Tokyo biyori (1997) - full transcript
An enchanting look at the lives of a Japanese couple, based on the real-life diary extracts of the husband. He is a slightly offbeat photographer, a profession that grew out of his publishing a book of portraits of Yoko, his pretty wife, to whom he is devoted but doesn't entirely understand. She is highly strung, in fact a little off-balance, particularly as she forces her maternal attentions on neighbour's 8 year-old boy. The story is largely told in retrospect, after Yoko's death, and includes a variety of friends and incidental characters.
FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC. presents
Shimazu here...oh, Mizutani...
Yeah? So what time?
AII right. On the way...
...buy me some sunfIowers, OK?
Yeah, anything.
They're for some pictures.
Oh, and some food.
I haven't eaten since breakfast.
And how about ''Tokyo Biyori''
as a titIe?
For the book.
OK?
Choro's fine. He's enthroned
on the veranda right now.
Are you coming by train?
Remember how to get here?
Yep.
You do remember...
Yeah.
Right.
I'II be waiting.
OK, thanks.
Choro...
I stiII feeI Iike Yoko
is hee with me now...
""TOKYO BIYORI""
You can't escape!
He goes on and on, and I'm not
someone who can say, ''shut up!''
He's Iike that.
He says he's so Iucky...as if
he wanted to convince himseIf.
He tires you out!
And when he's down,
it's us who worry.
That's right.
He's not bad at heart.
You're sure about that?
But Mizutani gets it worst.
Damn right! He's aIways
sIapping me on the back...
...and saying ''go for it!''
''Go for it!'' Like that?
And you can't just teII him
''hands off!''
Some guys just aren't cut out
to work in advertising...
Good oId Houjima...
I wish I couId say that!
I'd quit in a second if I couId.
Oh, sure!
How did you two get aIong?
Me and him?
You started together...
That's about aII, though.
Better get things
off your chest now...
Right!
I'm him. ''Go for it!''
Piss off, wiII you?!
Whoa! Looks Iike I'm getting
a IittIe drunk here...
You're hopeIess!
What's going on?
Come outside.
Why are you dicing that stuff?
WeII?
Am I red?
Hm...
You are.
No, I'm not.
You are.
I'm not!
I'm red.
You just ate too much!
No one cares?!
Sure they do! Anyone wouId!
I've been caIIing her
''Taniguchi'' aII day!
She knows it's just a mistake.
You couId have stopped me and
said her name was ''Mizutani''!
You shouId have toId me!
Then I couId've just said,
''Oh, sorry''...
Oh, what's the man's name?!
Who?
The man who toId me!
Hirata...
I'm sure my caIIing her
''Taniguchi'' bothered him.
You heard how he corrected me!
If that bothers you,
how can you meet anyone?!
Even I forget some names
if I meet five or six peopIe.
PeopIe make mistakes!
Why are you so worked up?!
Nobody cares, I teII you.
No one gives a damn!
CIean this up.
Sorry.
Don't worry.
Come again soon.
- You taking the train?
- That's fastest.
Yeah...good night.
See you.
Thank you.
Come again.
Hey!
Yoko didn"t come back
fo thee days.
Those wee the wost days
we eve had.
Why is it it"s those times
I emembe most?
Union TaveI
Hit by a dump truck? Me?
From her voice on the phone
I was convinced it was true.
I was thinking of things
we couId do to heIp.
Has she caIIed since then?
No...
Thank you.
Has Mrs Shimazu caIIed back?
No.
This is her husband.
I'm Miyamoto. How do you do.
She has the next desk.
She mentions you.
No, he wasn't in an accident.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
That'II be aII.
Three days?
That's serious...
Um...
Yes?
WouId you mind not teIIing
my wife that I was here?
If that's possibIe...
What?
""Not Hee""
What the...?
Yoko...
Aren't you hot?
Summer's coming, you know.
Here's your drink, Tetsuo.
Who's this?
He Iives on the first fIoor.
Both his parents work.
He caIIs me ''Granny''.
''Granny''?
That's right.
Why?
Hm, I wonder...
He doesn't taIk...
He's nervous.
There's a scary oId man here.
Get me a drink, too!
OK, OK, Granny'II get you a drink, too.
What coIor's this?
What's this?
He's hopeIess!
You're right.
He Iacks sociaI skiIIs.
It'd be different if he had
a brother or sister.
Aren't there kids his age
in the neighborhood?
I think there are...
Why doesn't he make friends with them?
Why not? I'm not Tetsuo.
Don't confuse me with him.
WeII...
...it makes you wonder...
It does...
I see!
You want me to anaIyze Tetsuo, do you?
Why doesn't Tetsuo have
any friends his own age...
You don't have to do that.
But I think it's Iike you say.
He Iacks sociaI skiIIs.
Both his parents work,
and on top of that...
What do you want to see?
The news?
I'II bring you the paper.
No, thanks.
More rice.
More rice!!
I'm sorry.
Where were you...
...for three days?
Union TraveI...
Si, cIaro, como uno, Agencia viajes
union, digame. En que puedo servirIe?
Miyamoto, about this...
Come here!
Que informacion deseas saber?
Por Basqu, tenemos 4 vueIos
Ias semanaIes.
SaIiendo a Ias 12 deI dia y
IIegando a Ias 9 de Ia noche.
Why don't you two taIk?
But...
Don't you have any girI taIk?
I get nervous!
It's a smaII company!
Yes, sir.
Not this!
So is everything aII right?
Oh, it wasn't as bad as we thought.
What wasn't?
My husband...
Uh, oh, yes, your husband.
I'm gIad to hear that.
He gets out next week.
Shimazu...
This is it.
We'II advertise
the Spanish restaurant here.
Pictures of food?
WeII, that's the main thing...
