All language subtitles for The Zen Diary 2022-ENGCP

Risshun - February
Year beginning

Tsutomu!

Tsutomu?

Are you OK, Tsutomu?

Hi, Machiko.
It's freezing, isn't it?

Go and get warm.

- OK.
- I'll join you.

Are you warm?

Yes.

Yum!

They're at their best.

You dried so many persimmons last year.

You're quite a man.

You bet!

The draft?

Hold on.

Have your tea first.

I'm in heaven!

You have time to stick around?

Some sake?

Yes, a hot one.

The usual?

Have this too.

Thank you!

What now?

I'm peeling fresh taros like how I
learned to do as a novice monk.

Ah! I bet they taste good.

I'm warm all over...

This is delicious!
It's different every time.

It's become too sour...?

I love it when it's pickled longer.

It's the last of December's batch
until next year.

Oh no! That's too bad.

Taros are ready.

Oh that's hot!

Take it easy.

It's delicious!
I love the skin too.

That's right.

You don't want to throw away
the best part.

It's a waste.

So good!

You love eating, don't you?

Thanks!

What an aroma...

It's the earth...
Is this the smell of the earth?

The draft?

Not yet.

So...

Drink up.

You had a deadline!

Would more taros get me off?

I appreciate them
but work is work.

You're strict.

No, you don't!

Just a title so the editor-in-chief
won't yell at me...

Go on.

The Zen Diary

Keichitsu - March
The underground awakes

My mountain life

in Suge village, Shinshu,
got the attention of an editor.

She wanted me to write about it
for a magazine.

I became a novice monk at a
Zen monastery when I was 9

where I learned to cook Zen food.

I'm an amateur farmer
and an amateur chef.

I ran away from the monastery
when I was 13, so I felt unqualified.

But I decided to try it.

"Instructions to the Cook"

As Zen Master Dogen instructed
in his writings

"Instructions to the Cook"

the monk in charge of meals

should rinse rice
and prepare vegetables

with his own hands at all times.

Give your full attention

to the ingredients and
treat them carefully.

Not neglecting them for a moment.

Be consistent and immerse yourself
in every process.

Don't see the preparation as
an ordinary function.

Changing your heart or words
depending on a situation

won't lead to enlightenment.

See how strict Master Dogen is!

Oh it's hot!

I was told at the monastery

to ask the vegetable field
what you should cook.

Zen cookery is about making
the most of the kitchen.

The monk in charge of meals
connects the kitchen with the field.

Selecting from a limited crop is
like "eating" seasons.

Which is eating the earth...
That was the unspoken lesson.

The root crowns of spinach
are hard to clean.

Me, the novice, discarded them.

The priest saw me do it
but didn't get upset.

He said, "Don't throw out the
best part," and picked them up.

Sorry, Prickly-ash, I burned it.

Go ahead.

With thanks.

Seimei - April
Spring is enjoyed by all

The snow meltwater is so cold
it feels as if

it bites my skin
through my rubber boots.

As I splash across the soggy field

water celery suddenly
appears among the aquatic plants.

I found it here a year ago so
it's like it's been waiting for me.

When the snow melts and buds appear
on plants both tall and short

I'm at my happiest.

Ostrich ferns by the water.

Bracken in the sun.

Udo from the slopes.

The earth is so festive with
things awakening from a long winter.

Hello.

Nice! This is the time
for angelica-tree shoots.

You're so knowledgeable!

Nothing beats a walk in the hills.

I feel alive!

You want the awning fixed?

Yes, thank you!

The local carpenter taught me
about the hills.

He showed me where and how to
find wild vegetables.

I have nice associations
with carpentry.

The sound of hammering reassures me
probably because Dad was a carpenter.

What are you doing?

This is how dad cooked
angelica-tree shoots.

Try my dad's method.

It's hot!

That's delicious!
I've never eaten it like this.

When dad went to work in the hills
he took rice and soybean paste.

He picked and cooked wild vegetables
for lunch.

It was the resourcefulness
of a poor man.

People knew how to
make things more delicious!

The wandering Monk Saigyo
wrote a poem.

"My wish is to die in spring,
under the flowers

When it's the second full moon
of the year"

His wish was fulfilled as he died

under a blossoming cherry tree
and a full moon.

Rikka - May
"Sweet flag bath" keeps evil away

Living in the hills, working in the
fields and cleaning the house

I learned through my body that
movement is life.

With the changing season
there's more to do in the field.

Daily life involves physical labor
and that makes you hungry.

