Synopsis: A ship bound for Edo encounters bizarre things in the Dragon’s Triangle.

A minstrel on a ship bound for Edo relates the tale of how several young fishermen went out to sea, unaware of the rule that no one must leave the harbor on the fifteenth of any month. As the ship sailed on, the sky grew dark and a fog enveloped the ship. A ghost ship appeared and its ghostly passenger, a sailor said to be lost at sea one stormy night, called out to the fishermen asking for their laddles (used to remove water from a boat). Before the minstrel could continue the story, however, a young woman interrupts him saying she knows what will happen next. She says that the fishermen hand their ladles to the ghost who fills it with sea water and the fishing boat sinks.

The ship’s owner who has been listening to the minstrel’s tale asks the passengers to introduce themselves. The ship’s owner’s name is Mikuniya Tamon and his ship, the Sorarisu-maru, a former Shogunate merchant vessel, is used to bring curiosities from the West to Edo. The minstrel introduces himself as Yanagi Genyousai. The young woman introduces herself too. She is Kayo, a former seamstress from the Sakai house. She left for Edo to look for a new job. Genyousai asks her if she is from the Sakai house, famous for its Bake Neko (featured in Ayakashi~Japanese Classic Horror).

There are other passengers in the ship too: a samurai named Sasaki Hyouei who serves the Lord of Shioya, a monk named Genkei and his servant and personal retainer, Sougen. Tamon is amazed that a monk is in his ship. Genyousai, however, wonders and thinks about the strange pun of a monk at sea (umi ni bouzu) and the ghost, umibouzu.

One strange thing about the Sorarisu-maru is that there is a goldfish pond on the deck. The owner explains that it is his personal connection. He, then, shows Kayo and the minstrel, more of his collection, a goldfish aquarium. The minstrel notices that there is another passenger they haven’t seen earlier, the Medicine seller. Kayo, having known the Medicine seller from before, explains that the Medicine Seller was the one who exorcised the Bake Neko from her former residence.

Later, Tamon says that if the winds are favorable, they would arrive in Edo in four or five days. His assistant, Goromaru confirms but states that there are no stars. Tamon tells him that they don’t need stars as they have a compass. If they head northeast they will arrive in Edo in no time. Genyousai reacts upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, Kayo and the Medicine Seller are having a conversation. Kayo asks him that if an ayakashi should appear, would the Medicine Seller kill it. The Medicine Seller asks her why then explains that ayakashi should not exist and yet there are millions of them, he could try to kill them if he wanted but he could never get all of them. He then says that mononoke are a different matter. At this point, the scene changes and the Medicine Seller is standing upright on the ceiling while Kayo is upside down on the “floor” (this is perhaps to indicate a different level of reality of which only the Medicine Seller could sense). The Medicine Seller sees a big fish with a human leg for a tail. The fish twitches and gasps.

Hyouei, the samurai, having heard of the Medicine Seller, asks him if he could see the Sword of Exorcism. The Medicine Seller tells him he can’t and explains that in order for the sword to be drawn, Form, Truth and Regret must be present. Gennyousai comes saying he isn’t impressed and begins to brag.

At night, when everyone is asleep, faint chantings are heard and a scene shows slippers (that of the monks), one on top of the other, to represent a sexual act. Meanwhile, Goromaru is asleep near the compass, which, suddenly, changes direction. A rod seems to have been placed under the table where the compass laid. We also see a scene of Sougen, the younger monk, sobbing.

The ship sails on and the Medicine Seller notices that the wind has stopped. A strange fog begins to envelop the ship.

As morning came, Kayo finds out that everyone is in deck. Gennyousai comments that although it is a bright day, the sun is nowhere to be seen. He, then, says that they should be able to see the port of Irouzaki by then but they can’t see it at all. Gennyousai shows them a map and points the island of Niijima, drawing an invisible line to Nojimazaki, then to the island of Nanban. He explains that the he has heard that the area between the three islands is called the Dragon’s Triangle. Anyone caught in the area will be attacked by ayakashi and will never return home. The minstrel states that it is the ayakashi’s sea.

The ship’s owner points out that the compass needle is pointing north. The Medicine Seller noticies the rod under the table and finds out that is is a magnet. The passengers begin to wonder who could’ve have placed it. All of a sudden, they hear the sound of drums. Gennyousai says that it is the Kokuu Taiko and that hearing the sound of drums is harmless. He then says that it is unfortunate because if a ghost ship had appeared, he could have vanquished it.

The scene changes again, with the Medicine Seller standing upright on the selling. Long fishbones with bird-like heads having three eyes on one side are on the floor. The compass needle moves wildly and a loud rumbling is heard.

The ship shakes, frightening the passengers. The Medicine Seller shows Kayo a scale. Kayo explains to Gennyousai that the scale determines distance and not weight. Gennyousai asks what distance would be measured and the Medicine Seller replies that it is the distance to something not of this world.

A huge ship appears in the sky. Gennyousai exclaims that he has no idea it is so big. The Medicine Seller comments that whether they decide to destroy it or display it in Edo, it will require a bit of finesse. Gennyousai asks him to try destroy it with the Sword of Exorcism. The samurai says that he would love to see it too. Kayo points out that, as already explained by the Medicine Seller before, Form, Truth and Regret are needed. Gennyousai says that they already have the Form.

Without warning, the fishbones with bird heads shoot out from the ship. The Sword, however, does not respond. Gennyousai tells everyone to prepare their laddles but the Medicine Seller says that it is useless. He explains that the sluggish movement is uncharacteristic of an ayakashi and besides, it has not asked for their laddles. Gennyousai asks the owner to gather all of the stove’s ashes and bring it to him.

Goromaru and Kayo pour the ashes around the ship. Tamon asks why ash and not salt. Gennyousai replies that there is already plenty of salt in the sea and yet it did not ward off the ghost ship. The ash, however, didn’t work. The Medicine Seller asks the owner about the rope that was tied around the wood that was burned. The owner says that is was burned along with the wood. The Medicine Seller explains that if anything other than wood ash contaminates the powder, it will not ward off the dead. The samurai attempts to cut the fishbones off with his sword but it is futile as it is not alive.

The fishbones stop moving. It seems to have entangled around the ship which is suddenly drawn out of the water. The Medicine Seller starts to prepare something. Gennyousai comments that drugs don’t work on ayakashi. The Medicine Seller says he is right and asks Gennyousai to perform an evil-warding prayer as he continues his preparation.

As the Medicine Seller pours the powder he created into a ball, he explains that ayakashi come to this world through darkness and that these ayakashi are so numerous that they could block out the sun. However, light does not only come from the sky. He tells them that if one opens their eyes, they would be blinded. He hurls that ball outside and it explodes. The ghost ship disappears.

Gennyousai asks who could have manipulated the compass. Kayo states that it would be someone among them. Gennyousai denies it but Kayo says that the minstrel wanted to gain reputation as an exorcist by defeating the Ayakashi. Also, the ship’s owner might have wanted to make the ayakashi’s sea into some sort of tourist attraction. As for the samurai, Kayo said that he wanted to see the Medicine seller’s sword so badly and must be wanting it for his own. Kayo also says that Sougen disappeared the previous night. Sougen replies that he became seasick and went out to get fresh air. Kayo explains that none of them are beyond suspicion other than the Medicine Seller.

The Medicine Seller laughs, wondering what ayakashi would appear next. He also tells the other passengers that he used up all his gunpowder so he could not use the same trick he did earlier. Kayo becomes shocked. The Medince Seller seems to be enjoying the situation. Could he have manipulated the compass’ direction?

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