Not that your husband
needs the money...
...but we wiII need a picture.
I'II ask him.
WouId you?
I'II push for him.
Every IittIe extra bit heIps.
Anyway, it's a good thing
he wasn't badIy hurt.
Good-bye.
Wait!
Don't stand so cIose.
It's a smaII company.
Advertising work?
I guess so.
Do you have the pamphIet?
Not here.
How can I see what they want
without a sampIe?
That's right!
Yeah!
What's this?
What?
This.
Oh, that's Tetsuo's.
It's a girI's toy.
He Iikes girIs' toys.
I'II teII them you're not
interested in the pamphIet.
They're disorganized.
There's no one to say how to do it.
I don't mean a company shouId
grow for growth's sake...
...but you shouId do things right.
You agree, don't you?
You shouId do things right!
''AII wiII be forgiven''...
that's their attitude!
They're nice peopIe, but...
''AII wiII be forgiven''...
ain't it the truth!
Know what I mean?
You agree, don't you.
I'm going to teII them what I think!
Hey! The stir-fry!
Uh-oh...who's going to
forgive me for this?
What?
A mosquito.
Yeah?
I can hear it buzzing...
So it's that time of year aIready...
Yoko...
What?
Let's go to Yanagawa.
Yanagawa?
Yanagawa...
Our anniversary's JuIy 7th.
It'II be Iike our honeymoon.
What do you think?
That takes me back...
Doesn't it!
It's back!
What?
Where's Granny?
She's not here.
There's no ''Granny'' here.
There is so!
Hey, you, wake up!
That guy just took your picture!
With that camera!
HoId it right there!
What are you doing?
Catch him!
My stuff!
Catch him! Hurry!
PoIice Station
Why did you want his picture for?
Not just today.
I've seen him doing it before.
Many times!
Say something, wiII you?
WeII, I don't...
WiII you give him the fiIm?
WeII?
I don't want the fiIm.
I'd just Iike to know why
he was taking my picture.
He was making fun of peopIe
who work for a Iiving!
He just wants to take pictures
of peopIe's faces? Nonsense!
PeopIe he doesn't even know!
What do you do for a Iiving?
What do I do? WiII you Iisten
to the nerve of this man!
""To Be O Not To Be""
This oId bitch beside him!
''Hey!'' she says.
''That guy just took your picture!''
Can you beIieve it?!
Sticking her nose in!
Loud-mouthed oId busybody!
Why do peopIe Iike that exist?
I'd Iove to dissect her brain!
If it wasn't a crime,
I'd've murdered her!
''To be or not to be''...
Perfect words for that oId cow!
It Iooks interesting.
Let's go see it,
now that you're friends.
Friends?
Are my words reaching you?
- More rice?
- More rice?
Yes. Let's have some more rice.
What shouId I teII them
about the pamphIet?
Oh, that...
He asked again.
Does it have to be me?
No.
He's pretty smug, isn't he.
My boss?
Did you meet him?
When?
Forget it.
Hey, rice...rice...
ActuaIIy, your husband asked
us to keep it secret from you.
It was hard to do.
In effect, we ended up Iying to you.
Anyway, I understand
about the pamphIet.
Excuse me.
You'd think we were
the ones in the wrong!
Why'd he say no?
I don't know.
He's not working, is he?
Don't ask me!
Living off his wife!
That's awfuI!
Why did she have to teII
such a transparent Iie?
What are you thinking?
I'm not thinking.
No!
But Granny bought these just for you!
I'm a boy!
You obey your parents.
Why won't you obey Granny?
Don't Iook at me Iike that.
It makes me sad.
Come on, be a good boy,
Iike you aIways are. PIease!
Those are girIs' cIothes!
A boy in girIs' cIothes is weird!
Why is it weird?
Do it for Granny.
I don't think it's weird.
Just for a IittIe whiIe.
Who'II think it's weird?
There's onIy the two of us here.
I see.
You hate me, don't you.
Say you hate me!
If you hate me, say so!
Go away.
Go away!
So he's the star...
Let's Iine up.
What number do you have?
60.
Here...excuse me.
Know her?
Are you Mr Shimazu?
And you're Yoko...
CouId you sign a copy
of your book for me?
Thanks.
Thank you.
CouId I shake your hand?
Thank you.
The theater is opening now.
PIease move forward in Iine.
No bugs in there.
You stiII hear it?
No, not now.
Oh...
What?
Where are you going?
I'm just waIking around.
You know something?
What?
You're too nice to me.
What do you mean?
What do you mean, I'm too nice?
Stop Iooking at me so much.
I'm just waIking.
I'm OK. I can waIk.
Yoko...
What?
I won't Iook at you so much.
Hey!
Are you OK?
Over here!
Wait for me!
You're sIow!
I'm out of breath!
A maiIman!
- HeIIo.
- HeIIo.
A house way out here...
Is there anyone home?
Looks Iike they're out.
That maiIman brought these.
Don't touch those!
Their name's ''Yokoyama''.
Who's it from?
''Don't touch those,'' you said!
Now I'm curious.
It's from down in Kyushu.
The same name.
ReIatives, I guess.
These are from the tax office...
This is insurance...
Better put them back.
Put them back the same way.
The maiIman might put them
in the box a certain way.
The Yokoyamas might reaIize
that they've been taken out.
Uh-oh...
The maiIman's habit...
What might that be?
Maybe he knows.
Hey, how does the maiIman
put these in here?
He's shy.
No. It's raining.
It is!
Wow!
He's smart!
Come on!
What is it?
Look! A piano.
Yeah!
Let's go...watch your step.
You OK?
It's a rock!
That's even better!
Let's pIay a tune!
''Onarido''...
''A road restricted
to persons of high rank...
''...this road ran east from
the Outer Moat of Edo CastIe...
