On February 7th 1189, Minamoto no Yos-hitune, the commander of the Genji troops looks down at the Heike’s camp from the top of the cliff, waiting to make a surprise attack on the Heike troops, a sworn enemy of Yos-hitsune. Among the Heike’s commanders, however, there are Taira no Munemori, Tomomori and Shigehira, whom Yos-hitsune used to play with in his childhood as if they were brothers…
In December 1159, the Genji clan, which has once prospered in Kyoto with its head Minamoto no Yos-hitomo, is defeated by the Heike clan in the battle of Heiji. Tokiwa, a much-loved mistress of Yos-hitomo and mother of Yoshitsune, escapes from Kyoto and wanders in the snow with her three children. The head of the Heike clan, Taira no Kiyomori is asked by his step mother, Ikenozenni to save the life of Yoshitsune’s half brother Minamoto no Yoritomo who was captured after the Genji's defeat. Tokiwa returns to Kyoto, hearing that her mother was captured by the Heike as one related to the Genji, and appeals Kiyomori for mercy to save her mother and sons in exchange for her own life. Kiyomori, who lost his own mother when he was a child, sees Ushiwaka (Yoshitsune’s childhood name) who is held in Tokiwa’s arms, and makes a decision.
平治元年（１１５９年）１２月。平治の乱で源氏軍が平家に破れ、源義朝（加藤雅也）の愛妾（しょう）・常盤（稲森いずみ）は、乳飲み子の牛若（のちの義経）と幼子らを抱えて都を逃れ雪の中をさまよい歩いていた。母が平家に捕らえられたことを知る常盤は、自分の命と引きかえに、母と子らの助命を求めて平清盛（渡哲也）のもとへ出頭する。清盛は、先に捕らえた源氏の嫡男・源頼朝（池松壮亮）の命とともに思案する。
