Starting out in Edo, as Kyoshiro travels west toward Kyoto, he encounters some of the most dangerous obstacles in his career. Signs that the Tokugawa shogunate was vulnerable began to appear during the reign of 12th Shogun Ieyoshi. The Satsuma and the 13 Western non-Tokugawa lords began to act in suspicious ways. Minister Takebe, under orders from shogunate councilor Mizuno, attempted to quash this unrest. Nemuri Kyoshiro, a loner headed west, unwittingly becomes involved in the struggle.

His travels over, Nemuri Kyoshiro has returned to Edo, and is still a magnet for trouble. Kataoka Takao gives an outstanding portrayal of the half-breed ronin, who follows his own sense of justice. No longer accused of being an agent of the government, he soon finds himself attacked on all sides by a variety of enemies as he is drawn into helping those who cannot defend themselves. When the boat hotel he stays at is in jeopardy of being taken over, he must step to the forefront in order to save the lives of those who work there.