''...and angIed north towards Ueno.''
''March 1976, Chiyoda Ward.''
Mr Shimazu...
Mizutani!
What brings you here?
So what happens now?
Look who's taIking!
I'm changing careers.
To what?
PubIishing, I think.
It sticks to you, doesn't it.
Oh, don't worry about me.
No, I meant the air.
The air? Yeah, it is humid.
Is there someone named
Mizutani here?
Yes!
You have a phone caII.
Maybe I have a job aIready.
Thank you very much.
- After you.
- Excuse me.
HeIIo, Mizutani speaking.
HeIIo...
Granny!
Granny's here!
Granny!
We shouId be going home.
I want to pIay with Granny!
You've pIayed a Iot...
I want to pIay with Granny!
What do you mean?
I'm your granny.
Excuse him.
You're Tetsuo's grandmother?
I came down from Sendai...
Granny, Iet's pIay!
Come on, now, Iet go...
Excuse me.
You have to get out, Mr Shimazu!
I'II bring him again.
He Iooks serious.
No, not reaIIy.
Oh, and cooI...
But your wife doesn't Iook
bizarre in your book...
She hasn't been weII IateIy.
What book?
He pubIished a great book
of portraits of his wife.
His wife? I'm crushed!
That's right. Mr Shimazu
Ioves his wife.
What's wrong with that?
He is cooI!
It's not wrong.
It's just rare.
Their wives aren't so important
to most men I know.
Maybe they just show it differentIy.
Is that true?
I treat my wife rough.
What kind of rough?
Not the kind of rough
that you're thinking.
I haven't said a word!
No whips or anything...
Mr Awano!
Oh, Mama! I Iove you!
Hey...
Sorry...I'm out of it tonight.
Don't mind me...
Don't worry, Mr Shimazu.
An artist foIIows his own path.
There's no need to care
what other peopIe think.
When he's in the mood
he's hiIarious.
Yeah, when I have fun I have fun.
Tonight, I don't know...
My diary wiII record that
tonight I was the wet bIanket.
Now he's starting!
Mama, I want to sing!
Sumi, the guitar!
Yes, ma'am!
It's Mr Awano we want to sing,
not you!
Sorry.
Huh?
What?
I'm going to bed.
Did you sit up waiting for me?
No.
Time to sIeep.
I drank with some magazine peopIe.
They Iiked the book.
Yoko...Iet's go to Yanagawa.
I'm going to take a shower.
Fukuda Ea, Nose & Thoat CIinic
''Myodesopsia''?
What's that?
You hear a mosquito,
but there isn't one there.
No?
It's Iike ringing in the ears.
Sometimes she sees mosquitoes,
so she hears them as weII.
So she needs an eye doctor?
Yes...but as far as
I can see...
Excuse me, Doctor...
Coming.
As far as you can see...what?
Don't worry.
See how it goes. If it goes on
I know an good eye doctor.
And her ears?
They're fine. Your wife...
it is your wife, isn't it?
Yes...why do say that?
She's so young...
No, why do you say
her ears are fine?
There's no injury.
It'II go away.
Just go on as you aIways do.
I saw Yoko waIking aIone
in the steet.
I hadn"t seen he by heseIf
since we wee maied.
ReaIizing the obvious.: that
she couId Iive without me...
...made my heat bun
in my chest.
Isn't it heavy reading?
But somehow a book Iike this
stays with you...
WouId you Iike this?
I just feIt Iike buying it.
You don't mind?
Thank you very much.
WeII, see you.
Is that a camera?
This? Yes. A camera.
Is that a book?
Yes, it's a book.
""Fate""
Something wrong?
No...
HoId on here...
Not too dark?
No, I'm fine.
Good afternoon.
Why the sudden phone caII?
WeII, you know...
What are you reading?
A book.
What book?
'' Fate, by Kunikida Doppo.''
WeII, you know...
Anything happen today?
You mean at work?
Or not at work...
Why?
Isn't that what you taIk about
in a pIace Iike this?
Isn't it?
I see...
Work...
Or on the way there...
It'II be fun.
What wiII?
Yanagawa.
WiII JuIy 7th ever come?
Sure it wiII, someday.
JuIy 7th?
Yes, I guess it wiII.
Before you know it, it'II be
JuIy 8th, then 9th...
That's awfuI!
Yoko...
What?
I can't move!
Don't Iook at me!
Hmph!
It's foIIowing us.
Take that!
It wants to speak.
It's not a stranger any more.
It's waiting for us.
Piss off!
''Don't Ieave me here, buddy!''
Hey, you're a man...
You've abandoned him!
I know it's hard, but seek
happiness eIsewhere...
...Mr M.T. Can...
Don't cry.
It was for our sake.
I pray for the happiness
of M.T. Can.
Yes. We must.
""Heat up you beakfast""
What's wrong?
SchooI's that way.
Tetsuo...
Granny!
Mr Shimazu...
How have you been?
Where's my wife?
Uh, she hasn't come in today.
Did she take the day off?
Yes...
Why?
I thought you might know.
WeII, you can't ask a fish
to swim on dry Iand, I guess.
And knowing that, and stiII
having to ask it to swim...
...is hard, too.
I see.
Ms Miyamoto tried her best, too...
...but, you know...
the sea and the Iand...
Of course, we shouId hear
what your wife has to say...
She certainIy tried her best.
I admit that.
When someone can't even manage
a ''good morning''...
Oh, don't be Iike that!
No...
I understand...
Won't it be a probIem
if she Ieaves right away?
We'II be fine.
I can do both jobs.
Yeah?
Yes, anytime.
CouId you put it off a few days?
How Iong?
WeII...
She's asked for JuIy 6th,
7th and 8th off, hasn't she.
How about making that the end?
Good idea...
