Original subtitles

Showa Era - 27th Year (1950)

Onikobe Mura (Devil's Skull Village)

I... the truth is...

I think I can give you everything.

No...

It wouldn't be right.

Why not, Kanao?

Maybe I'm just old fashioned. It's just...

Until we make it formal, let's stay the same.

You sure there's no one else?

No. No.

No one.

You know... it's very sudden.

How will Shizu-chan welcome Chi-chan?

He'll treat her as an official visitor. - That's great.

No, brother. Not an official visitor?

Isn't that OK?

Chi-chan doesn't like such formality.

That's true.

There's Kanao.

And Yasu-chan too.

Eh! Since we all know you're a couple, we can't leave you on your own.

What's up?

About Chi-chan's welcome ceremony... I'd like everyone's opinion.

Are you sure of the date?

Yes, it'll be tomorrow.

Wasn't it planned for around three...

Isn't there a meeting in the winery?

- You going to go? - No.

It's all the same to me.

Of course.

Chi's singing's the only reason anyone's heard of our village.

For many years... I too have wanted to see her.

Hi! You leaving?

Who's that?

He arrived at our guesthouse yesterday.

I warned him that bike's got no brakes.

Kamenoyu Inn.

Ah... Inspector Isokawa.

It's Rika.

Yes... he arrived here yesterday.

You were expecting him there...

but he's waiting here. You must've got things mixed up.

Yes... so where're you now?

Eh? Still in the Okayama precinct?

I know... I'm sorry.

I got called away to Hiroshima on urgent business.

I've only just got back.

So... you going to catch the train?

Ah. Here he is now.

Is it for me?

The last bus to Okinobe leaves at 5.

If you catch that, you can still make it.

Yes. I'll tell him.

Mr. Isokawa will arrive later this evening.

I said it's a shame he'll arrive so late.

So, Mr. Isokawa... that is... he's known here?

Yes. He's an old friend of mine from way back.

Kanao?

How was your cycle ride?

It was fine.

Are you the only maid here?

Yes. In the holiday season it gets very busy...

sometimes they hire extra help...

though usually they don't.

A while ago I saw a young girl in the garden.

Is she the owner's daughter?

Did you see Sato-chan?

Yes, just for a moment.

Does she always live in the storeroom?

Yes.

Why's that?

It's because of her condition, isn't it.

What happened to her?

It's her heart. Even a little walking tires her out.

Excuse me... are you...

...the man Inspector Isokawa called from Tokyo?

Yes.

I'm of the Tatara family...

a family of policemen since...

well, before the Edo era.

Through degenerate living I ruined my family...

and now live as a hermit.

I'm Kindaichi. Pleased to meet you.

I'm researching the history of Kyoto.

Among the many legends around here there's one...

"Tale of the Demon's Severed Head."

Doesn't the Kanji read "Devil's Skull".

More correctly it should be "Demon's Severed Head"...

but it's shortened and we say "Devil's Skull".

Language is curious, isn't it.

In the Muromachi period... a powerful sorceress came here...

Fearful, village hunters killed her at the village gate and put her head on a stake.

They say a demon entered the head...

The eyes glowed with a scorching power, their gaze cursing the whole village.

That's why they call this village devil's head.

One shouldn't make light of incantations and spells.

For example, they say here that if a pregnant woman gets too close to fire...

...it causes the baby to be born with red blotches.

It's true. You know the guesthouse owner's daughter, Satoko?

Eh?

Half of her face... and half her body are covered with red blotches.

You mean... something happened to Ms. Kamenoyu when she was pregnant?

Who knows!...

I don't usually come to bathe at this inn.

The truth is today... I came here to ask you a favour.

What's that?

I would like you to write a letter for me.

It's just my right hand... it's paralyzed due to my degenerate life.

A visitor has arrived.

Who is it?

It's Mr. Nire.

- Welcome - Don't stop. Don't stop.

Hearing you play the shimsen is like medicine... it makes me young again.

I don't play as often as I used to.

And Kanao?

He left earlier to go to the shops.

Rika...

since it appears that Kanao is falling in love with Yasuko...

I'd be relieved if you'd formally agree to marry him to my Fumi.

Again the same old thing.

Kanao is still too young to take a wife.

For the time being, I'm not thinking about any woman for him.

Sit down. - Thanks.

Kanao's projects will make Onikobe famous for the finest wines in the region.

These dreams are all he talks about these days.

If he isn't indispensible to you...

I've been thinking... I could make him the manager of my winery.

And besides, Rika...

Satoko can't go on living in the storeroom all the time.

It's getting colder these days.

How discourteous of me... Let me serve you some hot sake.

On my way here, as I passed the "Devil's" swamp...

I recalled the horrible events of twenty years ago.

Please don't speak of it. It brings me such sorrowful memories.

Akuma no temari-uta "Curse of the Devil's Skull" ( Rhyme of Vengeance )

Please excuse me.

I was expecting you. Please, come in.

What do you think, Mr. Kindaichi? Elegant accommodations, eh?

Yes...

Before anything else, please read this.

It seems... to be a request to remarry.

It's from Ohan. She was my fifth wife.

Your fifth..?!

That means... you've been married 5 times?

What do you mean!

8 times.

8 times..?!

I was popular with the ladies.

Some I left, the ones wanted to fence me in...

others left me out of shame.

Ohan left me too... but I think she regrets it now she's older.

That's why the old girl wrote asking my forgiveness.

I've decided to forgive her.

And I'm to write your reply?

"I'm no longer so impatient, and won't treat you as badly as before.

When you receive this letter, come back." Write that, please.

My writing's terrible. Besides... it's not something a stranger should write.

What do you mean? You think Ohan wrote such a pretty letter.

I'm sure someone wrote it for her.

Mr. Hooan... why didn't you ask a villager?

I've got lots of reasons.

The wind...

These days the north wind blows in cold, straight from the swamp.

It's an ancient swamp...

...seems to be fed from deep underground.

One year we had a terrible drought, but the swamp never dried up.

The mud is very deep...

If someone falls in, his legs sink in the mud and he never escapes.

Everyone calls it, "the devil's swamp".

Hello.

Say, going to offer me some of your fine wine?

Sure, a little later.

Good, before I go to bed, I hope.

Who knows?

You.. on vacation?

Yes, though I never get to enjoy it... work always interferes.

It's been at least six months... since you last came.

You haven't changed at all in two years.

Really?

Good evening. - Good evening.

I'm glad to see you. - Me too.

Though it's a little old it's a good guesthouse.

Mr. Isokawa, why'd you ask me to come to such a remote mountain village?

Mr. Kindaichi, though remote, life still goes on here.

The owner of the guesthouse was murdered.

The husband of the proprietor?

Don't be so surprised.

Though I said "murdered", I didn't say it happened recently.

The case is 20 years old. - 20 years old?!

Why didn't you tell me before?

We still haven't found the murderer.

The case has become an unsolved mystery, right?

But, what has it to do with me?

Back then I was assigned to the case.

At first it seemed a normal enough case, however...

something about it just didn't feel right.

Because you never caught the murderer? - No.

I worried that maybe I had confused the murderer with the victim.

Then, you think the owner was himself the murderer.

I had no real proof...

and no one listens to a rookie with an unorthodox theory.

