In addition to major works such as "Dai-bosatsu Toge" (the Daibosatsu pass) and "Miyamoto Musashi," he also created films exposing the disadvantaged members of contemporary Japanese society including "Mori to Mizuumi no Matsuri" (A festival of the forest and the lake) which dealt with the issue of the Ainu people and "Kiga Kaikyo" (Starvation strait) - a tale of suspense by Tsutomu MINAKAMI set against the backdrop of the burakumin issue.
以降、『大菩薩峠(小説)』、『宮本武蔵映画』のような大作を発表する一方、アイヌの問題を扱った『森と湖のまつり』、部落問題を底流に描いた水上勉のサスペンス『飢餓海峡』など、現代社会の弱者を鋭く照射した作品も発表し続けた。