Hunger improves the taste of food.

My unconventional mother-in-law
doesn't get on with her son's family.

So she lives alone and tends her land.

Prickly-ash, stay here.

Hello, Chie! It's Tsutomu.

In here.

Your field?

I was weeding this morning.

Have you eaten already?

Not yet.

Yaeko's early death
really disrupted your life.

Thank you.

With gratitude.

Eat all the pickles.

How about you?

I'm OK. I don't want any.

I have this. This is all I need.

Prickly-ash.

It looks delicious.

May I have some?

This is not good enough for a
refined man like you.

Yaeko... She loved prickly-ash.

Right.

She loved it from when
she was little.

That's why she named our dog
"Prickly-ash".

That silly dog!

Have you made a grave for Yaeko?

No, I haven't.

It's been 13 years.
It's time you made her a grave.

Yes, ma'am.

It's not good to have her ashes
lying around, bury her...

What did you come for?

May I have some bean paste?

Sure, take as much as you want.

Take the whole barrel.
I won't need it.

Take this for the monthly observance
of Yaeko's death.

For her shrine.

On the barrel.

Goodbye.

Go now! The silly dog's
waiting for you.

Let's go.

Shoman - June
Everything is livelier

Bamboo reminds me of
my time at the Zen monastery.

My parents sent me there when I was 9
because they couldn't feed us all.

When I arrived in Kyoto

I resented my father for
separating my mother and I.

But I soon found the
resolve to be on my own.

Ignore the shoots above the ground.

Find the ones breaking the surface,
they're edible.

OK.

I found one.

The peel nourishes the earth.

I see.

Humans are strange animals.

Tastes and scents can unexpectedly
trigger memories.

The food we eat comes from the
soul of the earth and over time

the earth and the tastes intertwine.

What a heavenly scent...
Bamboo? Is it bamboo?

Prickly-ash, how are you?

Bamboo shoot...!

You followed the smell?

Nobody can throw you off a scent.

Ready, Machiko?

Hold on!

Go now!

With gratitude.

I surrender!

May I have more soup?

Sure.

Thank you.

This is huge!

Now, Machiko! Sow the seeds!

Not one plant came out of the seeds
I put in last year...

Because the pigeons ate them all!

They came back!

Boshu - June
Nourishment from the rain

Hello.

Hi, you came again!

How are they?

The rain this year was
good for them.

Plums are also my great teachers.

You tempt fate if you miss the
annual pickling-plum ritual.

I use the priest's technique.
The outcome is very tasty.

Hello.

This is he.

A TV producer asked me
to be on a talk show.

I asked them to look for
the priest's widow, Chizuko.

When the priest died, she had to
take her child and leave the temple.

I'd lost touch with them.

The TV people found out
that Chizuko had passed away.

I turned down the TV show.

Priest Chikuan never
failed to pickle plums.

He always had 50 or so jars
of plums in storage.

Pickled plums are integral to Zen.

They have medicinal value and
are a staple food.

The monks valued the plums
and stored them.

Shosho - July
The sun comes out after the rainy season

Hello?

How have you been?

I'm Fumiko from the temple.

Is that you, Fumiko?

I apologize for not visiting you...

Go ahead.

Ah! Plum vinegar reminds me
of my childhood.

Priest Chikuan showed me
how to make it.

But he didn't let me drink it.

My father was strict with
novice monks...

I heard that Chizuko passed away.

Last year. She was 82 years old.

I missed the chance to thank her
for all that she did for me.

I'm sorry for that.

My mother was so happy that
you became a writer, Tsutomu.

These pickles

were made by my parents
when they got married 60 years ago.

When we left the temple
we made sure to take the plums.

Mother told me before she passed away,

"If you meet Tsutomu
give him some of these plums."

I rolled a pickled plum on my tongue.

At first I just tasted the
salt on its surface.

But it stimulated my saliva glands
on my tongue.

The plum swells,
its taste rounder and sweeter.

The plum's makers had gone
but the plum was alive.

It was a flavor to cry for.

Risshu - August
The twilight call of cicadas

Shosho - Late August
Ripened grains for harvest

My brother-in-law and his wife
arrive for a rare visit.

I guess they have a favor to ask.

Um...

Tsutomu. Can you go and
check on Mother?

Why's that?

I went to do a welfare check
yesterday but no one answered.

Try again.

It's kind of spooky!

You get along with her, right?
Please go...

Please.

Thank you!

Chie, it's Tsutomu!

I found her dead inside.