At the time, I didn't persist...

but, even after all these years... I can't get it out of my mind.

That you're still thinking of it after 20 years... is truly amazing.

I haven't just been thinking about it.

I've been investigating persistently on my own.

But my efforts have gotten me nowhere.

Mr. Kindaichi, I'd like you to work on the case with me.

Me?

May I enter please.

Welcome.

Hello. I'm here too.

What great timing!

Thanks for giving him my message.

It was nothing.

You get younger every day, eh?

Bah. Mr. Isokawa always says that. It's just a habit for him now.

You've come to investigate that case, haven't you?

You said so before I did. The truth is yes.

I want to close this case and I've asked Mr. Kindaichi to help me.

He's a private detective! Ah... Kyoto, Kyoto.

What is this "Kyoto"?

Around here it means "watch out".

Watch out? - He's a good man. Don't worry.

Really...?

Don't you trust the police?!

I only trust people whom I know are trustworthy.

Thanks for your concern, but it's in the past now. It's such a long time ago.

I'm afraid I'm just too stubborn.

It's the fixation of a man who's followed a case far too long.

Please, allow me my quirks.

By the way, I'm hungry. Could we have dinner now.

Yes, yes. Right away.

She doesn't seem like someone who carries sadness from the past.

She's the kind who leaves old things in the past.

For example... you won't get leftovers for dinner...

if it's old... she'll leave it in the past!

Apropos the incident, in the autumn of 1929...

a man arrived in the village who called himself "Ikuo Onda".

He was about 35 or 36 and wore gold-rim glasses...

...and had a small mustache.

He made wreaths... Know what I mean?

Like the garlands they use at Christmas and at festivals.

Made from local materials.

Of course, they're a popular item. So he began making wreaths in the village.

In 1931, the Manchurian conflict broke out.

and there was an economic crisis and food shortages.

Thus, they were only too happy to have his business.

All went well for half a year...

until Onda stopped making his wreaths...

refusing to fill any more orders.

He'd been conning them, eh? - Yes.

Then, the second son of the ex-owner of the guesthouse, Genjiro...

returned to the village with his wife, Rika...

and a son of 15 or 16.

And this Genjiro, where had been? - I'm getting to that...

When he was a child he left home...

and sought to make his living in Kobe.

Genjiro guessed that Onda was commiting fraud...

and when he found proof...

confronted him with it and...

But Onda killed him, right?

Yes, just so.

Death was caused by a blow to the back of the skull, which broke his neck.

The murder weapon was a log from beside the hearth.

He was found by his wife Rika. When he didn't return, she went to look for him...

with a man called Hooan.

Hooan?

You know of him?

I was in his house earlier today.

Why?

Well...

Ok, let's leave it for now. I'll continue.

Hooan had rented Onda a house just outside town.

Onda didn't always stay in Okinobe...

Once a month, he went 2 or 3 days to Tokyo for supplies, then came back.

It was his wife who identified the body, correct?

Ah that's just it, the body...

The face was burnt beyond recognition. The head had been in the fire.

Was there any sign of a fight? - Nothing.

So what made you so suspicious?

In the first place...

Why did the murderer need to hide the victim's identity?

In the second place...

we've found no new information on the murderer since his escape.

We looked into the garland business...

but obviously Onda was a false name.

He never showed up at his business.

It's been 20 years...

Are you asking me to look into a case that's been closed all that time?

And it's you who wants to hire me?

Just so.

That's why you called me from Tokyo?

Just so.

You can't be serious!

You can be sure I am!

Of course I'll pay you and cover your expenses.

No, I can't accept your money.

What to do?

It's the first time I've heard of a policeman hiring a private detective.

Really?

Really! - Seriously?

Ah! Maam. Dinner for Mr. Isokawa?

Ah! I completely forgot.

What happened was a terrible tragedy...

you could say it was related to a power struggle in the village.

In Onikobe at that time there were two powerful families:

the Yuras and the Nires.

The Nires were modern and the late grandfather...

had staked everything on grapes.

And it turned out well.

¡Shiego!

Stop bothering.

But my sister Chie's coming...

Whether she stays or not...

it won't change the fact that the Nires are still the most powerful.

Why all this bother!

It's only a bastard girl coming back to the village.

Papa... don't say such things out loud.

Everyone in the village knows it's true.

The only estate winery in the village...

is owned by the Nire family.

The Yura family had been granted a lot of land by royal edict.

But now power was shifting to the Nire family.

Realising this, they panicked and invested heavily in the wreath scam.

Utaro realising it was a fraud and that they had lost everything...

died, wasted by a deep depression.

After that, the Yuras lost their status and privileges.

There was a time when we never removed the devil masks.

There was a time.

Mama...

I'm going to pick-up Chie-chan.

Cool! The masks!

The Yuras are a very ancient and important family.

Generations have handed down these masks to protect our village.

Toshiro. -Yes Eiko. - Yes.

Look at them.

The Nire family... why d'you always compete...

What are you saying!

When the decorations are finished I'm going to invite Chie-chan.

Leave it.

Before, when important people came to the village from Tokyo,

they always stayed with the Yuras.

Thanks so much for coming to pick me up.

Chie-chan!

Fumi-chan.

Mr. Isokawa, you've already investigated Ichiya many times.

It's unlikely I'll turn up much new there now.

No... Better you follow your own plan.

We need to find some new leads.

Speaking of which, Mrs. Oito at the Inozu store...

is somehow involved in this case.

Seeing her won't be a waste of your time.

You're going walking to the village, eh?

I thought I'd enjoy a walk in the country.

That it's still quite hot is rather strange!

If anything's strange, it's her.

Kindaichi... you know Bessho Chie?

I haven't seen her, but I know who she is.

I heard she's arriving today.

She was born here, but in not too happy circumstances.

She was the result... of Onda's seed.

I heard that Haure, the daughter of locks...

cared for Onda and he got her pregnant.

You mean daughter of the family of locks.

We don't say of the family... just of locks.

In my village we say we're born of what we've traditionally made.

The Nire, of weigh scales... the Yura, glass measures.

We're hollow gourds.

Hollow gourds? - Spot on!

Good afternoon, I'm the one called Ohan.

You must be from the inn.

Pleased to... have made your acquaintance.

Ah, it's you!

Why didn't you say something? You frightened me!

Harue, you see your brother after such a long time and you greet me like this!

Why don't you ever come to see me?

I see you're still the same when you're drunk.

Don't think you'll get any favours out of me.

How can you say that!

I have a proposal.

Good, good, welcome.

Thanks for caring for my brother, and...

Good. Please sit. Sit down.

...and for finding my daughter a place at the inn.

I'm so pleased that you've returned.

It's a great honour for me.

You're the manager?

Yes, I am...

You've had a lot of troubles, eh?

I can just imagine. These days...

as a result of the war, the spirit of the people has been broken.

"SOUJA"

All that happened... such a long time ago.

At the time, Harue was 19.

Although for me it was just a job...

a girl of 19 is ready...

one has to be careful with girls these days...

that's what we said, my dead husband and I.

It's just that she often came to our house with that "Onda" man.

Mr. Isokawa told me everything you told him back then.

He told me and that's why I'm here.

Oh, is that so?...

So he told you everything eh?

I heard that in the end they were unable to identify "Onda".

