Only Yesterday

An unmarried office worker in 1982 Tokyo who reflects on a pivotal 1966 year. She is introspective, curious, and longing for experiences beyond city life, using memory as a guide to understand herself and her family. Her empathy allows her to see tenderness in others, even when she resists change.

Taeko's relative who moved from the city to help on the family farm. He is calm, thoughtful, and deeply connected to agricultural life, though he worries about the industry's decline. His conversations with Taeko spark a mutual sense of possibility and unspoken feelings.

Taeko's elder sister who hosts Taeko during visits; she embodies family duty and the pull between urban life and countryside responsibilities. Her interactions reveal the social circle and domestic pressures that shape Taeko's memories.

Taeko's other elder sister, involved in family dynamics and practical decisions, including moments of friction over possessions. Her presence anchors the conflict between tradition and personal desire within the family.

The matriarch who senses Taeko's longing and proposes to keep her in the countryside with a marriage to Toshio. She represents older generations' pragmatic view and the pressure to settle within kinship networks.

Taeko's stern, protective father whose expectations and discipline—such as a sharp chastening for stepping outside barefoot—mirror the poverty and social constraints of post-war Japan. His decisions shape Taeko's early experiences and sense of duty.

A maternal presence who supports the family, often caught between practical concerns and Taeko's yearnings. She embodies quiet resilience within the household.

A working-class boy Taeko is forced to sit next to at school; she treats him with kindness even as she dislikes him. His presence highlights class differences and the social friction of the era.