We ran a grocery store at first.
since 1952.
No, we ran the grocery from 1948 to 1952 here,
Then, we ran a Pachinko from 1952 to 1956.
We often changed our business, because it was not good.
Little by little it went bad.
It's just enough for two of us to eat...
We manage to live with our monthly pension.
We live on the pension.
I wait for customers wondering how many would come.
Almost everyday is similar.
It's been 42-43 years since I ran this cafe.
So I work at my own pace. My body moves that naturally.
They say he is out of the office now.
Shall we go?
Well, you director had better see them together with what you think.
But suddenly and strangely by accident,
I met that old couple at the cafe before...
This is Mr. Takeda.
The one we're supposed to meet... Takeda Yusuke.
Ah, Takeda Yusuke! Hello.
I'm Kim Taehoon.
- You're the director. - Can I shake hands?
Call me Kim-san.
Kim-san.
- Mijeong-san. - Mijeong.
- He said it's very hot. - Yes, hot.
- Shall we go now? - Sure, it's all right.
- It's hot, but are you okay with it? - That's okay.
There aren't many people.
He says, population of Gojo city is decreasing.
Young people moved to big cities, so mostly elderly people stay here.
They are trying various things to revitalize economy.
Persimmons are the specialty here,
so they're holding various events with them.
He say, it's not that simple.
That's why I don't see young people yesterday and today as well.
I think so.
Are you from Gojo?
He says he's not from here but from Tokyo.
After graduating from university there,
he passed a local civil service exam, and has been working here.
- He's been here for 3 years. - He must have studied a lot.
He says, shops are closed because there're few people.
Korea...
E...excuse me.
Thank you.
Arigatou gozaimasu.
When all family members and relatives are dead,
there is no one to take care of the graves,
so these graves are gathered together over there.
So it means the cemetery without family as we know.
Maybe they aren't so lonely, since they stay together like that.
I guess so.
Like a pyramid...
Not all shapes are the same in Japan.
Delicious!
Glad to hear that.
Delicious.
Not long before I started working,
a Korean tourist visited like you two
and I guided once.
Yes, that kind of thing rarely happens,
since we hardly meet Koreans here.
What I did was similar to today.
We walked here and there, and it was really hot.
It occurred me all of a sudden.
The person looked like you Mijeong, a little.
- Like me? - Yes.
Is that so?
So it was a woman?
Yes, it was.
Did you have any romance with her?
I wish I could.
But, nothing happened.
I...
Originally, I...
A long time ago, I wanted to be an actor.
- Really? - Yes, really.
That's right.
I didn't go to college for acting, and
my major was literature.
but I preferred moving my body to sitting at the desk to study.
I liked films, too.
Why did you decide to become a public official?
After graduating from university,
I seriously decided to be an actor.
and...
An elder from my university club belonged to a troupe.
You know what 'troupe' means?
He recommended me to the troupe,
and I got in.
But,
after I joined it and performed,
I realized I was not talented as an actor.
And then,
I came to hate living in Tokyo itself.
What time do you usually work by?
By 5 PM.
These days, I work till 10 or 11 to prepare for the festival.
That must be exhausting.
Yes, it's hard.
That's it for today. Everything was okay?
He's wrapping up for today, and wants to know if it was all right.
Yes, thank you so much for interesting and useful time.
Please tell him that
I'd like to treat him to dinner before I leave.
- Thank you very much today. - No, my pleasure.
He'd like to take you to dinner before he leaves.
Good, good.
Please do so.
You have a meeting tomorrow, right?
He has lived in Gojo for a long time,
so he must know a lot more than I do.
He says that since the person we'll meet tomorrow
has lived in Gojo for a long time,
he will have more to tell us than Mr. Yusuke did.
I apologize for not knowing a lot.
He says, sorry for not being helpful.
No. I really appreciate it.
Did you get the feel of something today?
Well...
The cafe in the morning and Yusuke.
I personally liked what Yusuke told us today.
It's interesting.
Actually it's not easy, is it?
Before we met Yusuke in the morning,
I thought he'd only show us the obvious sites.
But it was nice to hear his personal story.
Maybe I... we went to the cafe in the morning.
