Episode 161

Miroku's Old Mistake is the one hundred sixty-first episode of InuYasha.

Summary
InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango are walking along a trail and Miroku is seemingly upset over geting pickpocketed by a man but instead uses his supposed upsetness to stroke Sango's bottom in a hug (and this being the first time he's actually gotten away with it).

Some villagers place a charm on a shrine, praying that the soul will find peace. As he does, the ground shakes and the water roils.

As InuYasha and companions arrive to offer help, one of the villagers recognizes Miroku and asks if he has returned to fulfil his promise and marry the man's daughter shocking everyone since Miroku is already engaged to Sango.

In the village, Miroku is unable to recall the promise at first. When a young lady arrives, memory seems to return when he recognizes the girl from his past. The girl, Shima, used to be sickly and frail. But as he passed through the village one day he healed the girl and left - after making his usual proposition to the girl. Shima claims that the medicine as well as her promise to Miroku kept her going. These events soon cause strain on Miroku and Sango's relationship as Sango becomes further and further upset now fully taking in Miroku's womanzing past.

The villagers tell the companions that the demon who lives in the shrine, the Master of the Lake, has claimed Shima as his bride and refuses to give her up. Shima's father explains that he had promised Shima to the Master of the Lake using his sources to cure her. Shima then confesses to the Master of the Lake while in a confrontation one night that she is not a virgin saying that she had slept with Miroku and gave her virginity to him (causing Sango to be silently enraged hearing this) and thus is unfit as a bride. The Master of the Lake furious that that he had been lied to, soon transforms and attacks the village. Sango eventualy rejects Miroku, saying that she doesn't think things will work out between them after all while InuYasha attacks the demon.



Miroku tries to explain things to her asking if he could even give his side of the story, but Sango runs off clearly distressed and Miroku is left gut wrenched that she doesn't trust him. Miroku soon reveals to InuYasha, Kagome and Shippo that he had actually been falsely accused of the things he had done with Shima and that his heart "was focused on one person and one persona alone." (This being Sango.) While they are distracted, the master of the lake kidnaps Shima.

Sango rescues Shima from the demon, but is caught by the demon. When the demon gloats that he shall keep Sango as his mistress, Miroku leaps into the lake after them. He uses his Wind Tunnel to remove all the water from the lake and defeats the demon.

Shima confesses that she lied about sleeping with Miroku and Sango forgives Miroku.