Three robbers escape with loot from a heist before one of them kills the others. Their corpses wash up near the aftermath of a maritime calamity, provoking a policeman's interest.
When Sokichi stops providing his long-time lover Kikuyo enough money to pay for the care of their three young children, Kikuyo leaves the children with Sokichi - and his very surprised and angry wife Oume - and disappears.
This film focuses on the dramatic life of Waka Yamada, who rose from a prostitute in Seattle, USA to a female critic during the Taisho and Showa eras.