And it's true you've heard nothing at all of him? - Yes.

It was all the same to me where he came from or who he was...

but Harue fell in love with him.

Since it happened...

I've asked myself time and again...

why she received no letter or information, just left crying.

And then Chie was born.

And grew into such a marvellous child.

No one knows a persons fortune, it's true, eh?

And you've had no word since Onda fled?

Bearing the child of such a swindler and murderer...

Harue was exposed to the contempt of the entire village.

So she left her baby with her brother, left the village...

and worked as a maid in Tokyo.

During the war, she had no choice but to return to the village.

Being only 20... or 22, naturally she couldn't stand the cold looks...

and once again left Onikobe... but this time with Chie.

Why did Onda use this inn?

The first time, the policeman brought him here.

What? The police?

Don't you know him? The one called Hooan?

Yes, I know him.

Then the one who brought him here... was the man called Hooan.

You know how I feel for Yasuko, no?...

then why count on me for Fumiko?

That's not what I was saying.

How so!

Just now they've been telling me.

You don't take them seriously, do you? - Yes, I do.

This is about the Yura-Nire struggle, isn't it?

Really... you think your mother's like that?

Then why aren't you happy with Yasuko?

I've refused for Fumiko.

The same with Yasuko.

What are you trying to say?

How many times do I have to tell you?

Kanao, you're still too young.

You're not old enough to get married.

Is your mother...

the only one in Onikobe who knows this.

I'm old enough to know!

I don't care if you're against Yasuko.

We've already decided. - Kanao.

Kanao, wait. Kanao.

Japan's a democratic state.

At 20 you can get married without your parents permission.

Do you know of a woman called Ohan?

I think she was the fifth...

Yes, yes. I know all about her. - She's come back to Hooan's house.

Sir, what are you trying to say?

What "trying to say"?...

Ohan sent a letter saying she wanted to come back to Hooan.

Misses, what's the matter?

Is there something wrong with her returning?

Ohan is...

On my way back through Sennintoge pass, I happened on Ohan-san.

Ohan-san... just last autumn... passed away.

But that's imposible!

But it's true.

Ohan-san was better than Hooan's other wives.

I was very close to her and knew her well.

Last spring I went to Kobe and visited her tomb.

Her tomb!

Just so.

But it's true, I saw her in Sennintoge...

Then... the person in Sennintoge... who was it?

Excuse me, I have to make a call.

Where's Hooan?

He isn't. - What?

When you told me, I came to see, and found this.

It looks like he was drinking with someone, no?

The blood is black, it's been vomited. It's not from a wound.

Mr. Kindaichi, you're sure you wrote a letter to Ohan?

Of course. I even signed it.

And are you sure it was Ohan you saw?

I clearly remeber her saying, "I'm the one called Ohan".

You're sure the woman you saw really was her?

She didn't seem to be lying to me.

Mr. Isokawa, there's a footprint.

Then it's certain that someone was here with him.

When I got here, there was no light.

I checked and the fuses were blown.

That's why the candle, then.

There are two cups. It would appear that two people were drinking saké.

No!

It's poison. It's a poisonous plant.

A poisonous plant? - Yes.

It's a type of aconite (monkshood). Around here we call it "police shrub".

Police shrub? - Yes.

What a large salamander.

Police station.

Eh? The Okayama chief of police?

Yes. At your service.

Yes, it's cold here.

That... yes... I'll go right away.

Dear, aren't you going to have dinner?

You can eat mine too. You have to eat for two now.

Mr. Isokawa! - Yes.

I found the letter I wrote to Ohan.

This proves what you said.

What is it?

The date stamp... when I wrote the letter I didn't notice it, but...

it appears to have been tampered with.

The 7 in "27th year" is smudged and unclear.

Perhaps someone altered this letter from years ago...

to make it look like it arrived just now.

Are you sub-inspector Isokawa? I'm Constable Nakamura.

I was transferred here three months ago.

We're searching for Hooan.

Has something happened?

We're not sure yet.

They'll need to send the vomitted blood to a lab for identification.

Blood?

Over there.

I'm sorry, but I would like to know from the chief of police in Hiogo...

if Ohan is alive or dead?

And you are...?

I'm a private investigator.

Private investigator?

How long will you be staying?

My mother wants me to return soon.

There are so many things I wanted to say to you...

but now you're here I can't find the words.

Your emotions get in the way?

Why have you come back?

I wanted to see you all.

Only that?

Well for something else as well.

What, seeing us was only secondary!

It's not like that.

If possible, I'd like to know something.

What's that?

It's about my father.

You surprise me.

You're still hung up on that.

But it was my father who killed Kanao and Sato's father.

Fathers are father... children are children.

It's nothing to do with children.

What bothers me... is that my father was never arrested...

even after 20 years.

He could be alive somewhere.

I've got a great idea...

There's a private detective staying at Kanao's inn.

Why don't we ask him to help us?

I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

Yasu's getting kinda late.

You sure she's coming.

Should I call her. - It couldn't hurt.

She doesn't go out much, maybe she's still getting ready.

Sato-san, it's strange your going out.

It's been a long time since we were all together.

Thanks to you, I too can see Chie-san.

I'm lucky.

But I'm sorry I delayed you finishing my chores.

Isn't that Yasu?

That's strange. She should be there already.

Who are you talking to?

It's Yasu's friend, Fumiko.

The Nire girl? What's she want?

She's asking if something happened, because Yasu still hasn't shown up.

It's getting late.

What a terrible jeep!

It's the road that's terrible.

Hold on tightly, please.

Is it here?

Yes, I think so. - Aren't you sure?

Hello. - Mr. Isokawa.

Got a case while on holidays.

What bad luck! - Goes with the territory.

Since it is you, the chief investigator who's here...

it only follows, the case will soon be solved.

This is inspector Tachibana of the Okayama Prefecture.

The crime scene?

Between midnight and two in the morning.

When the victim didn't return home, the youth club began searching...

finally around 4 am Kanao and Goro came upon the body here.

But why has the murderer created such a macabre scene.

Does it have any significance.

The victim is Yasu, the daughter of Yura.

Her mother identified her.

Eh! Drowned?

Excuse me, it looks to me like death by strangulation.

On the neck... - Who are you?

A private investigator.

He's a friend of mine. His name is Kindaichi.

Is that a measure and a funnel?

What do you make of that?

Both objects symbolise the same thing.

What?

Symbolise?

It's the sign of the scales.

It means it's to do with the Nire family.

Who are you? - I'm Nire.

Nire!

When I call the police, they come running.

Then please confirm if the boul and funnel are from your family.

There can be no doubt.

Anything to do with measures and weights can only be mine.

Kahei.

Maam...

Hey you... - She's the mother of the victim.

Did you do this?

Answer me, Kahei.

I'm asking you if you had anything to do with this.

What are you saying! You're talking nonsense.

No, Kahei.

I know you thought that Yasu was getting in the way of your plans.

Kahei, I'm asking you again!

It was you. Won't you admit it?

No, Atsuko. I had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Ah, I accept it. It's good.

I'm sorry I spoke so rudely to you.

Please forgive me.

Eh, stay away!

What are you doing!

"Situation Room" "Investigation into the Onikobe Village Murder"

Are you saying you saw not only Yasu... but an old woman as well.

