Original subtitles

A New Century Producers Itami Productions FiIm

This was my home when I lived ln Izu

Now, since I moved to Tokyo, l call it my country place.

But really, it's my in laws ' retirement home.

This is my wife's father.

He's just back from Tokyo.

How was it?

They said I'm OK.

He's in a good mood.

His doct ors in Tokyo said...

he's in fine shape.

He brought back ham, avocados, eel.

Usually a stingy husband...

his impulsive largess surprised his wife.

weII, I'm glad for you.

I feeI reaI good.

Isn't it a reIief?

Oh, it couId be better.

I want to live to 120, with a young mistress.

Anything you say. ..

Some pretty 19 or 20 year oId.

I'd give her a monthly aIIowance and.. .

we would chat, eat together, that's aII.

I'd reaIIy Iike that

What do you think?

You're a fooI You just want some girI to boast to. ..

about the war, when you bought girIs in Singapore.

No girI wouId want to Iisten.

The girl I'm Iooking for wouId.

I'm not looking for someone Iike you.

AIl right, you just do what you want.

Ah, I feeI so good.

After dinner it happened.

HeIp. It hurts.

What?

I said it hurts.

Wait, I'm washing up.

what happened? What's wrong?

Pain in my chest.

You're aII sweaty.

UsuaIIy I get better when l Iook at the sea.

But not today.

ShouId I caII a doctor?

No.

Maybe if I just Iie down.

But the paln didn't go away.

A psychiatrist lived next door.. .

and he phoned the hospital.

A taxi was called.

He could still waIk, and got in by himself.

They left home together He never came back.

THE FUNERAL

THE FIRST DAY

lt was raining the next day.

My wife and l were filming a commercial.

Let's do a test.

Test!

Quiet!

Test!

Ready!

Quiet!

Action!

PIease...

Cut!

Miss Amamiya...

Chizuko Amamiya, teIephone.

Thank you.

Oh, he just stopped breathing.

was he in pain?

NaturaIIy...

It's good it didn't Iast Iong.

Did he say anything?

Nothing at aII.

we'II be through soon.

We'II see you. ..

At the hospitaI. Be strong.

Father's dead.

Where wiII the funeraI be?

Mikawa, of course.

Not in Izu?

No AII the reIatives are in Mikawa.

Their house is there, too.

Mother wants it in Izu.

At our house?

Yes.

This is no joke.

But...

Never! Not a funeraI at my house.

Why have it there?

Won't the reIatives compIain?

She says no.

She doesn't want to be obIiged to them.

PIease...

A funeraI at our house?

Yes.. .pIease.

He's not even coId and...

we're discussing his funeraI.

I'm sorry, but you've got to be invoIved.

Aft er aII. he's your father too.

Him?

My father?

Of course your father in Iaw anyway.

I just heard.. .

that your father passed away.

It's so sudden. What can I say.

PIease accept my sympathy.

I want to taIk to you two.

Are you mad at us?

No. just sit down.

Now Iisten carefuIIy to me.

Your grandfather just died.

It's sad but we aII die once.

There's nothing we can do about it.

Maybe life wasn't too good to him...

but he had two very fine grandchiIdren.

So maybe he died happy.

we need a coffin, right?

To take him out of the hospitaI.

l don't know It's hard to choose over the phone.

Nothing too much ? but nothing too cheap either.

How about something a bit better than average?

130.000 yen.

what eIse?

Make it the 130,000 yen one, then.

We'II see you at the hospitaI?

See you there, then.

I manage Wabisuke lnoue and Chizuko Amamiya.

Satomi's my name.

Yeah, sure. Goodbye.

I got the coffin.

Cost 130,000.

130,000 yen.. .

Is that cheap or expensive?

Now for tonight we'lI need some food.

How about Sushi?

For how many?

Maybe twenty peopIe.

WouIdn't that be too much?

But what if the food runs out?

That's true, but...

He's aII set.

And so we set off in the rain.

My first funeral l just hoped it went right.

lt's good he didn't suffer Iong.

Yes, it's good he went quickIy.

