Very little payoff, except...

I didn't care that they won, or even very much that the girl died. She had me near tears and then started to cloy. Only the actress's eyes saved the role from merest bathos. The scene she wore the crown in provoked feelings about Japanese sentimentality (not unpleasantly, as I have some family history there) but not much for the characters. The film is worth watching to see Shimura san's masterful work. He's probably the best movie actor of all time.