Her son wanted the funeral at my place
because their house is too small.

It made no sense to me

but I agreed because I wanted her
to have a funeral.

Tsutomu.

Tsutomu?

My condolences...

Forget formalities.
I need your help.

With what?

To prepare food for the wake tonight.

Oh no! For how many people?

She was reclusive
so just relatives, I guess.

I harvested these sesame seeds.
Can you hull them?

But how?

Try it.

Tsutomu, are you home?

Good, you came!

You need an altar and a coffin.

By tonight.

- Leave it to me.
- Thank you.

They're hulled.

Dry them in the sun.

Right away.

I'm from the photo studio!

Use this one.

Are you sure?

Yes. By tonight.

How about the size?

You can decide.

And the frame?

I trust your choice.

It's too grand...

Don't be silly. Everyone wants
a grand send-off.

And the coffin...

Chie is light.

She made it easy for us
to carry her.

I'm from the photo studio!

Let yourself in!

It's so grand...

The grander the better, sir!

A common sentiment!

Can you grind them like this?

Okay.

It smells great!

My turn.

Pour in the stock, Machiko.

Ready?

Mmm, this is good.

It's so thick!

I'll finish it up.
Can you go get 2 yugao?

You mean the flowers?

No, it's a squash this big.
Do you mind?

Not watermelons!

I can tell them apart!

Peel them and quarter them.

1-inch thick.

I cut them.

Now cook the noodles.

Pass the sake.

So many visitors!
There's not enough food.

What then?

I'll find something.
Prepare the rice.

Myoga makes you stupid,
so they say...

Tsutomu. You used to live
in a temple, right?

Can you read a sutra?

Where's the monk?

I didn't ask for one so...

I only know the Heart Sutra...

That'll do. Can you do it?

I'll leave you to it, Machiko.

But... wait!

I'll be back.

Take this.

This is delicious!
Do you know what it is?

Oh... that's uh...

It's sesame tofu.

You made it so delicate and refined!
What did you do?

Tsutomu! Hello!

Yes?

How did you make this?

It's ground sesame seeds
set with arrowroot powder.

Oh, arrowroot!

I wouldn't have thought of that!

- You made this?
- Yes.

I used to cook when I was a
novice monk at a Kyoto temple.

Did you hear what he just said?
This is sesame tofu!

He learned to cook at a Kyoto temple
when he was a novice monk!

We don't usually eat fancy
Kyoto dishes like this.

You'd better relish it!

I'd take this with me when I die!

I believe you knew my mother well...

She was quite a woman, you know!

Thanks to her, we have
our soybean paste.

Do you realize how great she was?

Do you understand?

Here's some more delicious food!

Sit down.

You need a break.

This is Chie's bean paste, right?

Yes.

She showed us how to ferment
soybean paste.

I'll give you some when
this year's batch is ready.

You used myoga ginger, where's it from?

It's from the garden.

Myoga is delicious...!
But it makes us stupid!

People used to say that
myoga makes you stupid!

Try a myoga rice ball!

I wish Chie was here to eat one...

But then she'd become stupid too!

She's giving us the eye.

We upset her!

Rest in peace, Chie!

This is silly!

We're monk wannabes!

Watch out, you'll upset her more!

So...

Yes?

Well...

Tsutomu. Can you keep the ashes?

Why should I...?

Please.

You were close to her so
it seems right.

You have Yaeko's ashes so why not
have her mom's ashes, too?

Please.

You must be tired. Thank you.

I'm okay.

It was hard work!

I never met Chie but it felt like
she was my Grandma.

This one's for you, too.

Thank you.

We picked so many chestnuts.

Machiko...
Would you like to live here?

Are you sure about that?

You'd get nice food every day.

That sounds good
but what about work?

You can commute.

- It's a bit far.
- It isn't!

Thanks.

Let me think about it.

It's been 13 years...

Yaeko taught me all there is to
know about publishing.

Hakuro - September
Dew on the leaves

Red earth, it's as if the Earth
is bleeding.

It triggered a memory for me.

My parents' house was in Wakasa
by the graveyard entrance.

My father was a coffin builder.

I used to pray for the dead
as a novice monk

so I was familiar with death.

The incinerator at the crematorium
had 2 doors and only one was ornate.

It seemed silly that even in death,
class played a role.

After they were cremated,
everyone had the same white urns.

As a kid, I was bothered by
those generic urns.

So now, decades later

I decided to make an urn
for my own ashes.

