Akira Kurosawa's first major international hit, Rashomon has it all: an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception. Four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife, proving that truth is something very relative.

The story begins during a severe storm, when a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura), a priest (Minoru Chiaki) and a peasant (Kichijiro Ueda) seek refuge in the stone ruins of Rashomon's Gate. The priest recounts the details of a trial he witnessed, involving the rape of Masako (Machiko Kyô) and the murder of her husband, Takehiro (Masayuki Mori), a samurai.

The trial of the bandit Tajomaru (Toshiro Mifune) is shown in a flashback, where four testimonies take place, including the dead Takehiro through a medium. Each character tells a "truth" that conflicts with the others.

Rashomon survived three major fires before its completion and had two re-dubs, as well as two recordings for the soundtrack, the last of which was hastily made for the tape's international distribution.