Ichi is a blind minstrel wandering from town to town in feudal Japan. She is spurred on by the search for one man - the blind warrior who trained her in martial arts as a child. When she is threatened by a group of bandits, she is "saved" by Toma, an incompetent samurai who is unable to draw his sword. Rescuing her rescuer, she continues her journey, only to discover that the locals now think that Toma is a superb swordsman. The townsfolk want him as a lawman, the bandits want him dead, and none of them realise that it is Toma's blind associate who is the true martial artist. Reluctantly, Ichi becomes embroiled in a battle between two gangs for the mastery of the town. However, Ichi's initial feelings about her involvement change when she discovers that the gang leader Banki may know the whereabouts of the man she is seeking.