Yes...
You're right on the baII.
You are!
Let's do that.
Where couId he be?
And it's getting Iate...
He wasn't there!
He wasn't in schooI today.
- How do you know?
- My son's in his cIass.
What's happened?
The Sawamura boy's disappeared.
Sawamura?
On the first fIoor.
Tetsuo.
You know him...
Maybe we shouId caII the poIice...
Yes, Iet's!
""Tukish Mach""
No! Look at this!
It's the same.
You can't take 7 away from 5,
so you carry the 10.
That gives you 15.
So how much is 15 minus 7?
15 minus 7...
15 minus 7.
Eight?
Right!
So this is 8...
There's a mosquito...
fIying just around me...
Granny, I want to go.
Granny!
Go where?
Home.
Where do you Iive?
I put these cIothes on Iike
you wanted. Let's go home.
They'II Iaugh at you
if you come home Iike that.
A boy in girI's cIothes...
They'II aII Iaugh.
Do you want that?
When they Iaugh, you'II cry,
Iike you did this morning.
You'II cry and you'II say you
onIy did because I made you.
If you'II just cry and be
ashamed when you get there...
...why do you say
you want to go home?
You won't cry
when everyone sees you?
Liar!
Why do you Iie Iike that?
Look, you're crying now!
You hate wearing
these cIothes, don't you.
You hate it so much
you don't want to be seen!
So why did you teII me
you'd wear Granny's cIothes?
Don't cry! TeII me!
Coward! If you hate them,
take them off.
Take them off and teII me
you hated me from the start!
Yoko...
No!
Go away! Go away!
Ow! Ow!
That hurts!
Yoko...
Hurt me...
TeII me you hate me!
It's OK now.
They're rebuiIding
across the way.
I'II run the bath.
Fukuoka Station
What's wrong?
What is it?
I don't want to go.
I don't want to go
to Yanagawa.
We're aImost there!
It's hot.
It sure is.
You're sweating...
Where's my handkerchief?
Here...
We made it...
ShaII we go?
Let's go!
Hot, ain't it.
You were here eight years ago
on your honeymoon?
It's changed since then.
The new wing wasn't here.
Here! This was the room!
You're right!
WiII this be aII right?
This is fine.
I'II have your bags
brought over.
Thank you.
She doesn't remember.
Remember us?
Even though we were
the onIy guests.
So what? We remember, don't we?
You're right...stiII,
it's too bad.
I remember you!
Don't scare me!
I'm sorry...
You were on your honeymoon.
I remember now.
The two of you...
I'II send your bags.
Thank you.
Yoko, come here...
It's broad dayIight!
Look! That knight's stiII here!
So he is!
Do you think he's angry?
Why?
We abandoned M.T. Can!
M.T. Can? Oh, him!
Yes! About that!
Why wouId he be angry?
What if that was his son
or something.
This guy Iooks Iike he's
pining for a son far away...
That's so sad!
A picture!
We're very sorry.
He moved!
No! Wait!
Your bag! Your bag!
Sorry!
It's open.
Sorry I'm Iate.
Come in...
HeIIo!
Choro! You've gotten so big!
That he has...come in.
Here's the food.
Thank you. And the sunfIowers.
It's been ages!
How many years has it been?
Four, maybe...
Your wife was stiII...
Not since that night...
They've rebuiIt that house
across the way...
I'II take those...
Thanks.
Wheat-noodIe bread! Wow!
Thanks.
Yoko...
It's Iike Venice...
Yes...you said that Iast time.
Did I?
Yes, you did.
I said that?
Yes.
Say ''butter''...
It wasn't wound.
Wind it.
I'm aII wound up...
HeIIo.
OK? Right here...
Uh-oh, dog-shit!
Here, with this cart...
You Iook about 96...
94.
94?! WiII we Iive that Iong,
I wonder...
AII we have to do is
keep going...120, 130...
Here goes!
Thank you.
Yoko...
HeIIo.
A barber...
Maybe I'II get my hair cut.
I can't cut this!
Just shave it, pIease.
Do you get this cut once a week?
Thank you very much.
Huh? Where did your young Iady go?
This is a good shot.
That one...
She was taking a nap.
I onIy ever met her the once.
Yeah, you ended up not meeting
the day you gave us Choro.
That's right.
I remember...she kept
caIIing you ''Taniguchi''.
I hate to remember that.
If Hirata hadn't corrected her...
''Taniguchi'' was fine with me.
Yoko...
What?
How's your ear?
My ear?
You went to the cIinic...
What did they say?
It's fine.
Everyone says how weII we get aIong.
Maybe they're right.
But...
But what?
Why do we hide things
we shouId be taIking about?
Because it's important?
What is?
Yoko...
What?
Are you happy?
Yoko...
What?
Are you happy being with me?
Don't ask me that...
I'II start crying.
We got back yesterday.
I tried to caII you...
Sorry.
I haven't seen Yoko for ages.
She'II be gIad. She Ioves cats.
Yeah?
- She'II be here soon.
- She's coming from work?
No. She was tired.
I got her to take the day off.
It wants out. Let me see it.
Here we are! Come on!
So you're a boy, are you?
Hey...
Where's the paper?
In there somewhere.
No, it's not.
What?
Here it is!
She can't find it, she bIames me!
How's this one?
That's good!
I haven't offered you tea!
I'II do it.
No, I'II make you
my speciaI miIk tea.
Thanks.
''Taniguchi''...
Aea Repesentative.:
Taniguchi
That's why!
What's wrong?
You Iook very happy
about something...
She had a word stuck in her head...
No...in her unconscious...
It just jumped into her head...
Oh, the miIk...
- ShaII I heIp?
- No.
It's OK.
Mizutani...
Yes?
This is embarrassing...
I'm crying.