You saw both of them?

This old lady had a bent back and a scarf on her head?

Well it was very dark... it seemed like it.

Isn't it true, Omiki? - Yes.

Then Ohan's alive?

Judging from Ms. Sato's statement, it appears to be true.

What are you talking about?

The strange old woman connected with Hooan's blood, I was telling you about.

Ah, that's a different matter.

Hooan still hasn't returned to his house?

Not yet. I confirmed it this morning.

What a mess!

Be seated. - Yes.

And what time did you leave the house?

I think it was a little before eight.

Is that right, Omiki? - Yes.

You said your mother saw you off at the front door, no?

That would have been when we were at Hooan's house.

Let me help you? - No, it's fine thanks.

Thank you so much for everything. - It's nothing really.

Mr. Isokawa told us that you could arrange...

our situation room in your inn. Thank you very much.

Feel free to use it as long as you need.

Your daughter was the last person to see the victim alive.

Sato, don't worry about anything.

Whatever the inspector asks, tell him what you know.

If at that moment...

we'd have called out to Yasu...

things might have been different.

When I think of it, I feel terrible for my brother.

What do you mean when you say you feel terrible for your brother?

My brother was in love with Yasu, and she loved him.

On top of that, Yasu was upset because of Fumi.

Sato!

What happened with Fumi, Maam?

Well, it's a shame on our family.

But you need to tell us everything... to explain it clearly.

Of course.

The truth is we were thinking of Fumi to marry my son Kanao.

A fight over a husband.

Now I understand why...

the symbols of the Nire family were at the crime scene.

But Tachibana Sir...

the murderer wouldn't leave us clues telling us that he killed her.

If the old woman is connected to this crime...

I have a feeling that it's also connected to the disappearance of Hooan.

It's a... - What's the matter?

Could I move to the other side with my daughter?

Yes, please do. - Thank you.

Excuse me, I was careless and forgot to inform you of something.

What's that?

Unikobe Nº 47 here. The installation's finished.

This morning, we received the forensic report...

They found alkaloids of aconitum poison...

in the blood samples found at Hooan's house.

I see.

I just been at the Nire house.

At the estimated time of the murder, between 10 and 11 last night...

niether Kahei, his wife Naota, nor Fumiko left the house.

They have witnesses.

Understood.

That's it. I have it.

Mr. Isokawa...

The Nire family hired the old woman to kill Yasu and it was she poisoned Hooan.

Why would she kill Hooan?

Hooan found out about the murder of Yasu, and had to be silenced.

The body was thrown in the swamp near the old man's house.

Hello... I'm finished with the telephone.

Thank you.

Leaving aside your theory, we should definitely search the swamp.

Certainly.

You, start a search of the swamp.

By myself?

Get the youth club to help you.

Excuse me... Toshiro Yura has come. He wants to tell you something.

Mr. Toshiro?

He's the victim's older brother.

Actually... grandmother would like to speak with the police.

What about?

She says you should listen to a folk song.

A song? - Yes.

What foolishness. We're too busy to be listening to songs.

Eh, why would you think this is a police matter?

It's just that grandmother...

won't give up until someone listens to her.

The elderly can be stubborn. How old is she?

What? - Her age.

She's eighty-eight.

Eighty-eight!

If you wish, I could go.

Yes, go, go.

It's perfect for you.

Well, I'll go too.

Thanks. - It's nothing.

Inspector Tachibana seems to be a very energetic kind of fellow.

Yes, he gets very animated.

He makes me feel my age.

Mr. Isokawa, you're still young.

I'm getting old. It's already 2 years since I got my final promotion.

"Three little sparrows, sitting side by side".

"The first little sparrow... hopped up and said..."

"I am the high king of... the sacred Shinto temple..."

"I hunt fine saké and the... best women too..."

"Which woman is finer, the daughter of the measures?"

"She is very pretty, but nothing more."

"She fills up the measure, and drinks through a funnel."

"Drinking and drinking... all through the day."

"And still she wants to drink..."

"Please send her home... please send her home."

What's the matter, Kindaichi?

Isokawa, the murderer did it just like in the song.

Did you hear, "She fills up the measure, and drinks through a funnel."?

The house of measures... is the Yura family.

At the end it says: "Please send her home..." What does it mean?

When I was a young girl...

it was the fashion to sing while bouncing a ball.

My mother is a little deaf, and even a little senile.

I can answer that.

"Please kill her soon, please kill her soon." is how I remember the last line.

Kill her soon?

Madam, why would she want us to hear this song?

We told her how my daughter Yasu died.

Then, suddenly she began to sing this song.

Generally these bouncing ball songs...

make reference to 3 objects, then 5 and finally 7.

The first verse begins with "Three little sparrows, sitting side by side"

I believe this is a song about women.

Therefore after, "The one little sparrow said..."

would come stanzas with what the second and third sparrow said.

Kindaichi...

Does that mean there will be more women murdered?

Regardless if there are more or not, I'd like to know what follows.

Could we ask her?

She says she wont say.

What a pain!

Is there no one else in this house who knows this song?

Ask her please.

She says she's sure that Hooan knows it.

Are you sure that Hooan's at the bottom of the swamp?

That's what the inspector says.

Why are we searching for that dried up old goat?

Stop talking like that and give me a hand.

If we search carefully we'll catch some salamanders.

When Nire discovered a relationship between Kanao and my daughter Yasu...

he blocked it by formally announcing...

that Fumiko would be Kanao's wife.

Thus making Yasu only a minor inconvenience to him.

It doesn't make any sense to suspect Nire?

Nire was motivated to get Fumiko married soon.

Since the war, there are fewer men...

For every husband, there's a truckload of women...

That's not all.

Fumiko has no father... she's an orphan.

An orphan?

The whole village knows it.

But no one says it publically because they're afraid of Nire.

So, what do you mean that Nire isn't Fumiko's father?

Just that.

Speaking of Fumiko...

Kahei's sister is called Sakie...

and when she worked in an inn...

she became pregnant. I don't know from whom.

I didn't know that.

And where is Sakie now?

Nire had to keep up appearances...

He took Sakie to Hyogo hospital and she gave birth there...

The Nire family took the baby as their own...

but they married Sakie off to a family in Tottori province.

And nobody knew who it was made Sakie pregnant?

It seems not...

One day he told the police. - Was it Hooan?

Onda more likely... - Onda?!

You mean the Onda, the swindler...

who murdered Genjiro of Kamenoyu inn?

Onda conned and cheated Utaro, her husband...

He died young because of it.

For her he's a villainous rogue.

He came to this house often, no?

Yes.

In fact, this man had the gift of the gab.

He deceived them all with ease. - Yes, I can imagine...

Then Chie and Fumiko... are half-sisters by the same father.

But separated and living in totally different worlds...

unaware of their shadowy connection.

Madam?...

When you mentioned Hooan, you only suspected him, no?

Or did you have reason for your accusation?

He said he saw..

Onda and Sakie often walking together by Sooja.

It was because of them that my daughter Yasu is dead.

How humiliating!

During our investigations at that time, Onda kept coming up.

Was no one else close to Onda?

Well... perhaps Tatsuzo.

Yes, I agree.

Thank you very much. If I find something, I'll call him.

