Enraged by the sudden demise of her affected desire for him and her mercenary attitude, he tries to assault her but is thwarted and summarily evicted by Miyoharu's servants.

Miyoharu attempts to dissuade her, on the grounds that life as a geisha is difficult and the training exceptionally arduous, but in the face of Eiko's determination she finds sympathy for the girl's situation and concedes.

In Okimi's teahouse, the two geisha are seated with Kusuda and his associate, who are in the process of convincing a manager on the verge of promotion to the directorship of another prosperous company.

They encounter Miyoei's father, who has fallen on extremely hard times and tells Miyoharu that his debts have become so crippling that suicide will soon be his only resort.

Miyoei's father, in a pathetic state, also pays Miyoharu a visit as his last recourse to secure a loan and save his life from his debtors.

Despite Miyoharu's support for her actions to defend her rights and insistence that she maintain her dignity, Miyoei defies her and presents herself to Okimi to be taken to Kusuda.

Wary of the sudden change in their fortunes, Miyoei demands to know whether Miyoharu prostituted herself to Kanzaki and threatens to leave if her suspicions are confirmed.

[3] The film is regarded as one of Mizoguchi's major works by critics and historians, described as "elegantly made […] and poignant in the extreme" (Geoff Andrew, Time Out),[4] "incredibly beautiful" and "compassionate but completely unsentimental" (Vincent Canby, The New York Times),[5] and "a very severe criticism of the geisha tradition" (Donald Richie/Joseph L. Anderson, The Japanese Film – Art & Industry).