Three middle-aged friends and former college mates – Shin Saburi as Mamiya, Nobuo Nakamura as Taguchi and Ryūji Kita as Hirayama – meet up for a memorial service on the seventh anniversary of their late college friend Miwa. Akiko Miwa, Miwa’s widow, is portrayed by Setsuko Hara, and their 24-year-old daughter Ayako is played by Yôko Tsukasa. The gathering is warm with a touch of irony as the group notices how Akiko has aged gracefully, still exuding a certain vitality that makes the idea of her being alone feel almost incongruous. The atmosphere blends affection with a candid look at aging, friendship, and the social expectations that press on Ayako’s future.
As the conversation turns toward Ayako’s life plans, the friends reflect on the pressure of marriage. Ayako, who shares a close bond with her mother and lives with Akiko while Akiko teaches dressmaking, is upfront about her own wishes: she does not want to marry. The idea that romance and marriage might be separable becomes a recurring thread, and the others muse about whether Ayako would reconsider if Akiko were to remarry. The notion of Akiko’s remarriage gradually becomes a practical obsession for the trio, who even consider Hirayama as a potential partner for Akiko.
Taguchi suggests a prospective suitor for Ayako, but the man’s prior engagement foils that plan. Mamiya shifts to proposing his employee, Goto, as another potential match. Ayako, however, keeps her own counsel, explaining to Akiko that marrying might not be the right path for her, especially if it would jeopardize Akiko’s happiness.
The friends’ persistent brainstorming leads them to a more concrete scheme: Hirayama, a widower, could be presented to Akiko as a remarriage prospect. Hirayama himself grapples with the idea, initially resisting but ultimately reconsidering after speaking with his son. The plan moves forward as Hirayama approaches Taguchi and Mamiya to discuss telling Akiko, but Mamiya accidentally spoils the moment by letting Ayako in on the plan first. Misunderstandings ensue, and Ayako, upset, retreats to her friend Yuriko’s place.
Yuriko, who is also part of the social circle, sides with Akiko’s autonomy and, after learning the full truth from the three men, decides to help Hirayama in his pursuit. The emotional frictions are resolved in a way that underscores the film’s gentle, humanist tone: Akiko, during a final trip with Ayako, reveals she has decided not to pursue marriage after all. She reassures Ayako not to feel bound by her happiness or by her mother’s choices. With that support, Ayako chooses to marry Goto, embracing a life that honors her own desires while leaving Akiko to live independently.
In the end, the film leaves a quiet, nuanced impression of how friendship, family duties, and the pressure to conform to traditional paths can shape the decisions of two generations. Akiko remains firmly rooted in her own identity, while Ayako steps forward into marriage with Goto, illustrating a nuanced balance between duty, affection, and personal aspiration.