Chief, I just spoke with the Hyogo police...

they confirmed that Ohan is in fact dead.

Really?

She died the 22nd November last year...

The manager of the restaurant where she worked...

presented her death certificate.

She died of kidney cancer.

Now I'm really confused.

This wine is from our estate. Please try some.

The cellars have no cooling systems

so we have to use other aging techniques.

but it'll still get you happy.

Tatsuzo...

When were the measure boul and funnel stolen?

There's no shortage of them around here.

If you wanted, you could take as many as you like.

Are you saying I'm the murderer?!

Tatsuzo, you knew Onda well, no?

Yes, too well.

Because he conned my father with the wreath scam, and on top of that...

got my sister Harue, pregnant.

You're happy Harue came back after such a long time, aren't you?

What are you trying to say, rascal?

I don't like it that Nire obliges me...

to work in this filthy, smelly hole.

Then they say they've closed their accounts and...

shamelessly say: "I don't want to give you another cent".

You must remember Oochi Genjiro?

In school Genjiro... was older than me... six years older.

After school he went to Kobe...

I don't know much about him.

And after he returned to the village?

After he returned, the very next month he was killed.

Do you know what Genjiro was doing in Kobe?

I heard that he worked in Kobe as a narrator in films.

Narrator?

Genjiro was a narrator (benshi) in films?

Yes, he worked as Aoyagi Yujiro.

I didn't mention it because I didn't think it was important.

Does it mean something? - No.

He took up an unusual occupation.

A movie named "Morroco"...

began playing in 1931.

When my husband saw it he said that now he was finally finished.

Between 31 and 32...

'Talking Films' began to be popular and the narrators...

began to lose their jobs, no?

For the early 'Talkies' they lowered the volume...

and the narrator translated the dialogue.

But after that film they started to use subtitles.

Ah... like that.

The year our Kanao was born, he got work as a narrator...

but it goes without saying, if it weren't for the advent of sound...

we wouldn't have been forced

to return here in such a desparate state.

If we hadn't returned...

my husband wouldn't have been so cruelly murdered.

When I think of it, I've always resented the advent of the 'Talkies'.

Oh my! It's gotten very late.

Ah, we have to attend Yasu's funeral.

Mr. Kindaichi and I are going together.

Being at such a large house, I have to go and help.

Excuse me... but before you met your husband, what did you do?

She worked in a variety show.

Oh... Mr. Isokawa.

What's there?

There's nothing to be ashamed of in that.

A Vaudeville Show? - Yes.

There was a musical interlude.

Some girls playing...

five or six girls...

playing the shamisen...

folk music...

folk songs as well.

When I left school at the age of 16...

I entered show business.

I never realized.

We... my late husband and I met during a tour.

We married without asking our parents permission.

So when we returned the village looked down on us.

Only one person was kind to us... Hooan.

Hooan?

Yes. Oh... would you like some pickles with your tea?

Ah... Rika, Rika...

Hooan was a great fan of public theatre.

Maybe that's why he and my husband got on so well.

Leave it Rika... We have to go...

They say he even acted in the theatre in costume.

Mr. Isokawa.

Excuse me... Have a look at this, please.

It's a letter.

It was found at the scene of the crime.

"About your dear Father..."

You'd better read it.

Alright...

"About your dear Father, if you want to know the truth about his death...

"come to Bench Falls at nine this evening.

"I'll tell you a great secret.

"From Hooan, to Yasu."

Perhaps the victim kept it in a fold of her kimono.

When she fell in the water it ended up in the rocks.

Somehow it floated loose.

No doubt.

But, the characters are written so badly.

Could be because he couldn't use his right hand.

So he wrote it with his left hand.

And the secret about the death of Yasu's father...

what was it?

I see it. Yes, I've got it.

The murderer was Hooan.

But you just said... it was Ohan who did it.

We have confirmed now that Ohan is dead.

That means that it was really Hooan disguised as Ohan in Sennintoge Pass...

so that Kindaichi would believe she was alive.

Can't you tell the difference between a man and a woman?

You should observe more carefully.

And Hooan left clues...

to suggest someone had poisined him in his house.

And after disappearing...

wrote the letter to Yasu and killed her. I'm sure.

But it's all conjecture...

This letter is absolute proof.

Kanao!

When you go to the funeral... take Sato with you.

What do you care?

Deep inside... you're actually relieved Yasu's dead.

What are you saying?

You can be sure... I won't let him get away with it.

This is a matter for the police.

Oh, no one outside the investigation team knows about this letter...

Let's keep it that way, understood?

Oh, constable... - Yes.

Are they still searching the swamp?

I believe so.

Tell them to stop.

Hooan is still alive.

I'm Chie.

I don't know... what to say... I'm so sorry.

Chie, thanks for coming.

Is there enough saké left? - I think so.

Escuse me... about the body...

Ah, as of yet... they haven't finished the autopsy at Soja hospital.

This is very hard for the family of the deceased.

I can understand.

Oh my... Mr. Kindaichi.

I came to offer my condolences.

And... Mr. Isokawa?

Unfortunately he's suffering from stomach ache.

Well, I hope it's not serious.

Rika!

Harue.

It's been too long. - Much too long.

I heard you had returned...

Later then...

Yes, of course.

Chie has become a very fine young woman.

You're very kind.

Finally we can live without shame, as mother and daughter.

We've forgotten all that. Please excuse me.

Yasu, your daughter Sato...

the Nire's Fumi, and my Chie are the same age...

and always good friends, but...

one is no more.

It's true, my Sato is no more.

Ah, let me help out.

No. You're our guest, all the way from Tokyo.

Please, sit with the deceased, and don't worry about a thing.

My father asked your mother...

if I could be your wife. I had nothing to do with it.

But... I love you.

If nothing had happened to Yasu... I'd have said nothing.

But I've... always dreamed of being your wife.

Fumi!

What are you saying? - It's true.

Even though she's dead, I want Yasu to hear me.

Fumi, that's enough.

Excuse me. Do you know where Fumi is?

Fumi? No...

Where could she have gone... Fumi?

What happened? Who was that?

Excuse me, sorry... What happened?

The shadow of an old woman...

Let me through. Chie!

Chie, what happened. Get up.

A fearful shadow... It appeared in the shed.

In the shed? Are you sure?

What's going on?

I screamed... and it went behind the hut.

By the hut there?

This shadow figure... it didn't harm you in any way?

No.

But... it must have intended to harm someone.

Good evening.

The clinic's closed for the day.

Doctor Gondo, don't you remember me?

Not really.

You examined the body of Aochi Genjiro...

at the Kamenoyu Inn, some 20 years ago.

I was investigating the case.

Ah, so you're not a patient?

No... actually I do have a stomach ache.

That's what reminded me of you and so I came here.

You must already know about last night and Yasu, right?

There was quite a commotion.

It is something that goes a long way back...

back to Yasu's father... I heard you signed Utaro's the death certificate.

But you couldn't discover the cause, could you?

Screw that noise! There was nothing wrong.

What a good memory.

Well, I don't forget such details.

Thank you very much.

So then... he died of natural causes.

Just one more thing...

I heard that you knew Hooan well.

I heard that you both belonged to the village historical society.

I didn't know him that well.

Ah, your stomach upset... let me have a look.

No, it's better now.

