet, quiet!
Where are the guns!!
All the guns we could find were useless, broken.
They've gone to Nakanogo to get more!
Lord Okubo, what shall you do?
The abducted girls were a weaver and a whore?
Yes!
The guns!
I'll wait!
Get back!
Whores are better than scum.
Otoyo!
Stop, stop!!
Say, Kinjiro!
Unlike us, that girl's got more tomorrows than yesterdays!
Say, Kinjiro!
If you want a woman so bad, I'll lie with you!
Kinjiro, that's enough!!
Otoyo.!
Thank you so much!
Leave it there.
Here, it's heavy!
I.! Knew about you, sister Toyogiku.
You're famous for committing arson!
Is that so?
I always wanted to talk to you,
but Ochiyo forbid me!
Every woman on this island hates me.
Arson's punishable by death,
but if you're under 15, it's exile!
That's why you did it?
My mentor, an older courtesan died.
She had consumption.
She left me her shamisen, which I played for patrons!
When she coughed up blood as she died,
our madam groused.!
'Some nerve, kicking the bucket
in our busiest season!!"
Typical red-lantern quarters stuff!
When cherry blossom season arrived that spring,
all of us, from head courtesan to apprentices put on our finest,
and paraded our charms under the cherry blossoms!!
The cherry blossoms were especially beautiful!
For some reason, I felt as if my mentor had returned.!
I was so happy!
The next morning, while it was still dark,
I went back alone!
I wanted to play my sister's shamisen under the blossoms.
But!!
The cherry trees had been hauled away in the night!!
Every last one of them!
It was one big lie!!
Why not burn it all down!!
I understand!
But!!
When I think of how terrible what I did
must have been
for my mother and father.
I never stop thinking of them!
Even for a moment,
I want to see them and apologize!