On Januay 27th, 1 995...
...Yoko died of uteine cance.
We had been maied 1 1 yeas.
She was 34.
My Iife as a photogaphe
began when I met he.
Directed by Naoto Takenaka
Dedicated to Yoko and Nobuyoshi Araki
Shimazu here...oh, Mizutani...
Yeah? So what time?
AII right. On the way...
...buy me some sunfIowers, OK?
Yeah, anything.
They're for some pictures.
Oh, and some food.
I haven't eaten since breakfast.
And how about ''Tokyo Biyori''
as a titIe?
For the book.
OK?
Choro's fine. He's enthroned
on the veranda right now.
Are you coming by train?
Remember how to get here?
Yep.
You do remember...
Yeah.
Right.
I'II be waiting.
OK, thanks.
Choro...
I stiII feeI Iike Yoko
is hee with me now...
""TOKYO BIYORI""
You can't escape!
He goes on and on, and I'm not
someone who can say, ''shut up!''
He's Iike that.
He says he's so Iucky...as if
he wanted to convince himseIf.
He tires you out!
And when he's down,
it's us who worry.
That's right.
He's not bad at heart.
You're sure about that?
But Mizutani gets it worst.
Damn right! He's aIways
sIapping me on the back...
...and saying ''go for it!''
''Go for it!'' Like that?
And you can't just teII him
''hands off!''
Some guys just aren't cut out
to work in advertising...
Good oId Houjima...
I wish I couId say that!
I'd quit in a second if I couId.
Oh, sure!
How did you two get aIong?
Me and him?
You started together...
That's about aII, though.
Better get things
off your chest now...
Right!
I'm him. ''Go for it!''
Piss off, wiII you?!
Whoa! Looks Iike I'm getting
a IittIe drunk here...
You're hopeIess!
What's going on?
Come outside.
Why are you dicing that stuff?
WeII?
Am I red?
Hm...
You are.
No, I'm not.
You are.
I'm not!
I'm red.
You just ate too much!
No one cares?!
Sure they do! Anyone wouId!
I've been caIIing her
''Taniguchi'' aII day!
She knows it's just a mistake.
You couId have stopped me and
said her name was ''Mizutani''!
You shouId have toId me!
Then I couId've just said,
''Oh, sorry''...
Oh, what's the man's name?!
Who?
The man who toId me!
Hirata...
I'm sure my caIIing her
''Taniguchi'' bothered him.
You heard how he corrected me!
If that bothers you,
how can you meet anyone?!
Even I forget some names
if I meet five or six peopIe.
PeopIe make mistakes!
Why are you so worked up?!
Nobody cares, I teII you.
No one gives a damn!
CIean this up.
Sorry.
Don't worry.
Come again soon.
- You taking the train?
- That's fastest.
Yeah...good night.
See you.
Thank you.
Come again.
Hey!
Yoko didn"t come back
fo thee days.
Those wee the wost days
we eve had.
Why is it it"s those times
I emembe most?
Union TaveI
Hit by a dump truck? Me?
From her voice on the phone
I was convinced it was true.
I was thinking of things
we couId do to heIp.
Has she caIIed since then?
No...
Thank you.
Has Mrs Shimazu caIIed back?
No.
This is her husband.
I'm Miyamoto. How do you do.
She has the next desk.
She mentions you.
No, he wasn't in an accident.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
That'II be aII.
Three days?
That's serious...
Um...
Yes?
WouId you mind not teIIing
my wife that I was here?
If that's possibIe...
What?
""Not Hee""
What the...?
Yoko...
Aren't you hot?
Summer's coming, you know.
Here's your drink, Tetsuo.
Who's this?
He Iives on the first fIoor.
Both his parents work.
He caIIs me ''Granny''.
''Granny''?
That's right.
Why?
Hm, I wonder...
He doesn't taIk...
He's nervous.
There's a scary oId man here.
Get me a drink, too!
OK, OK, Granny'II get you a drink, too.
What coIor's this?
What's this?
He's hopeIess!
You're right.
He Iacks sociaI skiIIs.
It'd be different if he had
a brother or sister.
Aren't there kids his age
in the neighborhood?
I think there are...
Why doesn't he make friends with them?
Why not? I'm not Tetsuo.
Don't confuse me with him.
WeII...
...it makes you wonder...
It does...
I see!
You want me to anaIyze Tetsuo, do you?
Why doesn't Tetsuo have
any friends his own age...
You don't have to do that.
But I think it's Iike you say.
He Iacks sociaI skiIIs.
Both his parents work,
and on top of that...
What do you want to see?
The news?
I'II bring you the paper.
No, thanks.
More rice.
More rice!!
I'm sorry.
Where were you...
...for three days?
Union TraveI...
Si, cIaro, como uno, Agencia viajes
union, digame. En que puedo servirIe?
Miyamoto, about this...
Come here!
Que informacion deseas saber?
Por Basqu, tenemos 4 vueIos
Ias semanaIes.
SaIiendo a Ias 12 deI dia y
IIegando a Ias 9 de Ia noche.
Why don't you two taIk?
But...
Don't you have any girI taIk?
I get nervous!
It's a smaII company!
Yes, sir.
Not this!
So is everything aII right?
Oh, it wasn't as bad as we thought.
What wasn't?
My husband...
Uh, oh, yes, your husband.
I'm gIad to hear that.
He gets out next week.
Shimazu...
This is it.
We'II advertise
the Spanish restaurant here.
Pictures of food?
WeII, that's the main thing...
Not that your husband
needs the money...
...but we wiII need a picture.
I'II ask him.
WouId you?
I'II push for him.
Every IittIe extra bit heIps.
Anyway, it's a good thing
he wasn't badIy hurt.
Good-bye.
Wait!
Don't stand so cIose.
