Muddy River

In Osaka in 1956, Shigeo, a child living with his parents near the river mouth, meets Kichi, who lives on the houseboat across from the diner. They are the same age and quickly form a bond despite their different worlds. The encounter hints at the close, uneasy ties that will develop between their families.

Rumors spread among the diners that Kichi is promoting the houseboat’s services, upsetting Shinpei and making Kichi and Ginako feel dejected. The gossip reveals the fragile reputations and social pressures surrounding the children. Shigeo watches from the margins, unsure how the talk will affect their friendship.

Shigeo is told that one of Shinpei's acquaintances lies dying and wishes to see the family in Kyoto. The message pulls the family toward the past and stirs old guilt about how they separated. The plan foreshadows a visit that could reveal more about their history.

The dying woman is revealed to be Shinpei's ex-wife, whom he left for Sadako after returning from the war. This revelation brings guilt to both parents as they confront their fractured history. Sadako tearfully apologizes to the ex-wife for past mistakes.

Shigeo goes to the houseboat and finds Shouko in the back room, a figure whose presence unsettles him. She feels distant from Shigeo's own mother, creating an eerie atmosphere around the boat. The encounter marks a first chillier impression of the intimate space of the boat.

On the day of the festival, Sadako gives Shigeo and Kichi pocket money to go out and enjoy themselves. They lose the money on the way home, exposing their precarious situation and the fragility of their small joys. The incident foreshadows how quickly good fortune can turn in their world.

That night, Shigeo returns to the boat where Kichi shows him a treasure trove of crabs. Kichi begins a cruel game of burning the crabs in oil, revealing a harsher, more menacing side to their world. One crab escapes into the back room, and Shigeo peeks through a small window to see Shouko in an intimate embrace with a tattooed man.

Feeling unsettled by the scene, Shigeo leaves the boat without speaking to Kichi and passes Ginako on his way out. The evening deepens the distance between the two families. His departure emphasizes the unspoken tensions between the worlds they inhabit.

The next day, as the boat begins to move away from the shore, Shigeo notices the departing vessel and senses a widening gap. He stands at the edge of the river, watching the life on the boat recede. The force of separation marks a turning point for him.

Shigeo runs along the riverbank, calling Kichi's name, but the houseboat drifts away beyond reach. His efforts to bridge the distance prove futile as the vessel slips further from sight. The moment leaves him with a lingering sense of longing and loss.

With the boat gone, the day ends in silence and memory. The two worlds—the river-town life and the inland family—are left with unspoken tensions that will continue to shape the children’s futures. The summary closes on a note of unresolved connections between the families.