It is 1868 Japan and the dawn of the new Meiji era. A military officer from Kyushu, who is honest, monk-like, stoic, straight-edge and does not consort with women lest he becomes weak, lives next door to a businessman and the latter's family. The businessman has a daughter and, as chance would have it, is rescued by the officer one day. She falls in love with him. Moreover, when the neighbour's bird escapes and flies away it is the next-door girl who finds and tends to it. He begins to have feelings for her and is soon head over heels as well. A friend of his meets the girl's parents in order to mediate the love birds' marriage, but instead makes the relationship tense based on a political argument. The man and woman are disappointed and the daughter declares her intention to become a nun if she cannot have her man. The parents relent, but their would-be son-in-law soon discovers that the businessman is importing arms from the UK destined for anti-government forces.