Has Fumi gone home already?

No, they said they were going back together. So I don't think so.

Eh, Ryuji, go look for her. - Okay.

Chie, we should have left already.

Sato, how did it go? Did you see Fumi?

Oh, Mr. Tatsuzo...

Be careful. No more saké for you... you're not even fit to go home.

Are you still there?

Fumiko? She hasn't come back yet.

Call Mitchiko, your wife.

Ah, Mitchiko, is she still there?

My bed isn't made yet.

Ah, Ryuji...

They just told me and it upset me so. Poor Fumi...

Is Kanao in?

Yes, he's in the bathing room.

Kanao! I didn't believe...

that you of all people, would take such cruel revenge on Fumi.

What? Don't be such a fool.

What do you mean, fool!

Tell me then, haven't you been a little scarce since yesterday.

No, not just a little... a lot scarce.

Stop it! It's nonsense.

What about your father. He's the one was so cruel to Yasu.

What? What motive could my father have to kill Yasu?

Say it. Tell me. - I'll tell you.

You want me to tell you?

Your father wanted to force me to marry the orphan Fumi.

But Yasu got in the way so he killed her.

He didn't kill her!

That's enough!

Break it up!

Can't this old wreck go any faster?

I'm going as fast as I can.

Kahei Nire's an arrogant man.

If he's kept waiting, he'll be a pain to question.

Nire engaged Hooan to kill Yasu...

and now they've murdered his daughter.

How's that?

Nothing's as it seems.

During the investigation I was surprised to find that...

most of Hooan's land and houses...

were bought by the Nire and Yura families.

Overall, mostly by Nire.

I'm sure Nire took advantage of Hooan's weak position to get below value prices.

Ah, that's why.

That's why Hooan held a grudge?

Yes, his motive for murder was vengence.

I'm so sorry about what happened.

When your suit's dry, I'll iron it.

Will this do?

Yes. And Kanao?

He's already much calmer.

Ryuji apologised when he was leaving.

I understand why Ryuji was upset.

His sister was cruelly murdered.

I hear they left tokens of the curse at the scene.

Yes, Roman and antique coins.

The two things related to the Tatsuzo household.

He's a lazy waster it's true, but he wouldn't hurt a fly.

Kindaichi, what are you writing?

The police are building their investigation on Hooan's hatred of Nire.

Who owns the vineyard now that used to belong to Hooan?

Nire and Yura drove the price to a ridiculous figure...

as Hooan so often said.

And then Hooan wasted all of it, gambling and fooling around.

So where did Hooan get money to live on.

He said he had a relative in Kobe who sent him money...

but the relative died 3 years ago and left him in dire straits.

So he had no income... and no work.

Nevertheless...

Kindaichi, then you believe...

someone in the village was secretly giving Hooan money?

Yes, but for what reason?

Didn't you two come here to solve a 20 year old case?

But Rika...

I believe that if we can solve this new case...

it'll shed light on the mystery of the old case.

Madam, the iron is very hot, aren't you going to use it?

Oh, I forgot!

This place needs firemen more than policemen, eh.

A little while ago, I heard from constable Nakamura...

that Sakie, dead Fumi's real mother has returned from Tottori...

in response to a police summons.

Sakie?

Although I knew it, I haven't told a soul.

Kindaichi, we should go and interview her.

Mr. Tachibana is investigating at Nire's house, isn't he?

She's my younger sister.

Heh... these men are from the police.

Pleased to meet you.

I am Sakie... mother of... the deceased.

Losing Fumi was a terrible tragedy...

but she lost more... the chance to know her love.

She was never able to tell Fumi that she was her daughter.

I regret it deeply.

Please excuse the circumstances of our meeting...

I'm ashamed.

I'm not going to cry. Please avenge my poor daughter.

We'd like to ask you some questions. Did she know that Onda was her father?

You... how do you know?

Atsuko, of the Yura family, told us.

Brother, Fumiko has been murdered... it's no time to worry about appearances.

We should tell them everything.

Onda was certainly the father.

But Fumi never knew.

In Tottori, my present husband loved me and gave me 3 sons...

But I could never forget or stop dreaming

about Fumi.

And about you.

She was told by my brother.

Surely she wanted to know who her father was.

Perhaps the murderer lured her into the wine cellear...

by promising he would tell her.

Kandaichi, how can you know that?

For the moment, it's just speculation...

as Yasu too was lured with a letter singed by...

Hooan, promising to reveal her father's name.

Perhaps... Yasu and Fumi were killed... by the same murderer.

I was thinking the same thing.

Because both Yasu and Fumi shared similar backgrounds.

If Atsuko spoke about my past, she can't mind... if I speak of hers.

Yasu was the daughter of Atsuko and Onda.

Is it true?

It's true. Onda told me... when we separated.

Excuse me... someone's here from the Yura's. - What is it?!

The grandmother wants the police to listen to a folk song.

Not again!

It's a bit late isn't it, after everything that's happened.

We might regret not going.

Just in case, I'd better go.

I'm afraid the old girl's having us on.

"Three little sparrows, the second one said..."

"I am the high king of the sacred Shinto temple."

"I hunt fine saké and the... best women too."

"Which woman is finer... the daughter of the scales?"

"She is very pretty, But her nails are so long."

"She puts coins on the scale and hangs them in the balance."

"She spends all her days caring for the king."

Toshiro, tell her we want to hear the third verse.

This type of murderer often follows a pattern.

I beg her to agree.

Is there no way?

Granny, won't you please continue?

Thanks for listening to me.

Sato.

I'm going to Yasu's funeral.

Without your veil?

Mom...

It doesn't matter anymore.

Chei gave me one... exactly the same as Chie's.

Oh, hello sir.

What was... that all about?

I understand how hard it must be... two of her friends are dead.

The police are concentrating their efforts on Hooan...

they've started searching the hills.

Ah, I see.

Whenever I think of Hooan... it's always with a sense of dread.

What do you mean?

I don't know how to put it. It's not as if he were a bad person.

Ah, Rika... Yasu was also Onda's child.

I didn't know that Onda was such a thorough villain.

He really was an evil man.

Not only did he fool women... and take advantage of them...

and then betray them...

but even now, 20 years later...

he's involved his daughters in these tragic events.

My loathing... can never be enough.

I see that what happened 20 years ago, still obsesses you.

Me?

You hate Onda.

Well...

I understand, Rika.

I'd like to free you of this obsession.

If it's as I suspect, your husband...

You think he committed murder and ran off.

I wish you'd accept this as reality.

But then my husband must be alive somewhere.

I'm sorry, but you have to stop thinking about him.

Get him out of your head.

You think he was that bad?

Well... it's the truth.

For your concern... I'm deeply obliged.

I'm only sorry I haven't helped you.

By the way... how did you meet Mr. Kindaichi?

Once... we risked our lives working a case together.

Ah... ever since I arrived...

your're always busy, now finally we can...

Now that you mention it, I really should get busy.

I have to attend the funeral. Please excuse me. I have to get ready.

But, Rika...

about the razor I mentioned...

It's done... it's in your room.

Did you find out anything?

Not what I was looking for.

Where could Hooan be hiding?

I think we should widen our list of suspects.

Who, for example?

It was complete confusion last night. people running in all directions.

