Yataro Tanigawa, a one-eyed hired assassin, impresses yakuza boss Gomyo Kiyoemon with his skill. Gomyo hires Tanigawa as his bodyguard, or yojimbo, to protect him during an inter-clan conflict. Tanigawa quickly rises in stature in the clan, but finds his boss's enemies almost overwhelming.
Tatsuya Nakadai
Keiko Kishi
Ayumi Ishida
Makoto Fujita
Isao Natsuyagi
Kayo Matsuo
Ai Kanzaki
Tatsuo Umemiya
Hajime Hana
Yoshio Harada
Tetsuro Tamba
Koji Yakusho
Mikio Narita
Hideji Ōtaki
Yoshi Katō
Eijirō Tōno
Sonny Chiba
Hideo Murota
Fujiko Nara
Daisuke Ryū
Hachiro Azuma
Smiley Ohara
Sen Yano
Toshiyuki Hosokawa