Sanshō Tayū, the wealthy High Steward Sansho, operates a vast slave enterprise from his Yura estate. As the ruthless slave master, he subjects captives, including the aristocratic siblings Anju and Zushio, to brutal forced labor. His authority rests on violence and intimidation, enforced directly by his assistant Hiro. Sansho embodies greed and cruelty, personally accepting new slaves brought to him, like the children presented by the slaver Gonroku. His perpetually expanding estate visibly reflects his growing wealth and power, built entirely on the exploitation of enslaved people.

His family life reveals a stark contrast through his compassionate son Saburo, who secretly aids Anju and Zushio. Saburo's acts of mercy underscore Sansho's own relentless brutality and unwavering commitment to his oppressive system. Sansho's reign ends when Zushio escapes, gains political authority, and returns to dismantle the slave operation. Sansho defies the abolition edict but is arrested. His slaves are liberated, his estate destroyed, and he is exiled, concluding his narrative with the irreversible consequences of his tyranny.