His Motorbike, Her Island

Koh Hashimoto, a student who delivers copy for a newspaper, lives for motorcycles. He describes his dreams as monochrome, noting that this is the story of one such dream. The film frames his life through the bike, the night rides, and the people he meets.

Koh arranges to meet Fuyumi Sawada, a young woman who wants to ride a motorbike. They share a nighttime ride that sparks a romance and a new chapter in Koh's life. The encounter sets the tone for his early relationship with a rider.

Koh ends the relationship with Fuyumi, finding her constant crying and cooking exhausting. In response, Hidemasa—Fuyumi's brother who owns a Kawasaki—offers a rivalrous challenge in a motorbike joust. Koh wins the duel, intensifying the tensions around bikes between the siblings.

Koh meets Miyoko Shiraishi, a young photographer who photographs him and his motorbike. She becomes a recurring presence as her lens captures his passion for riding. Their interactions hint at a deeper connection beyond simple admiration.

At a mountain spa they meet again; Koh sees Miyoko in a vulnerable moment and sees her naked. He then drives her back to the inn on his motorbike, deepening their connection.

A week after the duel, Koh meets Fuyumi at Michikusa, where she sings. He receives a letter from Miyoko with photographs from their first meeting, followed by a phone call in which she invites him to visit her island in the Inland Sea for the Obon festival.

Koh travels by ferry to Miyoko's island, where she lets him ride the motorbike by himself. At night they join Miyoko's father for the Bon dance in town, and later they talk about their love for bikes before sharing a kiss. The trip deepens their bond.

Back on the mainland, Koh and Miyoko accompany Ogawa, who is now dating Fuyumi, to Michikusa. That night, Ogawa and Koh ride out to smash the side mirrors of passing cars, a reckless act that marks their friendship. Returning, Koh discovers Miyoko had been riding behind them on Ogawa's other motorbike.

Koh's romance with Miyoko continues as he teaches her to ride. When Hidemasa declares Miyoko a biker prodigy, Koh fears for her safety and the possibility that she might crash.

One night, after returning from work, Koh sees Miyoko riding off alone on a motorbike. He angrily confronts her about riding without a license; they argue, and he bluntly tells her that she will die riding motorcycles.

Six months pass. Fuyumi is pregnant with Ogawa's baby, and Miyoko has disappeared and taken Koh's Kawasaki. Through letters from Koh and Fuyumi, he learns that Miyoko has returned to her island, though her exact whereabouts remain unclear.

Koh travels back to Miyoko's island to reunite with her, and they share a kiss that rekindles their bond. Their connection remains the core of his story as the narrative shifts between two worlds of road and sea.

As Koh and Miyoko ride together in the rain, they plan to meet at a restaurant. A group of bikers nearby discuss a fatal accident, claiming a woman on a motorbike swerved to avoid a hare and crashed into a truck.

Koh spots Miyoko outside the restaurant and she apologizes for being late. He reflects that she was there from one summer to the next, turning her into his story, and they share a final photograph behind a motorbike in a field.