Gonza was a handsome young laborer, a footman and spear-carrier, working hard for his meager wage. All Gonza wanted was to marry his young sweetheart, but despite their mutual poverty, her status as the daughter of a samurai blocked their path to happiness. A chance opportunity to achieve samurai status would come one day, but Gonza will regret trusting the so-called honorable samurai who extended this fateful offer, and the terrible price he'd pay, fighting for his life in one of the most blood-spattered samurai battles ever filmed.

人入れ稼業井筒屋の抱え人足で槍奴ぶりが評判の伊達男、権三と浪人者凡河内典膳の娘ちづはかねてからの恋仲だが、娘の夫は武士でなければという典繕の一徹さのために結婚出来ないでいた。そんなことから権三は武士になりたいと願うようになった。ある日、井筒屋に小大名小此木藩から九州へ帰国のための人足を雇いたいという注文が舞い込み、権三は仲間の助十たちと旅に出ることになった。ちづと変らぬ愛情を誓い合い旅に出た権三は...