The Breaking of Branches is Forbidden

The head monk orders a young acolyte to guard a beautiful cherry tree in the monastery garden while he goes out. But the older man underestimates his colleague’s fondness for sake. As it so happens, a samurai warrior and his servant decide to have a picnic feast in the same garden under the blossoming tree. The acolyte refuses to let them in, but when he smells their sake, his determination is put to the test.... Made in 1968, director Kawamoto’s first puppet film is a moral tale about a disciple who was justly punished for a momentary lapse.

(Source: AniDB)