Original subtitles

SAN DAKAN 8

Kota Kinabalu Airport, East Malaysia

Mrs Mitani?

I'm from the institute.

How do you do?

The chief suddenly had to go to Kuala Lumpur.

Let me show you around.

Sorry to bother you.

I have no other friends here.

The fruit breeding tests are over.

I'm not busy.

The chief said he would help me find Sandakan No. 8.

Can you?

Yes. Third Street.

Here we are.

Here?

Yes.

But this is a new building.

Old Sandakan No. 8 burned down.

At the end of the war.

Osaki...

It was three years earlier.

I was studying the history of women in Kyushu.

Especially the prostitutes known as Karayuki-san.

I had a painter friend there.

She took me to Amakusa

where most of the girls were smuggled out.

I wasted my time.

Nobody told me about Karayuki-san.

Anything to eat?

I'm starving.

Noodles or fried rice?

Which is easier?

Fried rice is better.

He makes it quickly. Besides, you won't be hungry all day.

Fried rice.

Two.

Ma'am.

Take some.

It's a good cigarette. Thank you.

Cigarettes are my passion.

You live in this town?

No. In Shioya Village, in the mountains.

The Amakusa dialect is Greek to me. Yours isn't.

Naturally. I was born here but...

I went abroad as a girl.

I can talk with anyone.

Abroad ? America ?

Not such a nice country.

Then...

I see! You were a Karayuki-san!

Thank you.

Noriko.

Take the last bus.

Okay.

Sketch something.

I'll take some juice.

Madam!

Madam, you left this behind.

Thank you.

You're very kind.

Are you going back to Shioya Village?

I'm going that way.

Let's go.

Really? That's fine.

Frog, don't surprise an old woman.

It's a dingy place, but won't you drop in?

Her house is on the far side of the village.

Sorry I'm late.

You have many cats.

They were abandoned. They've got to live.

Poor creatures.

Come in.

Don't bother. I have some juice here.

Osaki, are you home?

Tomi. Kané.

Did you go to the temple?

Welcome.

Hi. Who is this lady?

She's my son's wife.

She's not good at writing like us.

She came suddenly to surprise me.

So you're Toshiko.

I hear you're kind to my mother-in-law.

Where are your children?

She left them home in Kyoto.

So she has to go home tonight.

She's busy.

We can't hang around here very long, either.

Shall we go, then?

'Fred?

No.

If you're tired, get some sleep.

Lie down. I'll take a nap.

To her, I'm a stranger who'.s passing through.

Why did she tell the women I'm her son's wife?

I must be going now.

Thank you for coming.

It's such a filthy place, but you came in.

It's so dirty, even my own son was scared away.

He never came in.

His wife never even wrote to me.

But you - a stranger from Tokyo -

came in and took a nap.

If you happen to pass Amakusa again

CONE YD 56$ me.

I'll never forgot you, till I die.

Osaki, the old Karayuki-san who survived untold hardships.

Her sincerity touched my heart.

I wanted to know what tortures she had experienced.

And what happened to her in her eventful life.

I discussed it with my husband.

He writes children's stories.

He said, "you'll have to live with her till she tells you."

It's a tough job for a woman.

No. It's a job only for a woman.

It was a bet.

So a month after I came back to see Osaki.

I wanted to see you.

I'm glad you weren't lost.

Come on in.

Did you eat supper?

Yes, I did.

I think you've gained some weight.

Have I?

That's better.

Just one thing.

Yes?

You won't leave soon this time?

No.

I think I'll stay here for more time.

May I?

Of course.

That was all Osaki asked me about me.

You must be tired.

I'll make a bed.

The cotton is different. We must do it like this.

I brought it from Borneo. It's called kapok.

Borneo?

You need a pillow.

This will do.

Good night.

Borneo.

A Karayuki-san? mattress.

Great Buddha!

Sun God! Sea God!

Please protect my son's family from illness.

Please protect them from traffic accidents.

We ate barley for meals.

And boiled potatoes seasoned with salt.

That was all we had for a day.

Thank you.

Mrs Kitamura.

Registered mail.

My seal.

It's a nice day.

My son in Kyoto sent me money.

It was expected earlier. I've been worried.

Thank heaven!

You live on that for a month?

Well, let's go say hello.

To whom?

If you live with me

I'll introduce you to my neighbors.

Before that, I must go...

Where?

The toilet. Where is it?

No such thing.

Go to the back yard. Nobody“ peek.

Don't worry.

Who are you?

The neckerchief becomes you.

What was your hurry last night?

Boor !

