Double Suicide

Jihei, a paper merchant in Tenma, Osaka, begins an affair with Koharu, the courtesan. He promises to secure her freedom from the Kinokuni brothel, but he lacks the ten kan of silver required. Koharu begs Jihei to end her life if necessary, and they decide to commit shinjū as a way to escape together.

Koharu pleads with Jihei to kill her so she can escape prostitution. Jihei agrees that if she dies he will kill himself too, and they resolve to perform shinjū.

Tahei, a wealthy merchant, arrives at the Kinokuni brothel offering to pay to free Koharu. Koharu accuses him of spreading rumors about Jihei's wealth. The madam informs him Koharu already has a client for the night, a samurai.

The samurai arrives; Koharu explains her contract and her plan to commit shinjū with Jihei. The samurai discourages suicide and pledges to help pay off the contract; the two head to bed.

Jihei overhears Tahei loudly discussing Koharu's samurai client at a bar. He rushes to the Kinokuni brothel to confront Koharu. He tries to stab the samurai through a window, but the samurai ties Jihei's arm to the window and leaves him.

Tahei is mocked by the crowd after Jihei is restrained; the samurai, Jihei's brother Magoemon in disguise, appears and reprimands Tahei for lying. He encourages Jihei to kick Tahei, and a mob surrounds Tahei and drives him from town.

Back inside, Jihei learns the samurai is his brother Magoemon in disguise. He begs for forgiveness and Koharu is chastised for seducing him. Magoemon reveals Koharu's fraud and finds a letter from Osan to Koharu, though he does not tell Jihei.

A few weeks later, Osan's mother reports that Gozaemon intends to take Osan back. She asks Jihei to give a written oath that he is no longer involved with Koharu. Gozaemon arrives and orders a divorce; Jihei refuses, Osan is dragged away, and Jihei tears his shop apart in despair.

Osan secretly contributes money to help Koharu, giving 80 ryō from a hidden stash and instructing Jihei to pawn the rest to secure Koharu's freedom from the contract.

Jihei finds Koharu back at the Kinokuni, and the lovers flee to a graveyard where they make love. Koharu urges Jihei to kill her and then die elsewhere; Jihei cuts his topknot to become a priest, and Koharu proclaims herself a nun.

They hear the Daicho Temple bell at dawn and move into the wilderness. The pair prepare for their deaths, with Koharu’s insistence on a final act of farewell and Jihei’s resolve to join her.

Jihei kills Koharu, then hangs himself with her obi on a lone torii as a kuroko assists. The final shot shows them lying opposite one another on a mat beneath a bridge, echoing the opening scene of the film.