In the mid-19th century, Okiku, a young woman, lives in a tenement row house among ordinary people in the sprawling city of Edo – known as Tokyo today. Okiku lives with her father, Genbei, a former samurai, now reduced to a penniless ronin, whom she supports by teaching children to read and write in a temple school. Two Manure Men, Yasuke, and his newly recruited partner, Chuji, regularly visit Okiku’s tenement to collect the human manure from the outhouse the tenants share. Okiku, a young woman in her prime, seems to take a special interest in Chuji. After days of rain prevent Yasuke and Chuji from making their rounds, the tenement outhouse overflows. Enraged by the stink and the disgusting state of the outhouse, the tenants complain to the landlord. Just as their protests grow hostile, Yasuke and Chuji arrive, and everyone begs them to "take all this shit away."