Suzaku

In the mountainous Nishiyoshino region, the Kozo family lives together in harmony as a railway construction project looms on the horizon. The father expects to be employed on the project, and the family eagerly tours the cavernous tunnel where the train would pass. The scene establishes the close-knit dynamic that underpins the drama to come.

The railway project is abruptly abandoned, leaving the family to cope with the new reality. Michiru has grown into a teenage girl, and she harbors a crush on her older cousin Eisuke. The loss of the project shatters the early dream that had bound them together.

Michiru, now a teenager, navigates school life while secretly admiring her cousin Eisuke. The tension between family ties and youthful longing adds a delicate strain to the household. The dynamic begins to blur lines between sibling-like affection and romance.

Eisuke arranges a job for Yasuyo at a small hotel where he works as a porter. The new employment gives Yasuyo some stability, but it also seeds new tensions at home. The family dynamics begin to shift as responsibilities realign.

Shortly after starting the new job, Yasuyo faints, signaling a mounting emotional strain. The incident unsettles the family and hints at deeper depressions taking hold. The event marks a turning point in their shared life.

Kōzō wanders off with his film camera, overwhelmed by despair. He is later found dead by the police, leaving the family to grapple with the tragedy. The tragedy fractures the fragile balance they had managed to maintain.

The family struggles to cope with Kozo's death as Michiru and Yasuyo fall into depression. The house grows quiet and daily routines crumble under the weight of grief. Each member processes the tragedy in different ways, widening the distance between them.

Yasuyo resolves to move back to her parents’ home, seeking a fresh start outside the village. Michiru resists the idea, clinging to the life they’ve built together. The decision marks a potential dissolution of the family’s daily life.

Before Yasuyo leaves, she confesses to Eisuke that she loves him, revealing private feelings that complicate the departure. Eisuke’s response is cautious, reflecting the pull between family duty and personal longing. The confession intensifies the emotional stakes of the impending separation.

Yasuyo and Eisuke spend the night together on the rooftop, sharing a moment of closeness amid the family’s unraveling. The scene underscores the intimate bonds that endure even as plans to leave take shape. The rooftop becomes a quiet, private space away from the rest of the house.

The following day, Eisuke reveals that he has the film from Kōzō’s camera, and the family watches scenes of villagers and nature captured by their father before his death. The film acts as a bridge to happier times and reconnects the family with shared memories. It also frames Kōzō’s perspective on life in the village.

Yasuyo and Michiru depart the village together, seeking a new start outside the home where their family once found unity. The departure marks a practical end to the old arrangement and a shift toward new lives. The act leaves Eisuke and Sachiko to reassess their own future.

Eisuke and Sachiko decide to leave the family home to move to the hotel where Eisuke works, so he won’t have to travel daily. They hope to forge a new routine that keeps the family connected while easing daily burdens. The plan suggests the hotel will become a central hub for the family’s future.

As Eisuke and Sachiko prepare to depart, they reminisce about a time when the family was happy together. The memory provides a bittersweet counterpoint to the present upheaval and underscores what the family has lost. The conversation foreshadows an uncertain future while anchoring their shared history.