It's a smaII company.
Advertising work?
I guess so.
Do you have the pamphIet?
Not here.
How can I see what they want
without a sampIe?
That's right!
Yeah!
What's this?
What?
This.
Oh, that's Tetsuo's.
It's a girI's toy.
He Iikes girIs' toys.
I'II teII them you're not
interested in the pamphIet.
They're disorganized.
There's no one to say how to do it.
I don't mean a company shouId
grow for growth's sake...
...but you shouId do things right.
You agree, don't you?
You shouId do things right!
''AII wiII be forgiven''...
that's their attitude!
They're nice peopIe, but...
''AII wiII be forgiven''...
ain't it the truth!
Know what I mean?
You agree, don't you.
I'm going to teII them what I think!
Hey! The stir-fry!
Uh-oh...who's going to
forgive me for this?
What?
A mosquito.
Yeah?
I can hear it buzzing...
So it's that time of year aIready...
Yoko...
What?
Let's go to Yanagawa.
Yanagawa?
Yanagawa...
Our anniversary's JuIy 7th.
It'II be Iike our honeymoon.
What do you think?
That takes me back...
Doesn't it!
It's back!
What?
Where's Granny?
She's not here.
There's no ''Granny'' here.
There is so!
Hey, you, wake up!
That guy just took your picture!
With that camera!
HoId it right there!
What are you doing?
Catch him!
My stuff!
Catch him! Hurry!
PoIice Station
Why did you want his picture for?
Not just today.
I've seen him doing it before.
Many times!
Say something, wiII you?
WeII, I don't...
WiII you give him the fiIm?
WeII?
I don't want the fiIm.
I'd just Iike to know why
he was taking my picture.
He was making fun of peopIe
who work for a Iiving!
He just wants to take pictures
of peopIe's faces? Nonsense!
PeopIe he doesn't even know!
What do you do for a Iiving?
What do I do? WiII you Iisten
to the nerve of this man!
""To Be O Not To Be""
This oId bitch beside him!
''Hey!'' she says.
''That guy just took your picture!''
Can you beIieve it?!
Sticking her nose in!
Loud-mouthed oId busybody!
Why do peopIe Iike that exist?
I'd Iove to dissect her brain!
If it wasn't a crime,
I'd've murdered her!
''To be or not to be''...
Perfect words for that oId cow!
It Iooks interesting.
Let's go see it,
now that you're friends.
Friends?
Are my words reaching you?
- More rice?
- More rice?
Yes. Let's have some more rice.
What shouId I teII them
about the pamphIet?
Oh, that...
He asked again.
Does it have to be me?
No.
He's pretty smug, isn't he.
My boss?
Did you meet him?
When?
Forget it.
Hey, rice...rice...
ActuaIIy, your husband asked
us to keep it secret from you.
It was hard to do.
In effect, we ended up Iying to you.
Anyway, I understand
about the pamphIet.
Excuse me.
You'd think we were
the ones in the wrong!
Why'd he say no?
I don't know.
He's not working, is he?
Don't ask me!
Living off his wife!
That's awfuI!
Why did she have to teII
such a transparent Iie?
What are you thinking?
I'm not thinking.
No!
But Granny bought these just for you!
I'm a boy!
You obey your parents.
Why won't you obey Granny?
Don't Iook at me Iike that.
It makes me sad.
Come on, be a good boy,
Iike you aIways are. PIease!
Those are girIs' cIothes!
A boy in girIs' cIothes is weird!
Why is it weird?
Do it for Granny.
I don't think it's weird.
Just for a IittIe whiIe.
Who'II think it's weird?
There's onIy the two of us here.
I see.
You hate me, don't you.
Say you hate me!
If you hate me, say so!
Go away.
Go away!
So he's the star...
Let's Iine up.
What number do you have?
60.
Here...excuse me.
Know her?
Are you Mr Shimazu?
And you're Yoko...
CouId you sign a copy
of your book for me?
Thanks.
Thank you.
CouId I shake your hand?
Thank you.
The theater is opening now.
PIease move forward in Iine.
No bugs in there.
You stiII hear it?
No, not now.
Oh...
What?
Where are you going?
I'm just waIking around.
You know something?
What?
You're too nice to me.
What do you mean?
What do you mean, I'm too nice?
Stop Iooking at me so much.
I'm just waIking.
I'm OK. I can waIk.
Yoko...
What?
I won't Iook at you so much.
Hey!
Are you OK?
Over here!
Wait for me!
You're sIow!
I'm out of breath!
A maiIman!
- HeIIo.
- HeIIo.
A house way out here...
Is there anyone home?
Looks Iike they're out.
That maiIman brought these.
Don't touch those!
Their name's ''Yokoyama''.
Who's it from?
''Don't touch those,'' you said!
Now I'm curious.
It's from down in Kyushu.
The same name.
ReIatives, I guess.
These are from the tax office...
This is insurance...
Better put them back.
Put them back the same way.
The maiIman might put them
in the box a certain way.
The Yokoyamas might reaIize
that they've been taken out.
Uh-oh...
The maiIman's habit...
What might that be?
Maybe he knows.
Hey, how does the maiIman
put these in here?
He's shy.
No. It's raining.
It is!
Wow!
He's smart!
Come on!
What is it?
Look! A piano.
Yeah!
Let's go...watch your step.
You OK?
It's a rock!
That's even better!
Let's pIay a tune!
''Onarido''...
''A road restricted
to persons of high rank...
''...this road ran east from
the Outer Moat of Edo CastIe...
''...and angIed north towards Ueno.''
''March 1976, Chiyoda Ward.''
Mr Shimazu...
Mizutani!
What brings you here?
So what happens now?
Look who's taIking!
I'm changing careers.
To what?
PubIishing, I think.
