信浓有一座楢山,附近山村的人到了七十岁就得进楢山。树桩家六十九岁的阿玲(坂本澄子 饰)还有三件事放不下:一是四十五岁的长子辰平(绪形拳 饰)去年成了鳏夫;二是二十岁的长孙袈裟吉(仓崎青儿 饰)总是在村里人面前嘲笑自己牢固的牙齿;三是三十五岁的次子利助(左顿平 饰)还未与女人性交过。一年一度的祭祀日,等来了新儿媳阿玉(竹城明 饰)的阿玲狠下心在石臼上磕掉了两颗门牙。割稻子的时节,袈裟吉将雨屋家的阿松(高田顺子 饰)领进了树桩家,可是阿松却将树桩家的粮食偷运至雨屋家。辰平抓住了阿松,但并未张扬,只是私下教训了事。可是雨屋家世代偷盗,终于引发众怒。村里人不仅抄了雨屋家,为绝后患,还将雨屋全家活埋,阿松也不例外。阿玲打定主意冬天进楢山,但是利助的事该拜托谁呢……In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse he or she would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife.