Plot Summary

My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016) Plot Summary Explained

Name: My Dad and Mr. Ito
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2016-10-08
Duration: 119 min

Release, runtime and language: 2016 · 119 mins · Japanese; Loading streaming availability…
Directed by: Yuki Tanada
Starring: Lily Franky, Eri Watanabe, Tatsuya Fuji, Juri Ueno, Tomoharu Hasegawa, Sei Ando

A man suggests his aging father move in with his sister, but the father has other plans. He unexpectedly arrives at her apartment with his belongings, disrupting her life. She already lives in a small space with her boyfriend and doesn't want to take on the responsibility of caring for her father. The situation creates humorous conflict as they navigate their complicated relationship and adjust to living together.

Comedy Drama Cast, crew & box office

On this page (5)

1 Where to watch
2 What happens: full plot
3 Plot questions answered
4 Movie threads
5 Every angle

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in My Dad and Mr. Ito: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Thirty-four-year-old Aya Yamanaka Juri Ueno leads a quiet life in a small Tokyo apartment with her partner, Mr. Ito Lily Franky, a man twenty years her senior who is divorced and works in a school cafeteria. They had met years earlier while both working at a convenience store. One day, Aya's brother Kiyoshi Tomoharu Hasegawa asks her to look after their father for the next six months. Aya declines, explaining that she no longer lives alone—a fact her brother hadn’t realized. When Aya returns home, she finds that her father has already arrived.

Her father, a retired teacher, disapproves of Aya's relationship with Mr. Ito and also grumbles about her job at a bookshop. The mounting pressures of caring for their father and managing his children’s schooling weigh on him and his wife, Saeko Eri Watanabe. Over difficult months, Aya begins to understand her father a little better, and he grows more attached to Mr. Ito, eventually referring to him as his son-in-law. When Aya's father disappears, it is Mr. Ito who tracks him to their family's old home outside Tokyo.

Taking Aya and her brother to the old house, Mr. Ito leaves them there for the night, hoping they will be able to resolve their differences. The plan only partly succeeds; the father wishes to stay, yet a bolt of lightning strikes the old fruit tree standing in the garden, and both the tree and the house burn down.

Aya's father moves back in with Aya and Mr. Ito, yet soon reveals that he has found a place in a retirement home. When he leaves, Mr. Ito encourages Aya not to let her father go through this alone. He will be waiting. The film closes with Aya running after her father, a quiet, hopeful moment that underscores a fragile family bond tested by time, pride, and circumstance.

Last updated: February 24, 2026 at 14:19

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Plot questions answered

My Dad and Mr. Ito Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Why does Aya's father show up at her apartment without warning?

After Aya's brother Kiyoshi asks her to look after their father for six months, Aya declines, explaining she no longer lives alone. However, her father arrives at her Tokyo apartment with his belongings before she can fully explain the situation. He apparently decided to move in regardless, catching Aya off guard and disrupting her settled life with Mr. Ito.

Foreshadowing: The brother's request establishes that the father needed care, setting up his unexpected arrival.

father arrives
unannounced visit
Tokyo apartment
family obligation

Why does Aya's father disapprove of Mr. Ito?

Aya's father, a retired teacher, disapproves of her relationship with Mr. Ito for several reasons: Mr. Ito is twenty years older than Aya, he is divorced, and he works in a school cafeteria, work the father views as humble. These objections reflect his traditional values and concern for his daughter's future.

disapproval
Mr Ito
age gap
divorce
traditional values

How does the relationship between Aya's father and Mr. Ito improve?

Over the difficult months of living together, Aya's father gradually warms to Mr. Ito despite his initial disapproval. The exact moments of bonding aren't detailed, but by the time the father disappears, he has grown fond enough of Mr. Ito to refer to him as his son-in-law, signaling genuine acceptance.

father
Mr Ito
son-in-law
relationship
growth
bonding

Why does Aya's father disappear and go to the old family house?

Aya's father leaves without notice, prompting concern from the family. Mr. Ito tracks him to their old family home outside Tokyo, where the father has returned to a place connected to his past. The disappearance suggests he wanted to escape the pressures of city life and reconnect with his roots.

father disappears
old house
family home
Tokyo escape

Why does Mr. Ito leave Aya and her brother at the old house overnight?