I arrived there 30 minutes earlier.
If I hadn't been there,
I wouldn't have thought about interviewing Yusuke.
During the pre-meeting in Seoul,
I heard there's an alley like Shinmachi.
When I took a walk around in the morning,
I found that cafe by chance.
Didn't you get the right feel of it when you came in?
Those grandmothers and grandfathers...
It's still vague but...
I can't think of anything now though...
I mean, if someone guides us
to every nook and corner without any plan or what we have prepared,
then, something magnificent might be coming, I believe.
During the interview with Yusuke,
I was going to ask him about Tokyo story.
If he hadn't told us,
- You'd not have asked him either. - That's true.
As you know, we need his help for another 3 or 4 days,
so it was difficult for me to poke my nose into his privacy.
But luckily,
he was open to tell us first that he was an actor.
That was a good thing today.
When you came here, as I saw you,
I didn't think you had concrete ideas.
But now, you seem to set a direction.
I am not sure though.
What's important is who.
Something happens in Gojo,
but what's important is who is in it.
In a way, that can be a young character like Yusuke.
There must be a character.
I didn't come here to shoot the scenery,
not to see mountains and shrines here.
'Who' is the most important thing.
Moreover,
though we live in Seoul,
when you sometimes go to a different region
and meet a person with a Seoul accent,
don't you feel a sense of kinship strangely?
No?
You can tell the difference from the people to live there.
Or they have different feelings.
Did you notice?
I didn't know.
But, I guess people from Gojo recognize Yusuke's accent.
Sure, they know.
I find that very interesting by itself.
Those things...
It's like there's a doctor from Seoul.
I'm not saying that area is bad.
- Like Bonghwa in Gyeongsang province? - Yeah. Like Bonghwa.
Imagine there's a very sophisticated looking doctor there.
Can't you see him outstanding?
You find that interesting?
I mean there is a story there.
In addition,
more than talking about actor or literature,
that might be 1 out of 10 reasons,
but the rest of them is that we are others.
There should be something he couldn't tell others.
He should have reasons,
and I'll figure it out.
Why didn't you ask him more?
I did.
More.
I liked his story, so wanted to hear more.
- I asked a lot. - You did?
You didn't translate all, so I didn't know.
Sorry, his story was Interesting to hear...
Just kidding.
Isn't he good looking?
He is.
Right.
You go in first.
You're not going in?
I'll take a walk a little more.
We're starting early tomorrow,
- so come back soon. - Yes, sure.
- Good job in hot weather today. - You too.
Go on in.
You sure you know the way back?
I'll be in the neighborhood.
Take it easy.
Good night.
He says in 1959 they had a really big typhoon.
The water rose up to here due to heavy rain.
and heavy wind, and many people died.
You mean the water was up to here?
That means the whole area was submerged.
- Yes. - Over there too.
- Which year was it? - It's 1959.
Since then, no typhoon anymore?
After that big typhoon, they built this bank.
So they didn't have big damage.
So this was built after the big typhoon.
Yes, they did after the flood
This is huge, from here to over there.
This is better.
Your ancestors are watching over you.
He says, they all think so.
- Welcome. - It's been a while.
You always come by yourself, but not today.
A guy from the city hall asked me to show these people around.
- You mean Gojo city? - Yes.
We visited the Sue shrine and the river Yoshino.
I see.
Iced coffee, please.
Okay.
Where are they from?
From Korea.
- Korea? - Yes.
Annyunghaseyo!
- Annyunghaseyo. - How are you?
My name is Juri.
Juri?
- It's the name of 'Cafe Juri'? - That's right.
- That's nice. - Thanks.
He is a film director.
He came to Gojo for research, to shoot a film in Gojo.
- You are a director. - Yes.
Hello.
How do you do?
It's... nice...
to meet you.
You speak Japanese?
Japanese... No, no.
That's all I know.
That's it?
You're funny.
Want some milk?
I do.
Whenever I wake up early,
I come here for the breakfast set menu.
And hot coffee too.
That's my routine menu.
Ham on toast, salad, and a fried egg.
I come here to have it.
Always the same menu, always great taste.
That's the reason.