For at least 30 minutes, nobody knew what was going on.

Anyone could have committed the crime.

So you think the murderer might be someone attending the function?

Other than Kahei, everyone was there.

We can eliminate the Nires and the retiring Ioko...

and Yasu's mother.

That leaves us Harue, Kusakabe, Tatsuzo... and who else?

Toshiro's wedding party and the staff of the inn.

Do you seriously suspect Rika?

No, I'm only looking at all possibilities.

Have you no feelings?!

We have to start by suspecting everyone...

Didn't you say that?

It's not the same.

I meant like Genjiro... was he the victim or the perp.

For the last 20 years Rika has known nothing but suffering.

No doubt, you compared the photos of Genjiro and Onda?

Photos?

But there were no photos... none at all of Genjiro.

How's that?

They said that before he returned,

being old-fashioned, and disapproving of his work in the movies,

they burned all his photos.

And Onda... weren't there any photos of him?

He'd been an intinerant... no one knew what areas he'd lived in.

We couldn't put his poster in every town in the country...

That's it.

We should ask.

Photos?

I asked for a photo but he said he didn't have one.

Not even one of them together.

As I suspected.

Do you think it has anything to do with the recent events?

There's something significant in the lack of photos...

Onda's body... did it have any marks... distinguishing marks?

But what does that have to do with recent events?

Even the smallest detail could be important.

But...

For example, was he bow-legged, or something?

His legs... - What?

I just remembered that his toes were different, weren't they?

How so?

His middle toes... were a little longer than normal.

He used to complain that they always caused holes in his socks.

Onda and Harue gave birth to Chie.

Onda and Sakie gave birth to Fumi.

Onda and Atsuko gave birth to Yasu.

Have you finished yet?

Ah... Omiki.

Oh, he left his shaving things...

Hooan... when did he start... to come regularly to the baths here?

Well... it was before I started working here.

As Madam didn't complain and took special care of him...

He thought he was special. - Took special care...?

Yes, sometimes she cooked for him.

Although I always took it to the bathing pools for him.

That's right, I remember something...

Normally, she left the basket of food wrapped in a cloth.

but one day, without thinking, I removed the cloth...

and inside there was and envelope with money.

You'll get dandruff all over your mandarin, Mr. Kindaichi!

Would you like one, Omiki?

There's none left.

That's strange...

I thought I had 2 here.

Why are you so surprised?

The second one was just a reflection in the mirror.

Well then...

Mr. Kindaichi!

A call for you.

Why don't you ever come to see me when you're ill.

Don't you know I'm a doctor? - There... have a look.

" THE MURDER CASE OF AOCHI GENJIRO "

See anything useful?

But these photos must be in the police file, no?

This case was before the war...

and most of those files were burnt.

This is it!

Don't the middle toes on this corpse appear to be longer than normal?

Yes, I remember they were abnormal.

But there was nothing about it in the forensic report.

It had nothing to do with the cause of death.

Kindaichi.

The murdered man was Onda, as we thought. Look here!

I can see. You're patience and persistence finally paid off.

Why did Rika make a false statement?

Hooan identified the body, too.

But... what if it wasn't false?

What are you saying?

Isokawa, I think I should go to Kobe.

To Kobe?

It seems to me that the key to this case is in Kobe.

I'd like to have physical proof... though I might not find any.

So would I...

You stay here.

And make sure Chie's safe.

The bouncing ball song says: "The third little sparrow said..."

"Which one is finer? The daughter of the lock-makers."

That's what worries me.

Get Mr. Tachibana on side too.

And don't tell anyone that I'm going to Kobe.

Criminals have ways of finding such things out.

Criminals also have ways of getting themselves caught.

If he hasn't arrived yet, don't wait for him.

What can I do to help?

No way! They'd have my head!

I'd rather be occupied.

Of course, I'm sorry.

I've never seen anything like it...

Okinobe's cursed by the demon... - Should I take this over there?

- Chie?? She's fine.

She's helping in the kitchen.

Why would someone want to murder Chie?

They say it's because she's Onda's daughter.

Harue...

Fumi and Yasu who were murdered... were also Onda's daughters.

Yasu was... Onda's daughter too!

A sign!

They're all drinking like there's no tomorrow!

Since it's Fumi's wake, let them drink lots.

Rika, don't carry so many. - Don't worry, I'm fine.

It's true that Onda used to speak of Mrs. Atsuko.

Are you allright? - Yes, I'm OK now.

I thought he did it to tease me.

But it was true.

Are you sure? - Yes.

The one who knew everything about Onda...

was Hooan.

Chie was saying that the murders are related to an old folk song.

No, that's nothing... It's just one of Kindaichi's crazy ideas.

That's why last night we kept watch on Chie.

But in the end, nothing happened.

And so... this Kindaichi, where's he?

He's just a fly-by-night private investigator!

He's all worked up about some other person...

and went off to Wakayama following his own leads.

So, Isokawa... isn't that so?

"KOBE"

Mom!

Mom... Sato! Sato's been murdered!

It can't be. - It is... in Tsuji.

The retired manager of Yachiyokan put me on to...

the watchman at the Aoi cinema.

He said... the Sanyu theatre projectionist was still alive.

When I met him, he mentioned that... you, the musician Noro....

and the narrator, Aoyagi Yogiro, had always kept in touch.

That's why I came here.

Ah... here's one.

Did you find one?

It's a photo of our protest against laying-off the narrators.

See, the one speaking before the tribunal...

that's me.

Then this photo....

If they hadn't invented films with sound...

my son would've gone to university.

But, please... I'm looking for a photo of Aoyagi Yogiro.

Ah, he wasn't such a great narrator.

But he introduced the use of European poetry into narration.

And the youth loved it.

For example, in a sad scene...

"My heart is weeping...

"like rain in the dark city."

It's by Baudelaire.

It worked very well.

This is my wife.

She's old now, but she was never very sociable.

Ah, here's one.

They're all playing instruments.

It was when we started the KT orchestra.

As I recall, I was first violin.

What's this?

"Okouchi Genjiro conducts 3 works in the Edo style."

It's just a concert program.

She's going senile.

This gentleman is looking for a photo of Aoyagi Yogiro.

just there... that's Aoyagi.

You see the four narrators...

he's the one on the far right.

Their reunion was the big attraction of that concert...

the four famous narrators.

The murder weapon?

A bottle filled with sand. - Footprints?

There weren't any.

There was a lock and key left at the scene.

If it follows the song, the victim should have been...

the daughter of the house of lock makers.

So why did they kill Sato, from Kamenoyu inn?

Exactly. It dosn't make sense.

The murderer pretended to kill only the daughters of Onda...

but Sato was the one he intended to kill.

He very cleverly decieved us.

Has Rika come back yet.

No, she left in a police car and hasn't come back yet.

I can still see her grief stricken face, calling out and weeping.

Poor madam.

Isokawa, it's Mr. Kindaichi.

Kindaichi, there's been another murder.

No, not Chie.

It's Sato from Kamenoyu.

Sato?

Kindaichi, did you hear me?

They left a lock and key.

What? Booklet?

Yes, "Minkan zensho" (Complete Folk Songs) And?

Ah, just a minute.

You say at Doctor Gondo's. Good, what else?

I'll get them rounded up. Yes, right away.

