While at a roadside inn, the ronin meets several characters including the disgraced doctor, Gentetsu (Shintaro Katsu), a pompous police constable, and a criminal he has arrested.

The ronin uncovers a plot for bandits to steal gold as it is being transported along the mountain pass.

At the end another layer to the scheme is uncovered, and the mastermind who dispatched the ronin and informed the bandits about the gold is the same person.

Machibuse was produced by Toshiro Mifune's production company and released in Japan by Toho on April 29, 1970.

Earlier, in January of 1970, another film starring Mifune and Katsu was released, Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo.