Ushitarô Shimada

A botanist woos the secretary of an industrialist whose company threatens the local water supply.

Schoolteacher Hisako Oishi struggles to imbue her students with a positive view of the world despite the fact that war is looming.

A fishing union depends on two brothers to make up the losses caused by the dishonest captains they replaced.

Kameda, who has been in an asylum on Okinawa, travels to Hokkaido. There he becomes involved with two women, Taeko and Ayako. Taeko comes to love Kameda, but is loved in turn by Akama. When Akama realizes that he will never have Taeko, his thoughts turn to murder, and great tragedy ensues.