For sure, where are you now?

The earth is soft here, eh?

He said the wild dogs had likely disturbed it.

But it seems like somethings been taken from the grave.

See.

This is Fuyu's grave, Hooan's eighth wife.

She was buried 5 or 6 years ago.

As far as City Hall's concerned, we can't ignore this.

It's all so sudden.

Why have you brought us to this dirty clinic?

Are you going to say that the murder is one of us?

They told me that the three of us are strangely linked...

I was truly surprised.

All I need say is it's about Onda.

I'm cold and very tired. Can't I go home now?

Why are we here?

We're waiting for Mr. Kindaichi.

When he gets here, we'll find out why we're here.

So, this publication...

contains all the bouncing ball songs of Onikobe. It's called "Minkan zensho".

This writing looks like Hooan's. - That's right.

Where did you find it?

Who had it? - I did.

It's not like I was trying to hide it.

Although Mr. Isokawa asked me about local history...

he didn't say anything at the time about "Minkan zensho".

What made you think it was here?

Mr. Kindaichi found a copy in the Okayama library.

He called to say that Dr. Gondo's name was in the list of sponsors.

As expected, the third sparrow names...

"the daughter of the lock makers.

He's come.

Excuse me for keeping you waiting.

Kindaichi, did you find the photo you were looking for?

Yes. Did you find "Minkan zensho"?

Yes, it's here.

Good.

I'm sorry I had you brought here.

The truth is I wanted you to see this photo.

I'm sorry it's so small.

Please pass it along.

The one on the far right.

Although he has no mustache in the picture...

try to imagine him wearing a mustache.

Listen, where did you find this photo

The man in the photo is Onda Ikuzo.

Onda's photo!?

Mrs. Sakie, whose photo do you think it is?

I'm certain... exactly as Mrs. Atsuko said.

Mrs. Harue, what's your oppinion?

Yes, it's Chie's father. I'm sure.

The man in the photo isn't Onda...

but the narrator Aoyagi Yogiro, that's to say, Aochi Genjiro.

So... Onda and Genjiro...

are the same person?

Yes.

What do you mean?

The key to deciphering the mystery was a mandarin orange.

A mandarin?

It made me see... one person played two roles.

Then... although there was a criminal, he was also the victim?

Kindaichi... the guilty party...

... is Rika?

Chie... thanks for coming.

Since you called me.

No one knows you came here?

No. By the way, this is Sato's purse.

Last night it got switched with mine.

I realized it wasn't mine and was looking for Sato.

But I was too late.

She must have seen someone putting a note in my purse.

I think it was something about my father.

She switched purses.

But... how did she know that... that person was the murderer?

Then, the person standing at the kitchen door...

was Sato.

Sato... removed her scarf and showed her face...

to show me she had discovered my secret.

I killed her, thinking she was you.

Chie... I...

Having lost his work as narrator, Genjiro...

now calling himself Onda, came to the village selling wreathes.

That was year 6, Showa era. (1931)

This village suited him because he knew it from before.

That's why he hid his true identity...

and used a false name.

Genjiro left his wife Rika preganant and with his son in Kobe...

He came to this village once a month...

and cleverly spent a day with each of you.

Of course, that was to make money.

I was completely taken in by him.

As was I.

Nevertheless, there was someone who discovered his double life.

Hooan.

Yes, he'd rented the ajoining room.

Rika also found out.

Hooan deliberately told her.

Why?

Perhaps he desired Rika and her money?

We can't find Chie!

Chie, I...

felt so sad that my daughter was born with such a horrible birthmark

Such that, in the end I began to resent the lives of her sisters.

Her sisters' lives?

Fate is cruel.

Your father, Onda...

was also my husband, Genjiro.

That's why I killed Yasu and Fumi.

So that Kanao wouldn't marry one of you.

Does Kanao know?

I could never bring myself to tell him.

Forgive me.

In my panic, I've stained my hands with their blood.

And Sato, showed me my crimes, at the cost of her life.

Rika... you.

Isokawa...

I'm so sorry.

Rika... I...

I wanted to tell Chie everything.

I imagined it would have a great impact on her.

As for myself, when he told me that my husband and Onda were the same man...

I couldn't believe it.

Hooan told you, didn't he?

When did he tell you?

That day, 20 years ago.

My husband left saying he was going to expose Onda.

Then Hooan turned up.

And said that if I didn't want my husband's secret revealed...

I would have to do whatever he asked.

But I couldn't believe that of my husband and went to his house.

Then I realised... it was true.

Thinking of Kanao and expecting Sato, I swallowed my anger.

And I begged my husband to come back to his old life.

But he was in the least sorry.

In an insolent tone he told me...

he was leaving me and going to China with Harue.

If I'd been able to truly hate my husband...

none of this would have happened.

Even though I realised he was a heartless man, I loved him.

Rika.

I can't forget him.

I regret that I didn't concentrate on Hooan from the start.

I might have prevented the murders.

Rika, the reply letter which you wrote for Hooan...

You removed it under some pretext, didn't you?

That was the first of your traps I fell into.

You had to extablish the existence of Ohan...

in spite of her being dead.

You took a shortcut and waited for me to arrive at Sennintoge Pass.

And then went to Hooan's house.

Why didn't Hooan notice that you were disguised as Ohan?

Hooan had night blindness.

That's why the salamander was there.

The villagers say it cures night blindness.

I meant to implicate Hooan by following my plan.

That's why you used the "Onikobe" folk song.

The daughter of the measures and then of the scales.

On the day of Yasu's funeral, Mr. Nire said...

Yasu's dead.

It's clear that my Fumi will be Kanao's wife.

I intended to go on to Chie...

But killed my own daughter, as reward.

Chie!

Rika.

I don't know how to ask Kanao's forgiveness.

He knows nothing.

He said he was going to search in the hills to avenge Yasu and Sato.

Rika, you have to give yourself up to the police.

The losses have been too great.

Surrender to the police, please... please...

Hooan's body's been found.

Are you sure?

Constable Nakamura just called.

Has she confessed?

Isokawa, you should go now with Mr. Kindaichi to identify Hooan's body.

You, keep an eye on the lady.

Finally Mr. Tachibana and the others are coming.

I'd like to be near Rika.

Please, carry on. Excuse me.

Hey, where's Rika.

Eh? The Okayama police just called. I had to take it.

Isn't she there?

Idiot!

They've found the murderer!

The murderer's been caught!

Hold on. - Let me go.

I want to see the killer's body!

Isokawa... it might be better to let him see.

Kanao!

No!

Mother.

Mother.

Mother!

Kindaichi...

I'd like to go to Okayama with you, but there's something I have to take care of.

Here. - Thank you.

Your retainer as well as expenses.

I'm only charging expenses.

What're you saying? Don't be so stubborn.

Keep it for next time.

But won't it leave you short?

Well... I'll get by.

Can I look? - Yes, of course.

The total expenses came to 630 yen, no?

That's fine.

Kanao's finally agreed to come... and live with me.

He's going to attend the Agricultural College in Okayama.

I'm glad.

Thanks for everything.

No... I thank you.

Isokawa, you loved Rika, didn't you?

What'd you say?

The End

English subtitles translated by salmond from the Spanish (HanStyle) subs by "Okonomiyaki espanol"