Zatoichi and the Chess Expert

On a boat trip to Honshu island, Zatoichi makes the acquaintance of Jumonji, an expert shogi player and swordsman. Once on Honshu, a group of men who had tried to cheat Zatoichi at dice attempt revenge, only for Ichi to turn the tables in the tussle. However, Miki, Miki, the niece of Otane, is injured in the confusion, compelling Ichi to go to great lengths to procure the medicine needed to cure her injury. When she recovers, the child sincerely thanks him, leaving him overwrought with emotion.

The four travel to Hakone to use hot springs to help in healing Miki. After arriving, further guests arrive—including a young lord named Sasagara, his sister Kume, and their retainer Roppei, the only one who could identify the man who killed their father, over a heated game of shogi. When Otane admits to her growing feelings for Ichi, he reveals that he still harbors feelings for a woman of the same name that he once loved, who is now dead. Despite his suspicions, Zatoichi remains silent, until Roppei is found dead—having been strangled with a length of wire while engaged in prayer. This, combined with the discovery of a fishing float at the scene of the killing, further implicates Jumonji. However, Ichi continues to “observe” Jumonji through their shogi games, with the latter having won two of their three games. When the brother and sister reveal a particular quirk of the man who killed their father—rubbing his nose and snapping his finger—Ichi is all but certain of his new friend’s guilt in the two murders.

As Zatoichi and Jumonji escort Otane and Miki on their trip, the two men begin a verbal game of shogi, with each move escalating the tension between the two of them. Eventually, the moment of “checkmate” comes—when Jumonji confronts Ichi, only for Zatoichi to reveal the fishing float from the scene of the murder. The two engage in a duel—with Zatoichi telling Otane to get Miki away from the carnage—and Ichi critically wounds Jumonji. Though he stops from killing the man, when Sasagara and Kume arrive to enact vengeance upon him. In the confusion, Zatoichi departs—with Sasagara and Kume bowing respectfully to him, and Miki calling out to thank him.

As he walks away, upon hearing Miki, Zatoichi softly returns her earlier thanks—saying > arigato.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:28