Summary
Master seller Kihei persuades a curious fatherless boy, Ginji, to go to the regional rice exchange at Otsu village. We can watch how the stubborn Ginji silently grows, observes, befriends influential merchants, gains confidence, rejects contributions, drinks sake to increase his reputation, and strengthens his relationships with both friends and enemies. He chooses to cheat, lie, pretend, swindle and betray like all normal merchants who have more privileged rights. The fluctuations in the price of rice according to weather conditions force Ginji to adapt faster to loans, promises and debts, even while his eventual goal is forgiveness. (Edvinas Puksta)