CouId have taken years That wouId have been hard.

For your mother, I mean.

I suppose.

She's already put up with a Iot.

Af ter the war, they had to run that whorehouse to eat.

She did aII the work, whiIe he. ..

just tasted the merchandise.

She was crying aII the time.

He named me after a Iover.

He was that kind of man.

PIease. Over here.

Park here, PIease.

It's out of the rain.

See. you didn't get wet.

I'm your IocaI undertaker, Mr. Ebihara.

PIease accept my sympathies for your great Ioss.

PIease, this way.

ln the morgue, my wife 's sister...

and her family, and the new widow were waiting.

Are you aII right?

Are you sure?

Yes. I'm aII right.

This is father's brother, head of Amamiya Corp.

I'm the oIder brother.

l think l met you at your wedding.

l feeI for you deeply for our mutuaI Ioss.

I'm sorry, too.

There were seven of us, aII gone now but me.

He and I were the Iast ones.

Now he's dead and I'm the onIy one Ieft.

PIease. every one, come see him.

ReaIIy a beautifuI expression

ReaIIy.

Yes, look how peacefuI he Iooks.

Like he's sIeeping.

But this ear's changing coIor.

How did it happen?

WeII. . .

It was about 4:00.

He's run out of tissues.

So I said ''can I go buy some? ''

And he said ''AII right.''

So I said, ''Just ring the beII if anything happens.''

when I came back...

The doctors were crowding around...

and wheeIing in aII those big machines.

I was trying my best to see in. ..

and his face was aII gray.

And his body shook Iike this.

And that was it.

The nurses toId me to wait outside.

Then the doctor caIIed me.

And then.. .

Got any cash?

I'II go pay the hospitaI.

How much?

I don't reaIIy know.

I've onIy some 200,000 yen.

I hope that's enough.

The totaI is 33,560 yen.

33 what?

Thousand.

It incIudes washing the corpse and death certificate.

Which wouId you prefer?

To take him home Iike this and put him in his bed...

or put him in his casket now?

CouId we put him in now?

That's quite proper.

Many famiIies do.

Oh, poor father.

What do you think?

WeII. ..what about you?

Let's put him in now.

That' aII right with me.

And you?

I say put him in now.

Putting him back in bed is just a IittIe too much.

It wouId be Iike him dying twice.

OK. we do it now.

Just a minute.

What?

If you put him in the coffin. . .

then how do you carry it?

In a van.

A van?

then you take him out and put him to bed at home?

No.

You put the coffin in front of the aItar.

Isn't that so?

Yes, he stays in the coffin.

Not in the bed?

That's right.

You mean.. .

You take him out and put him in bed...

when the priest comes?

No.

He stays in the coffin.

But you said to put him in bed.

OnIy if we don't put him in the coffin now.

Then we take him to bed.

Where's the coffin then?

You put him in it tomorrow.

Wait just a minute, let's think about the best way.

Just when mother's puIIed herseIf together.. .

putting him back in bed is wrong.

Instead.. .

Just a minut e...

It's a raining.

We don't want to get him wet.

So Iet's just put him in now.

That's right. right?

OK by me.

Let's do it.

Very weII.

We don't do it Iike this back home.

Now, together, pIace the deceased in his coffin.

The cIosest shouId fit the tabi.

Now. you two fit the zori.

Every one eIse, pIease assist.

Now the reIatives wilI move the deceased.

PIease, everyone Iend a hand.

He's stiII warm.

He is!

He can't be.

But just feeI.

It's the shroud that's warm.

Now, arrange the dry ice.

It's hinged. So you can see him anytime.

ShaII we go?

We're sorry we couldn't do more.

Take care.

Watch the stairs.

Shit. my hand's caught.

Lift the bottom.

OK. Forward. Easy now.

HoId on.

Hey, where's his head?

Here it is.

Then he's upside down.

Shit, he's sIipping.

Go back. we'II turn around.

We're soaked.

Where do you want him?

Up in front. There, I guess.

Just a minute.

Is the direction OK?

what direction?

His head to the north.

To the north?

lt's custom The head points north.

weII, this is the west, so.. .

Then north is.. .

Just right This way's north.

Then west.. .

This way.

Then north is?

That way.

So everything's OK after aII.

Here kitty, kitty.

The cat's here, too?

This might take awhiIe.

Oh, such a sudden tragedy.

Such a terribIe pity.

we're so sorry.

We came to heIp in the kitchen.

Thank you.

It must have been just awfuI.

So sudden, too.

He was stiII so young.

I was shocked.

He seemed so heaIthy.

And so good at croquet, too.

HeIIo! Here's the sushi.

Oh, his and hers raincoats, how cute.

A terribIe shock.

Just teII us what to do.

Here's the picture.

Where did you get this?

We had it.

It's a perfect funeraI picture.

AII it needs is some bIack crepe.

It was taken this spring.

He had it done suddenIy Dug out his medaIs.. .

put on his taiIs and went to the photographer's.

He Iooks sarcastic.

He looked like that when he was happy.

He thought of everything, didn't he?

He aIway s did.

He cost us onIy 33,560 yen to die.

OnIy 33,560 yen including the death certificate.

That's the way to go.

Let's check the scheduIe again.

Tomorrow's the wake, and next day's the funeraI.

There's no Shingon tempIe nearby.

So we caIIed a Jodo priest...

No Shingon?

No.

What about this Jodo priest?

He's very high.. .

good reputation, too.

what about his posthumous name?

He can keep his own for now.

We'II get his new one Iater.

Sure that's OK?

You bet.

what time does this priest arrive?

WeII, how about 5:00?

5:00, right.

What shouId we do with this priest?

First, serve him tea.

wait, Iet's get my wife in here.

What is it?

We're taIking about priests.

First, he says, tea.

Tea?

Yes, tea.

And then some sweets.

Any sort wiII do.

They're not to eat. He takes them home.

What about the donation?

How much shouId we give him?

Huh?

How big a "donation"?

Donation. weII?

Since it's a donation. ..

there's no fIat rate.

But here must be a going market price.

weIl, it's onIy a sign of gratitude.

Oh, either 100,000 or 200,000 yen.

Look. you say either.

One is twice the other.

You reaIIy shouId teII us.

weII, either amount.

But for famous people like you, 200,000 yen.

Right, 200,000 then.

That's aII for today I'II see you tomorrow.

I'm exhausted, aII right if I turn in?

Sure. We'II be staying here.

l have to keep the incense burning.

A drink?

Sake.

No, Mother you stay.

You're the next of kin.

THE SECOND DAY

Oh heII. ..It's you.

What time is it, Aoki?

9:00. I just got here.

Sakuma toId me to come heIp.

I'Il usher or something for you.

So, you brought your camera?

Thought it shouId be preserved.

Don't overdo it.

Good morning.

Did you sIeep weII?

Yes The inn had good food CIean toiIet, too.

How do you feeI?

Oh, I'm aII right.

His face Iooks the same.

It's foggy. . .

I'II go register the death now, whiIe I have time.

CouId you go to the bank, too?

How much?

Oh about 2 miIIion yen?

Here's the bank book.

Don't Iose it.

Never fear, bye.

Get the sweets for the priest, too.

Your face stiII Iooks normaI.

Maybe you'd Iike your gIasses.

Oh, how thoughtfuI of you.

Yes, that Iooks better.

Just Iike he's aIive.

Now he can see where he's going.

w eII, I'm off to Tokyo.

You're Ieaving?

I have some business there.

But I'II be back before the priest.

"Rather than dressing formaIIy.. .

it often shows greater concern to come as you are."

The ABC's of FuneraI it often shows greater concern to come as you are."

The ABC's of FuneraI "when visiting the bereaved, greet them with:

"when visiting the bereaved, greet then with:

'This is an awfuI tragedy'

or...

'This is such a terribIe shock. '

''It may be hard to be eIoquent. ''

''But eIoquence at such times is not needed.''

That's true.

''If the bereaved ask the mourners...

to 'pIease view the deceased. '

The correct repIy is: 'If I may.'