The hostess is 2 years older than I am.
She was really pretty and popular like Madonna, when we were young.
Sorry, if I am too fond of women.
Since then,
Was it 36 years ago?
Maybe when I was 20?
I was a high school student, so it might be a while after then.
So, it's been 38... 39... almost 40 years,
since I came here.
I don't know much but...
Maybe a love story or some sorts.
Like a love story?
This area is surrounded by mountains in a rural environment.
It used to be a feudal community, but it's changed now.
Back then people didn't welcome strangers.
I hope your film portray that we are more open to others.
CafeJURl
There are only about 15 households in this village.
Most of them are elderly people.
Their caregivers are all single men in their 50s and 60s.
So it's like old people taking care of old people.
That's right.
Please come in.
They came from Korea to shoot a film.
They're researching now.
Okay.
Let me introduce to you.
This is director Kim.
Hello.
He's a film director.
She's his translator.
- Mijeong. - Miss Mijeong.
And this is Mr. Tsujiuchi.
My name is Tsujiuchi.
He's going to shoot a film here,
He came to research this time.
We walked around here and had been to Gojo, too.
- It's a good thing. - Yes.
I'm glad you're filming Shinohara.
- It rarely happens. - It's never happened in my life.
You're right.
He is really glad and grateful to meet you.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Some crews from a TV station came sometimes,
since there are some cultural assets here.
They came to shoot them.
He says, some TV crews came before, to shoot cultural assets.
But, no film crew came here.
The prime time of this town was,
indeed,
when the forestry industry was booming
around 1953,
as growing economy boosted demand for local timber.
I was young at that time,
so worked various jobs.
Forestry industry is gone now.
Business is broken.
Thinking back,
we were born in good times.
Otherwise... I raised 5 kids.
Without the forestry industry, I couldn't have raised them.
May I ask her something?
Yes, go ahead.
My hearing is bad.
He'd like to hear
about old Shinohara.
It's changed not much for all ages.
Still, you can tell us anything, any story.
Everybody moved to big cities,
so, most houses are empty and I feel lonely.
There were many houses up to the mountain.
About 100 houses.
At that time there were people.
But after the war ended and life began convenient,
most people just left here.
Do you understand?
Now, not even 20 houses remain.
There are only...
The village was lively back then with 100 houses.
I entered the elementary school in 1928.
There were 60 students in school.
But now, there's nobody at school.
School's totally empty.
- Do you understand? - Yes, I do.
They're talking in Korean.
I said they're talking in Korean.
May he hold your hand?
Hand.
Your hand.
- Home? - Hands.
He'd like to shake hands with you.
My hands aren't pretty any more.
You see a little big house over there?
The roof has been fixed a while ago.
I was born there in that quiet house.
My mother and my grandmother were born there, too.
When I was healthy,
I woke up at 5 in the morning,
I offered a Buddhist service with my hands clasped.
During the day I mowed grass around here.
And I prayed to Buddha again at 6 or 7 in the evening.
It was my daily routine.
It's not that I like here or not,
but I can't but live here since I was born here.
All my friends moved to big cities,
but it must be some kind of relation,
which made me keep living here.
Here is the best.
I hope all live healthily at unity,
without misfortune here.
I went to Shinohara Elementary School down there,
and went to middle and high school in Gojo.
And then,
I left my hometown for the first time and moved to Osaka for university.
I studied to become a dental technician.
After graduation, I worked for an artificial tooth manufacturer.
And
the company was growing fast, so I did sales as well.
I had to visit many hospitals and dental clinics.
Wasn't it difficult, the sales?
The job wasn't right for me.
Being plagued by people wasn't right for my character.
I wasn't good at persuading people.
Owing to pressure,
I got sick.
So, I came back to Shinohara.
Have you regretted coming back here?
Regret?
Regret...
When I was working in Osaka, I used to go to a bar near the office.
There was this college student from Korea, working part-time.
The lady...
she just looked like my first love in my elementary years.
My heart seemed to stop.
Plucking up my courage,
I asked her out and dated several times.
She was a really good person.
But after I quit my job and left Osaka,
we never met again.
It's been 25 years since the school was closed.
