The Makioka Sisters

In spring 1938, the four Makioka sisters travel to Kyoto with Teinosuke and Sachiko's husband to admire the cherry blossoms. The visit brings family tensions to the surface as expectations around Yukiko, Taeko, and Tsuruko come into play. The trip foreshadows ongoing conflicts within the clan's main line.

Tsuruko, heiress of the Makioka main house, upsets Yukiko by challenging the matter of Yukiko's engagement because of a feared flaw in the groom's clan. The family debates the responsibilities of maintaining the main house and its lineage. The dispute signals the fragile balance of tradition within the clan.

Five years earlier, Taeko runs away with Okuhata's third son, triggering a scandal that a newspaper mistakenly reports as Yukiko's elopement. The correction inflames the situation rather than appeasing it, forcing the clan to respond publicly. Tatsuo pushes for a formal refutation, but the misnaming escalates the embarrassment.

Dissatisfied with the scandal, Yukiko and Taeko refuse to continue living in the main house and relocate to the Sachiko residence, a lateral branch of the Makioka clan. The shift deepens the family rift and signals the erosion of traditional control over marriages. The sisters adapt to life outside the main line's expectations.

Taeko begins making dolls and gradually loses interest in Okuhata as she grows closer to Itakura, who has left the jewelry business and become a photographer. This change marks Taeko's search for independence and emotional direction outside of the arranged marriage system. The evolving relationship influences her future choices.

Several groom candidates—including a bank broker, a prefectural council employee, and a pharmaceutical company executive—are arranged for Yukiko, but none lead to marriage as she rejects them. Her independence contrasts with the traditional expectations placed on her. The episode reveals the different ways the sisters resist the clan's control.

Itakura contracts an ear infection that leads to his sudden death, leaving Taeko shocked and bereft. The loss intensifies Taeko's grief and pushes her toward new directions rather than returning to old loyalties. The event reshapes the sisters' perceptions of duty and happiness.

Tatsuo informs the family that he will be transferred to Tokyo for work, prompting Tsuruko to confront a future without the stability of the main house. The impending move deepens the sense of distance within the clan. The prospect of a Tokyo life begins to redefine familial roles.

A new suitor emerges for Yukiko: the grandson of Viscount Higashidani, a representative of the former aristocracy, offers a return to a more prestigious line. The sisters weigh tradition against Yukiko's own wishes as they observe how she handles the proposal. Yukiko's choice becomes a quiet test of independence within the clan.

Taeko, still grieving Itakura, begins visiting bars to drown her sorrow and meets Miyoshi, a diligent and honest bartender. She decides to leave her family home and move in with him, starting a new life away from the main house's expectations. This partnership gives her a sense of security and autonomy.

After much hesitation, Tsuruko finally decides to uproot and move to Tokyo with her husband. The departure marks a major shift in the clan's leadership and social direction as the main house's influence wanes. The move also signals new possibilities for the sisters beyond Osaka.

Yukiko and Mr. Higashidani decide to marry, providing stability for Yukiko's future and a quiet consolidation of an aristocratic alliance. The decision reflects a shift toward personal choice within the constraints of tradition. The choice also contrasts with Taeko's pursuit of independence.

In a wintry Osaka scene, Yukiko, Teinosuke, and the others bid farewell to Tsuruko and her family as they depart for Tokyo. Sachiko declines to see them off, preferring restraint, while she visits Taeko at her new home. The two share tea and watch the falling snow, a quiet moment of sisterhood amid change.