The End of Summer (1962) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Manbei rekindles his relationship with Tsune, a former lover, while secretly contemplating whether her daughter Yuriko might be his own child. This suggests an unfinished emotional chapter from his past that he returns to, possibly seeking redemption or closure before his mortality becomes apparent.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Manbei's active involvement in his daughters' romantic lives, hinting at his own unresolved romantic past.

• manbei
• kohayagawa
• tsune
• sasaki
• affair
• secret relationship
• yuriko

Manbei suffers his first heart attack after an intense argument with his daughter Fumiko, who confronts him about his secret relationship with Tsune. The emotional confrontation, combined with the stress of family tensions during the solemn memorial service for their deceased mother, provokes the cardiac event.

Foreshadowing: Fumiko's discovery of her father's secret earlier sets up the confrontation that leads to the heart attack.

• manbei
• heart attack
• memoriam service
• argument
• fumiko
• arashiyama

Noriko resolves to travel to Sapporo to pursue her feelings for Teramoto, who is moving there to become an assistant professor. Throughout the film, she struggles to express her affection for him, and her father's death prompts her to take action before losing another opportunity for love.

Foreshadowing: Noriko's secret affection for Teramoto and her hesitation to confess are established early, making her decision to pursue him a natural progression.

• noriko
• teramoto
• sapporo
• love
• travel
• assistant professor

The brewery has been struggling to stay afloat, and Manbei's death leaves the family in a precarious financial position. With the patriarch gone and the business already in trouble, merging with a competing brewery becomes the only viable option to preserve the family's legacy.

Foreshadowing: The brewery's financial difficulties are hinted at through the family's modest lifestyle and the pressure to find suitable matches for the daughters.

• kohayagawa
• brewery
• merger
• sake
• business
• family legacy

Although Isomura expresses keen interest in Akiko, she remains uncertain about the match. Her hesitation likely stems from her lingering devotion to her deceased husband and her responsibilities as a mother to Minoru, creating conflict between her duty to the past and possibility of a new future.

Foreshadowing: Akiko's role as a widowed daughter-in-law actively involved in an art gallery establishes her independence and emotional complexity.

• akiko
• isomura
• marriage
• hesitation
• widow
• matchmaking

When Fumiko discovers her father's secret escapades with Tsune and confronts him, Manbei adamantly denies any infidelity. This denial reflects his desire to maintain his dignity as the family patriarch and avoid confronting the truth about his actions and possible illegitimate child.

Foreshadowing: Manbei's careful secret-keeping throughout the film demonstrates his determination to control his family's perception of him.

• manbei
• fumiko
• tsune
• denial
• confrontation
• infidelity

Manbei takes a clandestine trip to Osaka with Tsune, where he suffers a second and fatal heart attack. This secret journey, combined with the emotional toll of his double life and prior health crisis, proves fatal, ending his life in the company of his former lover rather than his family.

Foreshadowing: The first heart attack at the memorial service, though he recovers, foreshadows his vulnerability to another cardiac event.

• manbei
• death
• osaka
• heart attack
• tsune
• fatal

Noriko harbors deep feelings for Teramoto but struggles to express them because he is preparing to move to Sapporo for a position as an assistant professor. The timing and uncertainty of his departure create fear of rejection and complicate her ability to voice her emotions.

Foreshadowing: Noriko's secret affection is introduced early, with her emotional struggles highlighted when discussing her matchmaking experiences.

• noriko
• teramoto
• confession
• feelings
• sapporo
• unexpressed love

Manbei secretly considers the possibility that Tsune's westernized daughter, Yuriko, could be his own child. This contemplation suggests a past relationship that produced consequences he never fully addressed, adding complexity to his secret romance and potential guilt.

Foreshadowing: Manbei's active pursuit of Tsune and his contemplation of Yuriko's paternity indicate unfinished business from his past.

• yuriko
• paternity
• manbei
• tsune
• illegitimate child
• secret past

The family is divided between Osaka and Kyoto: Akiko and Noriko live in Osaka with Akiko running an art gallery, while Fumiko lives with Manbei in Kyoto helping with the brewery. This geographical separation creates distinct family dynamics and influences each daughter's romantic journey and relationship with their father.

Foreshadowing: The initial introduction establishes the separate living situations, which drive the family's interactions and the daughters' individual storylines.

• daughters
• family
• dynamics
• osaka
• kyoto
• fumiko
• akiko
• noriko

Manbei's death dramatically shifts the family: the brewery faces merger, Tsune must inform the daughters, and each daughter must decide her next move. His passing leaves a vacuum in leadership and forces the family to confront unresolved issues while charting new paths forward.

Foreshadowing: The second heart attack in Osaka is positioned as the dramatic climax that transforms the family's future.

• manbei
• death
• family
• dynamic
• funeral
• cremation
• legacy