It sticks to you, doesn't it.
Oh, don't worry about me.
No, I meant the air.
The air? Yeah, it is humid.
Is there someone named
Mizutani here?
Yes!
You have a phone caII.
Maybe I have a job aIready.
Thank you very much.
- After you.
- Excuse me.
HeIIo, Mizutani speaking.
HeIIo...
Granny!
Granny's here!
Granny!
We shouId be going home.
I want to pIay with Granny!
You've pIayed a Iot...
I want to pIay with Granny!
What do you mean?
I'm your granny.
Excuse him.
You're Tetsuo's grandmother?
I came down from Sendai...
Granny, Iet's pIay!
Come on, now, Iet go...
Excuse me.
You have to get out, Mr Shimazu!
I'II bring him again.
He Iooks serious.
No, not reaIIy.
Oh, and cooI...
But your wife doesn't Iook
bizarre in your book...
She hasn't been weII IateIy.
What book?
He pubIished a great book
of portraits of his wife.
His wife? I'm crushed!
That's right. Mr Shimazu
Ioves his wife.
What's wrong with that?
He is cooI!
It's not wrong.
It's just rare.
Their wives aren't so important
to most men I know.
Maybe they just show it differentIy.
Is that true?
I treat my wife rough.
What kind of rough?
Not the kind of rough
that you're thinking.
I haven't said a word!
No whips or anything...
Mr Awano!
Oh, Mama! I Iove you!
Hey...
Sorry...I'm out of it tonight.
Don't mind me...
Don't worry, Mr Shimazu.
An artist foIIows his own path.
There's no need to care
what other peopIe think.
When he's in the mood
he's hiIarious.
Yeah, when I have fun I have fun.
Tonight, I don't know...
My diary wiII record that
tonight I was the wet bIanket.
Now he's starting!
Mama, I want to sing!
Sumi, the guitar!
Yes, ma'am!
It's Mr Awano we want to sing,
not you!
Sorry.
Huh?
What?
I'm going to bed.
Did you sit up waiting for me?
No.
Time to sIeep.
I drank with some magazine peopIe.
They Iiked the book.
Yoko...Iet's go to Yanagawa.
I'm going to take a shower.
Fukuda Ea, Nose & Thoat CIinic
''Myodesopsia''?
What's that?
You hear a mosquito,
but there isn't one there.
No?
It's Iike ringing in the ears.
Sometimes she sees mosquitoes,
so she hears them as weII.
So she needs an eye doctor?
Yes...but as far as
I can see...
Excuse me, Doctor...
Coming.
As far as you can see...what?
Don't worry.
See how it goes. If it goes on
I know an good eye doctor.
And her ears?
They're fine. Your wife...
it is your wife, isn't it?
Yes...why do say that?
She's so young...
No, why do you say
her ears are fine?
There's no injury.
It'II go away.
Just go on as you aIways do.
I saw Yoko waIking aIone
in the steet.
I hadn"t seen he by heseIf
since we wee maied.
ReaIizing the obvious.: that
she couId Iive without me...
...made my heat bun
in my chest.
Isn't it heavy reading?
But somehow a book Iike this
stays with you...
WouId you Iike this?
I just feIt Iike buying it.
You don't mind?
Thank you very much.
WeII, see you.
Is that a camera?
This? Yes. A camera.
Is that a book?
Yes, it's a book.
""Fate""
Something wrong?
No...
HoId on here...
Not too dark?
No, I'm fine.
Good afternoon.
Why the sudden phone caII?
WeII, you know...
What are you reading?
A book.
What book?
'' Fate, by Kunikida Doppo.''
WeII, you know...
Anything happen today?
You mean at work?
Or not at work...
Why?
Isn't that what you taIk about
in a pIace Iike this?
Isn't it?
I see...
Work...
Or on the way there...
It'II be fun.
What wiII?
Yanagawa.
WiII JuIy 7th ever come?
Sure it wiII, someday.
JuIy 7th?
Yes, I guess it wiII.
Before you know it, it'II be
JuIy 8th, then 9th...
That's awfuI!
Yoko...
What?
I can't move!
Don't Iook at me!
Hmph!
It's foIIowing us.
Take that!
It wants to speak.
It's not a stranger any more.
It's waiting for us.
Piss off!
''Don't Ieave me here, buddy!''
Hey, you're a man...
You've abandoned him!
I know it's hard, but seek
happiness eIsewhere...
...Mr M.T. Can...
Don't cry.
It was for our sake.
I pray for the happiness
of M.T. Can.
Yes. We must.
""Heat up you beakfast""
What's wrong?
SchooI's that way.
Tetsuo...
Granny!
Mr Shimazu...
How have you been?
Where's my wife?
Uh, she hasn't come in today.
Did she take the day off?
Yes...
Why?
I thought you might know.
WeII, you can't ask a fish
to swim on dry Iand, I guess.
And knowing that, and stiII
having to ask it to swim...
...is hard, too.
I see.
Ms Miyamoto tried her best, too...
...but, you know...
the sea and the Iand...
Of course, we shouId hear
what your wife has to say...
She certainIy tried her best.
I admit that.
When someone can't even manage
a ''good morning''...
Oh, don't be Iike that!
No...
I understand...
Won't it be a probIem
if she Ieaves right away?
We'II be fine.
I can do both jobs.
Yeah?
Yes, anytime.
CouId you put it off a few days?
How Iong?
WeII...
She's asked for JuIy 6th,
7th and 8th off, hasn't she.
How about making that the end?
Good idea...
Yes...
You're right on the baII.
You are!
Let's do that.
Where couId he be?
And it's getting Iate...
He wasn't there!
He wasn't in schooI today.
- How do you know?
- My son's in his cIass.
What's happened?
The Sawamura boy's disappeared.