Everybody knows. A beaut came by bus last night.

You gave her the eye so quickly?

Let's be friends.

It's started raining.

She's my son's wife. Be nice to her.

I hear you help my mother-in-law.

Goodbye.

How about a picture?

Picture?

Let's ask that man to snap us.

That's nice.

I had my picture taken once in Borneo.

That was fifty years ago.

Will he take a picture of us?

I'll ask him.

Excuse me. Will you take a picture of us?

All right.

Shellfish.

The fields here are full of pebbles.

We grow only potatoes.

Fish are scarce around here.

So we have to go outside of the island.

Go where?

We used to go across the sea to the South Pacific.

Like you went to Borneo?

Yes.

How old were you?

Why ask? What's it to you?

Borneo is new to me. Just curiosity.

It's getting rough. Let's go home.

I didn't think it would be easy to hear her story.

But a week had already gone by.

Who?

It's you!

You're the peddler.

You're for sale anyway, aren't you?

No kidding!

Come off your perch, even if you're pretty.

Let Osaki teach you.

What's wrong?

You can't trust men.

Don't fall in love, no matter what.

When you're in love you're blind.

All men are the same.

I know well. I realized it.

In Sandakan.

Sandakan?

I was sent to the city as a child.

You want to hear about it?

Yes.

Then, I'll start at the very beginning.

I was born in a poor family in Amakusa.

Then my father died.

He'd mortgaged his house and field.

So we went to live in a small hut.

Everybody worked hard.

My mother and brother.

Later when my uncle lost his wife

he proposed to my mother, his sister-in-law.

Poor children!

I understand how you feel.

But if you don't live with your uncle, he'll be mad.

Your mother will be worried, too.

I've been worried about you, also.

You can be independent.

Why don't you work at the coal mine?

You can get thirty sen a day and live in a company house.

But...

Osaki?

Osaki, why don't you go work abroad?

Abroad?

You don't have to worry.

There, you can wear beautiful clothes.

You can eat plenty.

Osaki, are you really willing to go abroad?

How much will Tarozo pay?

Three hundred yen.

Really?

I'll be glad to go. I'll send you money.

You can buy back your house and land.

You'll be a man.

This kimono is for you.

Tomorrow you'll wear it, and go abroad.

I heard later...

that she had a hard time making that kimono.

Her husband didn't like it.

She borrowed thread and wove the cloth at night.

She didn't sleep for many nights.

The mattress is the cloth.

It was a kimono, but later I remade it into a mattress.

Will I ever see you again?

Please let me go.

Keep well!

Osaki!

The Karayuki-san went from Amakusa and Shimabara.

They were shipped in foreign vessels carrying coal.

They smuggled, of course.

Osaki!

AMAKUSA - CHILUNG - HONG-KONG

Sandakan was the biggest port in British Borneo.

Population: 20,000.

With 100 Japanese.

Ships came from many countries.

There were nine Japanese brothels in the city.

They were named No. 1, No. 2 and so on.

Tarozo's was No. 8.

He took us there.

We didn't solicit customers at first.

We served as maids to the prostitutes.

Wag!

Madame!

What's wrong?

Madame, Yajima is terrible.

He took his time making love.

I couldn't sleep.

I'm tired.

What's that?

You'll see.

I carefully listened to her story.

I remembered every word of it.

In the mornings, when I was alone, I wrote it.

I sent it to my husband in Tokyo.

Mailing safe messenger.

Thanks for waiting.

One summer day a year later.

I vividly remember the day. It was hot and stuffy.

Sit down. I'll do your hair.

What's wrong?

You're no children. You're women.

Don't bother about my hair.

We must.

Look beautiful. You're for sale.

For sale?

What'll I do?

Go to bed with our customers like Oyae.

No!

I'll never go to bed with them!

You won't? Then why do you think you came here?

Liar!

You never said that!

We didn't say we'd be whores, either!

Did we, Ohana ? Yukiyo ?

Speak up!

I refuse!

You can't force me to!

Then give me back two thousand yen! Now!

You gave my brother only three hundred.

You think you're smart?

You'll have a heart attack.

Shut up!

You didn't get a free ride or free meals for a year!

You're deep in debt. Two thousand yen.

You've got to pay it back with your body.

I refuse!

You've nothing to worry about.

All women have to do it sooner or later.

No tears on your first night.

Come on, he's a nice man.

Don't you see?

You think you're pretty in that rag?

I'll never do anything like that again.

No prostitution.

What else can you do?

Marry a native?

You'll still have to go to bed with him.

Same damn thing.

Brother.

I'll be patient and work.

I'm surprised. You speak the natives' language.

They'll like me better that way.

Are you willing to solicit native customers?

I'm not in a position to choose customers.

Osaki.

What do you mean?

I choose white people from the natives.

That's none of your business.

I didn't mean that. I'm not blaming you.

What, then?

My own decision.

I'll get customers, pay my debt

and go home.

Still it was hard work, prostitution.

I couldn't take a rest even though I had a headhache.

Or even when I had my period.

When we got fewer customers than usual,

Tarozo complained and blamed us.

I never enjoyed myself in bed. It never felt good.

Men say it's good.

Some women like it, too.

They even scream in ecstasy.

I don't understand.

Come to think of it, I screamed, too.

The customers paid us for it.

It's...

service, so they say.

I always hoped it'd be over quickly when they held me.

Wasn't there anything nice when you were young?

A lover, maybe?

Or lovers?

I blush whenever I think of it.

But...

Look at this mole. They called it a love mole.

Don't!

So you're Japanese?

Two yen.

Give it back.

I don't discriminate. You won't regret it.

It's a deal.

Why watch me like that?

You were making rice cake.

You were nice.

You saw me then and come here tonight?

Three times.

But you look like a different girl.

Except your mole.

Here, this is me.

It's past eleven.

Five yen for a night.

Stay till morning.

Your name?

Hideo Takeuchi.

I'll call you Hidé.

Yours?

Saki Yamakawa. Call me Osaki.

- Where ave you from? - Tanjong Nu.

You live on the island?

At a rubber plantation.

Alone.

Alone?

How old?

Eighteen. And you?

Older. Nineteen.

What made you come to Borneo at your age?

My family went bankrupt.

Bankrupt?

In the mountains.

We couldn't grow rice or wheat.

So we raised silkworms.

But we failed.

It was the frost.

My mother poisoned herself.

Your dad?

He died long ago.

The village officer coaxed me to go to Singapore.

Then a Malayan rubber planter picked me up.

Poor boy!

I said poor boy.

Leaving?

I have to. Time's up.

Stay.

I can't afford it.

I wanted to see you. That's all.

Well.

Never mind. Stay here tonight.

I'll pay the rest.

Why?

Why?

I don't know.

For five years I've been tortured.

By the creatures called men.

I never wanted to make love.

Until you.

I brought many men here.

Only to get paid.

Where my heart is concerned, I'm a virgin.

But...

Tonight...

I want to be a woman, body and soul.

You too.

You're a virgin.

I'm...

...your first girl.

And you're my first man.

He came to see me every three nights.

How could he afford it?

I don't know how he got the money.

He was desperately in love.

Marry me.

Someday I'll raise money and redeem you.

Really?

I will!

Don't buy the kimono.

The dealer is the boss's dog.

Ofumi ! What are you saying?

They sell us the kimono so we'll go into debt again.

Ofumi.

You sound like we're playing tricks on you.

What a remark! That's not the truth.

I'm selling these at cost.

How do you like this? It's fashionable in Japan.

Come to think of it...

Yajima.

Let's buy a formal kimono for everyone.

Thank you.

Why?

We decided at the colonist's meeting.

We'll celebrate the Coronation.

What coronation?

Don't you read the papers?

The Emperor died, and the Crown Prince took over.

It's the Showa Era.

Ridiculous!

The Emperor helps drive prostitutes into debt?

Keep your eyes open.

Stretch yourself, boss.

Show your medals.

Look at this, everybody.

Well.

One, two...

Terrible!

Don't be shocked.

A Japanese warship anchored in the harbor just now.

What?

What are you waiting for?

Calm down, or you'll get an attack.

You work with them, too.

What? Me, too?

It's your chance to make money.

Madam, what are you doing?

We'll be busy.

We'll each have to make love to thirty men.

Thirty men, each?

I'm first!

Five yen in advance!

What's the matter?

Madame! Terrible! The boss is...

That was the last time I met Takeuchi.

He married the daughter of his Malayan boss at the plantation.

I see...

At that time, Takeuchi was the first man I loved.

Even it might take 10 or 20 years,

I wished he would redeem me with saved up money.

But he deserted me. I was betrayed.

I was determinated never to fall in love again.

I hold no grudge against him now.

Anyway, that was fifty years ago.

It seems the boss died to give us a rest.

Fumi, are you sick?

No.

No use worrying.

What will be, will be. All is written.

Pack, everybody. Let's move.

To another city.

Sail to Pnom-Penh.

Who are you?

Me?

I bought all six of you.

You walked out on Okiku and became a pimp?

Shut up! Get ready.

But the madame told us nothing.

How ignorant!

She sold Okiku everything including this house.

She's going away.

To Singapour with the kimono dealer.

Okiku?

She was called "Sandakan Okiku".

Nicknamed "Consulate", she was a big name in Borneo.

She was born in Amakusa.

She married an Englishman in Yokohama.

She was a lady then served by maids.

Why did she go to Sandakan?

Because her husband left her and went home.

She took care of us prostitutes.

She was a mother to the prostitutes in Sandakan.

We all loved her.

Yosaburo, remove your sandals.

Aren't you Japanese?

These girls are Japanese, too.

Can't you settle the matter quietly?

How do you suggest we settle it?

I wish I could save all of you, but...

Two of you must go to Pnom-Penh.

Yosaburo, I'll give you 100 yen a girl.

What?

Damn it! Don't push your luck!

Yosaburo. Is that any way to talk to me?

Who saved you when you were hunted by the police?

It's a deal.

Draw lots.

No! I want to stay here! I must!

So does everybody.

Come on, draw.

No!

Could you tell me something

about the women of Sandakan No. 8?

I don't know. Go to the backstreet market.

Or ask old men along the shore.

As the Showa Era began and Japan was modernized

the prostitution system of Karayuki-san dwindled.

Because the eyes of the world were

turned to the human traffic

the Japanese Government finally banned it.

Japan was one of the nations that won World War I.

The victory made the country powerful politically,

economically, and military, too.

It could cope with the Western powers in Asia.

It didn't need Karayuki-san any more

to establish its footholds abroad.

I hate the Japanese!

Their army occupied our land before.

Now their trading companies rule our economy.

Okiku.

I'm sorry, but will you close the gates?

No business tonight.

What's the matter?

It's Lord Ichijo, member of the House of Lords.

He's coming here for inspection.

We don't want him to see anything disgraceful.

What?

Disgraceful?

Okiku.

Don't you understand?

If it isn't Yosaburo!

Listen.

The Japanese people are advancing to the South Seas.

Whores like you disgrace them.

You disgrace Japan.

What are you saying? You're a pimp, too.

Not any more.

I'm an Asia Bussan branch manager.

Look at my medals. I was cited for exploiting here.

Leech!

That's you!

You sucked the prostitutes' blood to get fat.

You say we disgrace our country?

You do. Not us.

Get out!

Our economic growth is hindered

by our small land and poor resources.

We have to exploit the underdeveloped regions

like Mandchuria and Southeast Asia.

You colonists heralded the national advancement.

You've lived here long, and exploited it strenuously.

I appreciate your efforts and wish you success.

The doctor's late.

I'll get him.

Osaki.

Never mind.

This is the end of my life.

No! Don't give up.

Get well and go back to Amakusa.

Amakusa?

I don't want to go back to Japan.

You don't?

That's why I built a cemetery in Sandakan.

I warn you. Never go back to Japan.

Never.

I want to give you something to thank you.

But I have nothing valuable.

Yukiyo.

There's a bag in the closet. Get it.

That's my gifl to you. Open it.

I gathered them one by one from the men who laid me.

To get along nicely here,

I had to sleep with them.

They paid me with their ring instead of money.

Every ring is proof of my torture, my agony.

Try to live!

I'm... tired.

Okiku didn't built the cemetery only for herself.

It was for the Japanese women who died in Sandakan.

A cemetery?

It was a wonderful idea. I still admire her for it.

Where is it? Near Sandakan?

At the opening of the jungle.

If you're lost in the jungle you'll be dead.

I don't understand.

Why do you want to find the prostitutes' tombs?

Their souls are sleeping in peace in the jungle.

Isn't that enough?

Let them be.

Maybe so.

But I think I must prove Osaki told the truth.

I returned to Japan, despite Okikuk warning.

I was desperately lonely.

So helpless and lonely.

I was dying to see my homeland again.

YASUKICHI YAMAKAWA

Anyone home?

Well, I...

Brother!

I'm sorry I didn't go to the pier.

Come in.

My wife.

Are you Oharu? I'm Osaki.

How do you do?

Brother, what happened to your leg?

You must be tired after your long voyage.

Get a bath ready.

Never mind.

You have a bathroom, too?

It's a nice house.

Don't peek like that. Say hello to her.

I have gifts.

I brought some for the neighbors, too.

I want to see them.

Never mind.

It's fruit. I must give it to them soon.

Forget the neighbors.

Why?

I've been away for a long time.

Why forget them?

It's a shame.

Shame?

Times have changed. To have a Karayuki-san in your family

is considered disgraceful.

My mother was already dead.

Even if she were alive, we'd have been like strangers.

Dear, is it all right?

Why?

You built this house with the money she sent you.

What if she insists she's the owner of the house?

I registered it as mine. She can't complain.

Besides, she'll go back after a while.

My love is the daughter of a native chief.

Her skin is dark, but a beaut in the South.

Let's play a game.

Osaki.

Osaki.

This is no place for us any more.

Won't you go to Mandchuria with me?

Who are you?

We're both alike.

I was sent to Penang.

I understand how you feel.

Why don't we get out of here together?

It's a nice day to leave.

I went to Mandchuria.

I married a Japanese bag dealer.

I had a home.

I had a son, too - my only child.

Then the war broke out.

We lost all our property.

On our way back to Japan, my husband died.

Then I lived in Kyoto alone with my son.

But one day he wanted me to go back to Amakusa.

Then he...

He wanted to get married. So he sent me away.

He knew I'd been a prostitute. He was ashamed of me.

He couldn't introduce me to his bride.

It's been nine years.

But his wife never came to see me.

Not even a letter.

Still I'm happy.

His wife won't come, but you're here with me.

I thought so from the start. She's a vixen.

Hello.

I want some salt.

From Mr. Yoshida of the high school.

He asked my daughter to give you that.

He said...

"The lady must be a reporter from Tokyo."

"She came here to find out something."

Reporters sometimes create scandals.

All the villagers will be troubled.

Don't you understand?

All right.

Nobody will take care of you when you die.

You want to die like that?

Do you, Osaki?

Goodbye.

I'm sorry.

I've troubled you a lot.

Not at all.

I'll get supper-

Beautiful!

Very beautiful!

Like a palace.

Beautiful!

Have some tea.

Eat it.

Osaki.

Yes?

It's about time I went back to Tokyo.

I'll leave tomorrow.

What?

I'll go back to Tokyo.

I caused you trouble. I apologize.

That's all right.

I'm worried about Masako, my daughter, in Tokyo.

I'll miss you.

I see.

You'd better go home.

I understand how your daughter Masako misses you.

You have to go sooner or later.

I'm glad you came to live with me.

Thank you.

Honestly...

I've considered you...

as my son's wife the past three weeks.

I'll never forget you.

Thank you.

You've been very kind to me.

I have a question to ask you.

Go on.

You don't know who I am.

But you let me stay.

Didn't you want to know who I am?

I certainly did.

The villagers talked a lot about you.

But nobody was as anxious to know as I was.

But people have their reasons to be silent.

If you wanted to talk,

you would have from the start.

But...

You didn't talk. You have a reason not to.

If you don't want to talk, why should I ask you?

Osaki.

Forgive me.

I didn't know.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you.

I...

Like they're saying, I came from Tokyo.

I have a daughter, and I'm married.

I'm studying the lives and history of Japanese women.

Especially poor women who experienced hardships.

I want to write your story and let the world know.

I hid it from you. I made the best of your kindness.

And I betrayed you.

Forgive me.

Don't cry any more.

At first I thought you'd left home.

But later I learned what you wanted.

To hear my story.

You want to publish it? If you want to, fine.

If you write the truth,

you have nothing to fear.

This is a token of my thanks.

Keiko.

I didn't let you stay here for money.

Please take it.

Or I'll be sad.

I want something else from you, instead of money.

What is it?

If you have other towels back in Tokyo,

give me the one you're using.

Will you?

Thank you.

Whenever I see it

I'll remember you.

Here.

Tombs.

Fire destroyed them during the war.

The war...

Osaki.

Sandakan was attacked from both sea and sky by the Allied forces.

The Japanese garrison killed the natives and burned it.

Mrs. Mitani.

GRAVE FOR THE UNKNOWN

Okiku's grave must be around here.

This is it.

Mr. Yamamoto, which way is north?

The direction of Japan?

That way.

Osaki.

The graves...

They're standing with their backs to Japan!

Starring

KOMAKI KURIHARA

YOKO TAKAHASHI

MITSUO HAMADA

ICHIRO NAKATANI

EITARO OZAWA

TAKIKO MIZUNOE

KINUYO TANAKA

Executive Producers: MASAYUKI SATO - HIDEYUKI SHIINO

Story by TOMOKO YAMASAKI

Screenplay by EI HIROSAWA - KEI KUMAI

Photographed by MI'l'SUJI KANAU

Music by AKIRA IFUKUBE

Directed by KEI KUMAI

THE END