Tsutomu, I brought you some nice tofu!

Are you in there?

Tsutomu!

A man in his 60s.
A possible heart attack.

I'm in the ambulance.
I hear the wee woo of its siren.

The paramedic can't
find an available doctor.

I hear him click his tongue.

Hang in there! You'll be okay.

Tearful Machiko comforts me.

This is the end. I want to ask her
to look after Prickly-ash but

my mouth is numb.

I just keep thinking,
"This is annoying."

You're awake!

You're in hospital. You had a
heart attack 3 days ago.

Only 1 in 10,000 patients survives
myocardial necrosis.

Shubun - Autumnal equinox
Return from the Other Side

Tsutomu!

You saved my life.

I'm glad you made it.

I made sure to stir it sometimes.

You made nice pickles!

Thanks.

How was I in the ambulance?

You held my hand.

Did I say anything?

You kept saying,
"I don't want to die."

I see. I thought so.

You remember?

Kind of... vaguely.

I was just so frightened.

I'm quite pathetic, aren't I...?

I gave it a lot of thought...

and decided to move in.

I appreciate that.

But I don't want you to live here.

Why is that?

It appears that I like living alone.

You might die alone!

If so, that's the way I go.

You said you didn't want to die.

That's right, I'm scared of death.
I don't want to die.

So I've decided to confront
my fear of death.

And write about it.

I may not come back.

I'll have to accept that.
We'd travel alone, after all.

We are born alone and we die alone.

You're selfish.

Kenko Yoshida wrote in
"Essays in Idleness"

that Death would sneak up from behind
and snatch you away.

I can feel Death an inch away
from my toes but

when it's my turn
I don't want to die.

I am scared.

If death is inevitable
why do I dread it so much?

My obsession with life
is hard to deal with.

Once you are born
death is inevitable.

Therefore living your life
equals dying.

If I am to eventually die
I shouldn't have been born at all.

But I'm able to think that

because I'm right here, alive.

Once I'm dead, there's no thinking
about anything.

There's just death.

"To overcome death"

My thinking led me to wonder
if I could befriend dreaded death.

I might be able to accept death and
find it less scary.

Like a friend
who is always by my side.

"Death is your friend"

Kanro - October
The clear air is chilly

Zen teaches you to
abandon all obsessions.

Anyone who's born eventually dies so

we should not resist how it ends.

But I can't help feeling sad to die
for I am an ordinary man.

Running from death
won't end my anguish.

I'll see what death is like
in an attempt to get closer to it.

OK, let's die.

So long everyone.

Strangely, the day breaks
even if I'm dead.

I'm not dead. I'm alive.

Life becomes complicated when you
anticipate the upcoming days.

I should be content
to live each day.

The scent of petals mesmerize
but eventually fall

Who in this world lives
for eternity?

But today I cleared the
trying hills of life

I have awoken from a dream and
attained enlightenment

Soko - Late October
Frost on the ground

Tsutomu!

Great timing, Machiko!

Let's pick mushrooms.

I called you a few times.

Oh? I had no idea.

Can you pull over?

Come on, Machiko.

Take a look, Machiko.
The mushrooms are beautiful.

They look delicious!

Mushroom hotpot tonight.

Mushrooms in the woods,
what do they watch as they grow?

They watch chocolate vines
by the stream!

Stop!

What's wrong?

Why are you doing that?

Because nothing beats eating
with a person you like.

I'm going to get married.

Really. That's good news.

Who is he?

Shoji Murata.

I know of him.

Do you like his novels?

Thank you. Do you want to
take some chestnuts?

No, thank you.

I've always wanted to
ask you something.

What's that?

What about your wife's ashes?

Sorry, never mind.

Off I go.

Take care.

The mushrooms!

Thank you.

Ritto - November
Cold northerlies blow

So long, everyone.

Touji - Winter solstice
Eat well and pray for good health

Thank you so much.

Prickly-ash, go ahead.

In humble gratitude.

Kenji Sawada

Takako Matsu

Naomi Nishida

Toshinori Omi

Fumi Dan

Shohei Hino

Tomoko Naraoka

Based on the âDays of Soil:
My 12 Months with Blessing of the Earthâ

published by Shinchosha, and "Tsuchi wo
Kurau Hibi Waga Shojin Jyuni ka getsu"

originally published by BUNKA PUBLISHING
BUREAU, by Tsutomu Mizukami

Food Coordinated by Yoshiharu Doi

Music by Yoshihide Otomo

Written and Directed by Yuji Nakae