''without hysterics, stand, and proceed as indicated. ''

Indicate?

''Proceed to the head of the coffin. ''

''At the coffin soIemnIy regard the face for severaI seconds.''

Regard?

''Make a very deep bow. ''

''And say to the bereaved...

'Can we do anything? '

But l want to know our roIes, not theirs.

Just a minute.

''Now. for the bereaved. ''

''If the visit or say, 'It has been great tragedy'

Say 'Your presence here wouId...

have pIeased the deceased. '

''To those cIoser to the deceased. add...''

'You were so good to him when he was aIive,'

'Thank you for visiting him in the hospitaI, '

'In his place l deepIy thank you. '

''These are the most correct expressions.''

''Now Iet us review. ''

''I wiII read the guests' Iines. . .

and you answer from your text.

'''This is a great tragedy.'''

AII together. now.''

Your presence here wouId have pIeased the deceased.

You were so good to him when he was aIive.

In his place l deepIy thank you.

''But, at times when grief is so overwheIming. . .''

''When the proper repIy is impossibIe to voice.. . ''

''Saying sincerely 'I thank you humbIy'...

is perfectIy correct. ''

Hey, that's good.

And short. That's for me.

I thank you humbIy.

Hey, what's this?

What?

What is it?

Speeches have to be made, before and aft er.

Who makes them?

The next of kin or chief mourner.

Mother? She can't possibIy.. .

And that Ieaves. . .

Oh, heII!

His brother can do one, but I'm stuck with the other.

Oh, shit.!

l know it's just the kind of thing you hate.

You'II do fine.

I know you wiII.

Of alI the depressing things.

Who's that?

This is Ms Saito She came to heIp too.

I'm Yoshiko Saito.

This is indeed a great tragedy.

Mr Sakuma asked me to come and heIp.

PIease. just teII me what to do.

I thank you humbIy.

Just t eII us.

wha t a peacefuI e xpression.

You were so much heIp that night.

Not reaIIy As a Psychiatrist I couIdn't do much.

I asked Setsuko, my wife here.. .

if Central HospitaI was the best choice.

Or would National have been better.

How was it at CentraI?

They massaged his heart.. .

for I don't know how Iong.

Must have been haIf an hour.

UsuaIIy it's onIy 15 minutes.

But, by then, his heart had aIready stopped.

When the doctor did this, the meter went up and down.

But when he stopped, it did too.

And then he asked, ''what do you want me to do?''

I just couIdn't ask him to do more.

That big doctor sweated so.

He did so much.

So I said to him, ''Enough is enough,'' and then. . .

Then he did aII he couId.

Yes, he did every thing he couId.

Thank you so much.

The blue and white curtains were a bright touch.

Aoki captured it all.

THE RECORD OF A FUNERAL

INCENSE PRACTICE

USE EITHER ONE OR THREE.

BUT NEVER BLOW IT OUT.

FAN THEM OUT.

STAND EACH ONE UP STRAIGHT.

YOU BOYS TRY IT.

OH. THE BABY KICKED.

COME ON OUT!

FAMILY SNAPSHOTS

PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAKE

EVERYTHING IS READY.

YOU EAT A LOT!

BUT I'M SO HUNGRY.

IT'S GOOD TO EAT.

THIS IS AND wICH IS GOOD.

THE END

You brought your wife?

we met at the station.

Oh, what an awfuI thing.

His heart? Was his heart bad?

we didn't know lt came as a shock.

About tomorrow's Iunches...

Yeah. Iet's decide.

What Iunches?

The box lunches The ceremony is at 11:00.

Then at 12:00 we go to the crematory.

The cremation takes 90 minutes.

So we eat whiIe we wait.

A Iate Iunch?

It's Iight, of course.. .

since most people don't want to eat at aII.

So I invented a speciaI ''Cremation Lunch.''

Here, try some.

It's vegetarian: mushrooms, bamboo shoots. rice.

PIus some fish and eggs.

This is good.

Isn't it?

A reaI treat.

HeIp yourseIf.

It's fine.

About the Iunches. . .

Oh yes.

How many?