Mr. Ito intentionally leaves Aya and her brother Kiyoshi at the old house for the night hoping they would resolve their lingering differences with their father. It was a deliberate strategy to force them to confront each other without his mediation, though the plan only partly succeeds.

Mr Ito
old house
overnight
family resolution
confrontation

What causes the house to burn down and what does it symbolize?

A bolt of lightning strikes the old fruit tree standing in the garden of the old family house, and both the tree and the house burn down. This sudden disaster represents the destruction of the family's past and forces the characters to confront loss, displacement, and the end of an era.

lightning strike
fire
house burn
symbolism
old house
loss

Why does Aya's father decide to move to a retirement home?

After living with Aya and Mr. Ito following the fire, Aya's father reveals he has found a place in a retirement home. This decision appears to be his way of balancing his desire for independence with his family's needs, accepting care without burdening his daughter and her partner indefinitely.

retirement home
father moves
independence
better solution

What does the ending mean when Aya runs after her father?

The film ends with Aya running after her father as he leaves for the retirement home. This poignant moment shows that despite all the friction and complications, Aya still cares deeply and doesn't want him to face this transition alone. It represents a fragile but enduring family bond despite pride and circumstance keeping them apart.

ending
reconciliation
father
aya runs
family bond
hope

Why does Mr. Ito tell Aya not to let her father go alone?

When Aya's father leaves for the retirement home, Mr. Ito encourages Aya to go with him, saying he will wait for them. This shows Mr. Ito's compassion and commitment to Aya and her family, he wants her to support her father during this significant life change rather than abandon him.

Mr Ito
encouragement
support
father
retirement home
family

Movie threads

More Movies Like My Dad and Mr. Ito, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes My Dad and Mr. Ito tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about unconventional families like My Dad and Mr. Ito

Stories of makeshift families learning to live together in tight quarters. If you enjoyed the awkward warmth of My Dad and Mr. Ito, explore other movies about makeshift families navigating life in close quarters. These films focus on the humor and heart of unconventional family setups, blending domestic conflict with moments of quiet connection and personal growth.

familial
awkward
warm
domestic
quirky
reflective
Tone: bittersweet, warm
Pacing: slow, observational

Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a disruption to a settled domestic life, often by the arrival of an outsider or a family member who doesn't fit. The plot revolves around the daily adjustments, clashes of personality, and gradual acceptance or understanding that occurs within the confined space of a shared home.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a focus on domestic life, intergenerational or unconventional relationships, and the specific dynamics that arise from living in close proximity. They balance comedic awkwardness with genuine emotional weight, creating a bittersweet and often heartwarming viewing experience.

Macadam Stories

2015

Driveways

2020

My Dad and Mr. Ito

2016

Late Autumn

1960

5 Flights Up

2015

Kitchen Stories

2004

The Laundromat

1985

Good Posture

2019

Movies about bittersweet family bonds like My Dad and Mr. Ito

Character-driven stories where imperfect connections lead to personal growth. For viewers who liked the nuanced relationships in My Dad and Mr. Ito, this list features similar stories about complicated family dynamics and personal growth. These films share a gentle pace, a bittersweet tone, and a focus on how difficult life adjustments can foster unexpected understanding.

melancholic
nostalgic
reflective
quiet
familial
heartwarming
Tone: bittersweet, melancholic
Pacing: slow, character-driven

Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative journey typically involves characters resisting a new responsibility or relationship, followed by a slow-burn process of adaptation. The resolution is not a perfectly happy ending but a nuanced acceptance of a new, imperfect normal, emphasizing the emotional growth of the characters over a tidy conclusion.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their bittersweet tone, slow pacing, and medium emotional weight. They prioritize realistic character arcs and the complex emotions of familial duty over plot-driven action, creating a reflective and poignant mood that resonates with viewers seeking grounded, human stories.

Happiness

2016

On Golden Pond

1981

Driveways

2020

Late Autumn

1960

Bernard and Doris

2006

The Trip to Bountiful

1986

Roommates

1994

A Simple Life

2012

Every angle

My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about My Dad and Mr. Ito in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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