Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka

In the village, Yuzō seeks Professor Ishinaka's counsel about the rumor of 460 drums of gasoline buried in Yamazaki's orchard. Ishinaka listens and agrees to consider the tale, setting the stage for a digging effort. The group, including Nakamura, heads toward the orchard with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Yuzō, Ishinaka, and Nakamura start digging for the drums but quickly lose momentum and abandon the task. Frustration gives way to laughter as they concede the futility of the search. Moyoko entertains them with a traditional folk dance, and they settle for sake instead of progress.

Yuzō confesses to Moyoko that he fabricated the drum legend to win her affection, admitting the confession was a ploy to see her again. The admission reveals the tangled mix of love and deception behind the search. Moyoko's response hints at the complexities of their budding relationship.

Having witnessed the dynamics, Yamazaki suggests that Ishinaka act as a matchmaker for Yuzō and Moyoko. The professor agrees, recognizing the potential for harmony in the village. The idea seeds a gentle romance within the community.

In the local bookstore, Yamada reveals two tickets to a traveling burlesque show and contemplates public morals. He and Kihara argue over whether attending constitutes proper behavior for respectable villagers. They decide to attend the show to evaluate it firsthand.

Mariko, Yamada's daughter, learns of her father's intention to attend the show and becomes indignant. She tells her boyfriend Shuichi to wait outside and challenge their fathers for their behavior. The looming clash foreshadows tensions between generations over propriety.

When Yamada and Kihara arrive, blame is swapped between the fathers and the young couple. An argument erupts, and Mariko cuts off Shuichi. Professor Ishinaka steps in to steer everyone back toward harmony and mutual understanding.

Ishinaka works to heal the rift among the fathers and the couple, reminding them of community bonds over personal grievances. The reconciliation reinforces the professor's central role in village life. The episode closes with a sense of restored balance in the community.

Yoshiko from Iwaki visits her sister in a hospital in the next town, where a fellow patient reads her palm and predicts she will soon meet her future husband. The omen sets her on a path toward a chance encounter and new romance. The scene shifts the focus to a separate thread of the village’s stories.

On the way back from the hospital, Takichi the farmer offers Yoshiko a ride on his hay carriage. They share a cautious conversation that hints at mutual curiosity. The journey marks the beginning of a potential connection between them.

Mistaking Takichi's carriage for Teisaku's, Yoshiko ends up at Teisaku's home and is invited to stay for the night due to the late hour. The hospitality intertwines their paths and deepens the existing threads of village relationships. Yoshiko's presence there introduces a new dynamic to Teisaku's world.

The next morning, Teisaku's mother arranges for a constable and Ishinaka to draft a certificate stating that Yoshiko slept in the mother's room and that her virginity remains intact. The document highlights the community's preoccupations with morality and reputation. It also contrasts with the genuine emotions at play.

After dropping Yoshiko off near her home, Teisaku asks Ishinaka whether he believes in love at first sight. Ishinaka affirms that such moments can be meaningful, advising Teisaku to follow where his feelings lead. The conversation leaves Teisaku contemplating the speed and seriousness with which hearts can align.