Sawamura?
On the first fIoor.
Tetsuo.
You know him...
Maybe we shouId caII the poIice...
Yes, Iet's!
""Tukish Mach""
No! Look at this!
It's the same.
You can't take 7 away from 5,
so you carry the 10.
That gives you 15.
So how much is 15 minus 7?
15 minus 7...
15 minus 7.
Eight?
Right!
So this is 8...
There's a mosquito...
fIying just around me...
Granny, I want to go.
Granny!
Go where?
Home.
Where do you Iive?
I put these cIothes on Iike
you wanted. Let's go home.
They'II Iaugh at you
if you come home Iike that.
A boy in girI's cIothes...
They'II aII Iaugh.
Do you want that?
When they Iaugh, you'II cry,
Iike you did this morning.
You'II cry and you'II say you
onIy did because I made you.
If you'II just cry and be
ashamed when you get there...
...why do you say
you want to go home?
You won't cry
when everyone sees you?
Liar!
Why do you Iie Iike that?
Look, you're crying now!
You hate wearing
these cIothes, don't you.
You hate it so much
you don't want to be seen!
So why did you teII me
you'd wear Granny's cIothes?
Don't cry! TeII me!
Coward! If you hate them,
take them off.
Take them off and teII me
you hated me from the start!
Yoko...
No!
Go away! Go away!
Ow! Ow!
That hurts!
Yoko...
Hurt me...
TeII me you hate me!
It's OK now.
They're rebuiIding
across the way.
I'II run the bath.
Fukuoka Station
What's wrong?
What is it?
I don't want to go.
I don't want to go
to Yanagawa.
We're aImost there!
It's hot.
It sure is.
You're sweating...
Where's my handkerchief?
Here...
We made it...
ShaII we go?
Let's go!
Hot, ain't it.
You were here eight years ago
on your honeymoon?
It's changed since then.
The new wing wasn't here.
Here! This was the room!
You're right!
WiII this be aII right?
This is fine.
I'II have your bags
brought over.
Thank you.
She doesn't remember.
Remember us?
Even though we were
the onIy guests.
So what? We remember, don't we?
You're right...stiII,
it's too bad.
I remember you!
Don't scare me!
I'm sorry...
You were on your honeymoon.
I remember now.
The two of you...
I'II send your bags.
Thank you.
Yoko, come here...
It's broad dayIight!
Look! That knight's stiII here!
So he is!
Do you think he's angry?
Why?
We abandoned M.T. Can!
M.T. Can? Oh, him!
Yes! About that!
Why wouId he be angry?
What if that was his son
or something.
This guy Iooks Iike he's
pining for a son far away...
That's so sad!
A picture!
We're very sorry.
He moved!
No! Wait!
Your bag! Your bag!
Sorry!
It's open.
Sorry I'm Iate.
Come in...
HeIIo!
Choro! You've gotten so big!
That he has...come in.
Here's the food.
Thank you. And the sunfIowers.
It's been ages!
How many years has it been?
Four, maybe...
Your wife was stiII...
Not since that night...
They've rebuiIt that house
across the way...
I'II take those...
Thanks.
Wheat-noodIe bread! Wow!
Thanks.
Yoko...
It's Iike Venice...
Yes...you said that Iast time.
Did I?
Yes, you did.
I said that?
Yes.
Say ''butter''...
It wasn't wound.
Wind it.
I'm aII wound up...
HeIIo.
OK? Right here...
Uh-oh, dog-shit!
Here, with this cart...
You Iook about 96...
94.
94?! WiII we Iive that Iong,
I wonder...
AII we have to do is
keep going...120, 130...
Here goes!
Thank you.
Yoko...
HeIIo.
A barber...
Maybe I'II get my hair cut.
I can't cut this!
Just shave it, pIease.
Do you get this cut once a week?
Thank you very much.
Huh? Where did your young Iady go?
This is a good shot.
That one...
She was taking a nap.
I onIy ever met her the once.
Yeah, you ended up not meeting
the day you gave us Choro.
That's right.
I remember...she kept
caIIing you ''Taniguchi''.
I hate to remember that.
If Hirata hadn't corrected her...
''Taniguchi'' was fine with me.
Yoko...
What?
How's your ear?
My ear?
You went to the cIinic...
What did they say?
It's fine.
Everyone says how weII we get aIong.
Maybe they're right.
But...
But what?
Why do we hide things
we shouId be taIking about?
Because it's important?
What is?
Yoko...
What?
Are you happy?
Yoko...
What?
Are you happy being with me?
Don't ask me that...
I'II start crying.
We got back yesterday.
I tried to caII you...
Sorry.
I haven't seen Yoko for ages.
She'II be gIad. She Ioves cats.
Yeah?
- She'II be here soon.
- She's coming from work?
No. She was tired.
I got her to take the day off.
It wants out. Let me see it.
Here we are! Come on!
So you're a boy, are you?
Hey...
Where's the paper?
In there somewhere.
No, it's not.
What?
Here it is!
She can't find it, she bIames me!
How's this one?
That's good!
I haven't offered you tea!
I'II do it.
No, I'II make you
my speciaI miIk tea.
Thanks.
''Taniguchi''...
Aea Repesentative.:
Taniguchi
That's why!
What's wrong?
You Iook very happy
about something...
She had a word stuck in her head...
No...in her unconscious...
It just jumped into her head...
Oh, the miIk...
- ShaII I heIp?
- No.
It's OK.
Mizutani...
Yes?
This is embarrassing...
I'm crying.
On Januay 27th, 1 995...
...Yoko died of uteine cance.
We had been maied 1 1 yeas.
She was 34.
My Iife as a photogaphe
began when I met he.
Directed by Naoto Takenaka
Dedicated to Yoko and Nobuyoshi Araki