Just for reIatives, so fifteen in aII.

Let's make it twenty.

What the heII?

I'II settIe that.

Hey, stop that you two.

what the heII are you doing?

Aoki, go get your car.

Right away.

This may tak e a IittIe whiIe.

I'II wait.

Wait!

I said wait.

What's got into you?

Look, this is a funeraI.

Say some thing.

Say anything.!

Evening's coming.

What the heII?

At Ieast you said something.

Don't cause troubIe.

Have I ever?

No. I'm sorry.

Don't be Iike that.

You know I have no excuse.

Please, just go back with Aoki.

I have this funeraI.

Do you Iove me?

Of course.

So just go home now.

Tomorrow. ..

no, the day after, I'Il caIl you.

In you go. Thanks, Aoki.

SmiIe. I'II caII you.

You're not getting in?

You know I can't.

Then I won't.

Wait!

Oh, shit!

PIease!

Hush up.

You onIy care what other peopIe think.

You don't Iove me at aII.

No, I reaIIy Iove you.

Then take me back.

Take me to Tokyo!

But you know I can't.

Then take me. Now. Here.

Stop it, someone wiII see us.

Poor IittIe boy.

I'II Ieave now.

Where's my comb?

That's all right, l'll find it later.

No, lt's important.

Shit. What did it look like?

lt was in my hair.

This long with a gold stripe.

l dropped it around here.

lt's not here.

There's no time.

l'll look later.

There it is!

Go get it.

What happened to you?

l fell down.

Are you OK?

Yes. l'm all right...

The priest is here!

Please, this way.

His pants are dirty.

The Head Priest of Daisho Temple.

It must have been very hard on all of you.

He took such good care of himself. We were surprised.

He had diabetes.

But we never thought of his heart.

How old was he?

He was 69.

That's 70 by our counting.

Getting into the 70s is always hard.

But once there, you're safe for awhile.

Why add one year?

Why Buddhists date birth from conception.

Let us pray.

Please, our donation.

Thank you so much.

And l thank you.

Oh, your holiness...

Come here.

Look at these wonderful tiles.

So pretty.

From France?

Yes, they're leftover from the kitchen walls.

l had them made into a table.

You can do that.

l should have thought of that for my garden table.

l wish l knew where to find some.

ln Aoyoma, in Tokyo.

We have a lot left, please take some.

Oh, l couldn't possibly...

They're far too expensive.

No, please, you'd be taking them off our hands.

Really?

Yes. please do.

Well. that would be nice.

lsn't that wonderful?

This is such a nice surprises.

Night came.

And so did my wife 's cousins.

And the neighbors.

How's your sushi?

Delicious.

lt's good to live near the sea.

I'm glad your children are so well behaved.

Your second son sits so straight.

Any one's better than yours.

Come on, hush up.

Are all these wreaths from your companies?

Oh yes l control all of them from Amamiya Finances.

What is Amamiya Entertainment?

A theater chain, but there's no money in movies anymore.

So l'm turning all of them into parking lots.

That one's Amamiya Travel Service.

Amamiya Corp. is in trading.

He incorporated to keep his kid's hands off the capital.

Oh, hush up.

You know how much money he has?

l don't know. Millions?

No billions. billions of yen.

Please have another.

Oh, thank you.

Was father a good ''Golden Ager''?

A real gentleman.

Huh?

Mr. Amamiya was a gentleman.

A gentleman, yes.

And quiet, too.

Quiet, too.

Never too loud.

And so dapper.

He was one of a kind.

He was always smiling.

Huh?

Always smiling.

Always smiling, yes.

He always talked about you...

and the cat.

Used to brag about the cat.

Always bragging, yes.

Said on all those trips to Tokyo...

the cat never complained.

A cat can't complain.

You must have been close.

He was so proud of the croquet team.

And he was so good at it.

He became a regular so soon.

l'm Mrs Iwakiri He was always helping my play.

l wonder if l could look at him one last time.

Excuse us.. .

The ''Golden Agers''...

Excuse us.

He looks so natural.

Mr. Amamiya!

We'll never play croquet again.

Now that's the way to cry.

lt's infatuation.

Who are they?

That's Sakakibara, Kurosaki, and Okumura.

Oh. the ''unholy trinity? ''

lt's too bad.

Health is really important.

Let me tell you how l keep mine.

Now listen carefully.

lt's a fascinating story.

Now this is how l do it...

Once he starts he never stops.

Got high blood pressure, but l drink.

And I like greasy food, too, but...

the doctor says no.

So l put some off at in the pan with. ..

cabbage and bean sprouts and fry'em fast.

And eat all of it.

Eat very day.

And l'm strong as an o x.

Any sake left?

Hey, more sake

Stay. You're next of kin.

This sure is great sake.

Mr. Okamura, you like sake?

Yes. That's all l drink.

Really? Then l have a real treat for you.

Where's my special sake?

ln the basement.

Don't let them stay too long.

Shiger u wants to be alone.

OK. OK.

Won't they ever leave?

Shall l ring the curfew bell?

l wish l could.

They're awfully noisy.

Awfully sticky, too.

Get your husband to help.

l'll tell him right now.

Well, it's getting time to head home.

Yes, l suppose it is.

Us too. guess it's time.

Oh, yeah?

What about you?

Guess we ought to go.

OK. Let's go.

Wait a minute, try this Fushimi sake. A friend brews it.

All of you, sit down and try a cup.

lt's time they left.

A wake should be a family affair.

What's he doing now?

lt's time we went home.

Don't go yet.

He'd want you here.

Then l'll stay.

No!

Get them all out of here At once!

Well, guess it's time we left.

You must all be tired.

Thank you so much for coming.

Let's go.

l have to piss.

Toilet's this way.

Thank you, thank you.

Keep a stiff upperlip, honey.

Thank you for coming.

Let's not be so formal, we're all neighbors.

Neighbors have to help each other, you know.

Come on.

What are you doing?

That's strange.

What?

Where's father?

Him? He probably went home.

Maybe he's still in the other room.

l'm so sorry, we left you in the dark.

Oh, we're all so sorry.

lt's all the same.

Time to go.

Time to go?

lt really was a great tragedy.

We'll all be more lonely now.

Let's go to my place.

Come on.

Come on, let's go.

You go on, l'll sleep here.

Sleep here?

lf you'll take him to the inn.

The stars are out.

We'll be going then.

They're finally gone.

Chizuko, where's your husband?

He was tired.

Then let's just us three drink.

Mother. . .

Are you tired?

l just can't like my uncle He's such a selfish bastard.

All that money, and he understand nothing. l hate him.

Your father hated him too.

That's why he never went back home.

Now it's my turn to look at the old man.

Let's go to sleep.

All in heap?

Any which way.

Oh, cheer up and have a drink.

He'd approve.

He said wakes were for having fun.

Let's sing something he liked.

A favorite.

How's Look, Mama?

He spent hours learning it from some geisha.

Come on, let's sing.

''For the first time in a long time. ..''

''lt's so nice to walk hand in hand with you. Mama. ..''

''Just like when I was small...''

''Here we are at the Emperor's Palace. Mama...''

''Let's take our picture here...''

''That's the Double Bridge, Mama...''

While they were singing I was still up.

Looking at damned tape, memorizing my speech.

THE THIRD DAY

Thank you very much.

Before we close the coffin please gather round.

Now, every one join in garlanding the deceased.

lf the widow would begin.

Wait a minute.

Don't move. l'll take a picture.

Akira. you take one too.

Get a little closer to the coffin.

Look sad.

Closer to the coffin.

How about touching his face?

That's perfect.

Just a minute.

Now. everybody pray.

Closer. and down a bit.

There. Ready now?

Now, look at me.

Ready.

There!

We will now close the coffin.

This is only ritual, so just tap the nail once or twice.

We'll begin with the widow.

Hey! Just gesture.

Now we must finally part.

lf you would speak now.

l am the departed's elder brother...

Shokichi Amamiya.

l would like to say a few humble words to you.

Thank you for honoring my brother by coming.

l am very grateful for that.

And thank you for your many gifts which would have. ..

pleased the deceased.

He was born in Hokkaido, but in the harsh postwar days...

we moved to Mikawa where we struggled together as brothers.

In the end, fate willed that he live here in lzu.

And thank s to you his last years were full and happy.

But despite everything, it became his fate to die here.

So today we are here to say goodbye to him.

On his behalf let me thank you for all you have done.

And please remember him and his family always.

This l would humbly ask of you.

And please forgive me for this poor eulogy.

The small crematory in the hills was deserted.

The only one today was my wife's father.

You look worried.

Thinking of your speech?

No, l'm not.

lt'll be all right.

You always do so well.

That's a cherry tree.

Spring must be nice.

l think l'll die then.

l'll burn under the blossoms.

There's not much smoke.

l saw grandpa.

You can see his bones.

What is it?

They'd been exploring the crematory.

l'll go see.

Hey, come here.

Hurry up, come on.

Here!

Oh. excuse me.

You can see him.

He's really burning.

lt's the head.

And the rib cage.

This must be nervewracking work.

Well. for us...

turning it on is bad.

Why?

Well, someone might still be alive.

Has it happened?

No. never.

Because they've been dead awhile.

We know that. but...

we're still a fraid someone might be alive.

l even dream that...

l turn it on and the corpse sits up.

And l try to turn it off and can't.

The corpse sits there burning...

and staring at me.

Does it have heat settings?

Yeah.

You see, a healthy person burns easily.

So we don't use high for babies.

Because no bones would be left.

So, you use low and burn babies sort of gently.

l see.

At first, watching was bad But the fire dried my tears.

Yes...

You want to see?

No, not me.

Salt for purification.

Well, it's over.

This is beautiful.

And only 5.000 yen.

That's bargain.

And now before we eat...

Mr Wabisuke lnoue has a few words for us.

l would just like to say...

Mother, sit still and listen, because you're...

next of kin.

And that's exactly why l want to say some thing.

Yes, that's right.

A really good idea.

Mother ought to.

Uh. excuse me...

The next of kin, Mrs Kikue Amamiya...

now has a few words for us.

l want to thank all of you for coming today.

For taking time...

to come, and thanks to all of you...

we were able to have such a nice funeral.

My husband must be very happy, l think.

With all my soul, l thank you.

l just have one regret.

When he died...

they wouldn't let me be with him.

The doctors and nurses were all in there.

So l had to stay outside.

And while they were helping him, he died.

That's what l...

l really wish l could have been there...

holding his hand.

Like two people dying.

Not that l would really have died.

But it would have been nice being with him.

And knowing a little what his dying was like.

l'm sorry it didn't happen.

So he died all alone, and maybe he was lonely.

But now, thanks to all of you here...

l don't think...

he's lonely anymore. l feel...

he's come back to me.

And that he's here now...

and he...

and l, well...

even if l'm alive...

we'll start...

a new life...

together.

That's...

how l...

really feel.

Well, thank you...

for your kindness to him when he was alive.

And l want to thank you again.

Thank you all so very much.

Written and Directed by Juzo ltami

Produced by Yasushi Tamaoki and Yutaka Okada

Photographed by Yonezo Maeba

Lighting by Shosaku Kato

Recording by Minoru Nobuoka

Art Direction by Hiroshi Tokuda

Music by Joji Yuasa

Editing by Akira Suzuki

Black and white Photography by Shinpei Asai

Production Director: Yoshinori Fujita

Production Manager: Seigo Hosogoe

Casting by Kosaburo Sasaoka

Assistant Director: Hideyuki Hirayama

Cast

Wabisuke lnoue: Tsutomu Yamazaki

Chizuko Amamiya: Nobuko Miyamoto

Kikue Amamiya: Kin Sugai

Shokichi Amamiya: Hideji Otaki

Manager Satomi: lchiro Zaitsu

Dr. Kimura: Masahiko Tsugawa

Yoshiko Saito: Haruna Takase

Head Priest: Chishu Ryu

Subtitles by Teiko Seki of Dynaword lnc.