He says this school has been closed for 25 years.
25 years...
But, the old stuff is still remained.
This is cool.
Hey, Mijeong.
It's still the same.
- Yes, it looks just the same. - The house on the hill.
I wonder where they are now.
That's me.
He said it's Mr. Kenji.
What?
- This boy. - This?
Wow...
I think he's looking at someone.
Who were you looking at?
Yoshiko.
Yoshiko?
Yoshiko! Your first love!
Your first love?
Kenji?
What took you so long?
I've been waiting.
Yoshiko?
Yes.
They haven't called me.
No, my phone has been on, but no calls.
No.
Really?
I see...
They called her...
They will...
Yes...
I went to Nara,
and just arrived in Gojo now.
Gojo.
It took 2 hours from Nara.
Eating breakfast,
I just decided to go a little further.
It seems okay since I came here.
I haven't decided what to do,
but it seems fine.
Go straight, and cross the street on the second light, turn right.
Then, turn left here.
When you cross the street, you will find Shinmachi Road.
All right, I see.
Thank you.
Is there any bus back to Nara?
If you want to take a bus,
you should transfer to a tram at the Yamatoyagi station.
Bus will take more time.
It usually takes much more.
You'd better take trams...
How did you get here?
- By tram. - By tram?
- Tram will be more comfortable. - He's right.
I see...
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
Thank you.
- Are you on a trip? - Yes.
That's great.
Have you been to many places in Japan?
- Yes. - I see.
You been to Nara city?
Yes.
I was there before here.
Thank you very much.
Since you're in Gojo,
this...
Gojo is the biggest persimmon producer in Japan.
You can taste it, if you want.
It says 'Free Tasting', so.
Thanks.
How is it?
- Good. - Tasty.
- Yummy? - Yes.
- Jawsome! - Jawsome?
You know that word?
Where are you from?
- Me? - Yes.
- From Korea. - I see.
How do you know 'jawsome'?
You're good at Japanese.
- That's all I know. - That's it?
But still.
Glad to hear you like it.
Please take more if you want.
- No, thanks. - No, thanks?
So it's not that good?
No, it's great.
The way to Shinmachi Road takes some time.
But if you walk slowly,
it will take some more time.
I know there is a short-cut.
This is Shinmachi Road.
- Thank you very much. - You're welcome.
- This way. - This way?
A while ago,
you had persimmon at the information office.
- Yes. - Dried persimmon.
- Was it yummy? - Yes.
I made it.
- Really? - Really.
Really.
I harvested it.
And I dried it.
Was it tasty?
It was tasty.
- I'm glad. - You're amazing.
It's been 4 years.
4 years.
4 years...
Making dried persimmons...
Interest...
- Is it interesting? - Is it interesting?
- Yes, it is interesting. - Is it interesting?
Yes, it is.
When I make dried persimmons,
I feel excited since the result comes out of what I do.
On the other hand,
the weather influences on the product.
That is the difficult part.
But still, it is more interesting
than working in office, like "Boss, sign here, please."
And taking a jam-packed subway,
Do you know 'jam-packed subway' to commute?
It is very stressful.
Comparing to that, my work is kind of decent.
I wasn't born here originally.
My uncle lives here.
You know the word 'uncle'?
Yes.
It's my dad's hometown.
So I began to work here.
- By the way, what do you do? - Me?
Me, yes, you.
I...
I make something, too.
- Really? - Yes.
What do you make?
Some... thing.
What do you mean 'something'?
Something to eat?
Something like machine?
- No? - No.
Then what is it?
Something.
So it's a secret.
- Yes. - Why is that?
- So it is. - Yes.
I wonder what you make.
I'm looking for something here.
Looking for something to make it with?
No?
Absolutely no idea.
What are you looking for?
A material.
Material...
Is there anything here?
Is it something to do with water?
- Water? - Water.
We have clean water.
- It's not. - It's not?
What is it?
Isn't your bag heavy?
No, it's okay.
Fish!
Fish.
This is the 'Well of Sakura'.
A well?
Yes, well, spring, where water comes through the ground.
We have a folk tale about its origin.
You know 'folk tale'?
Legend.
- Legend, you know? - Yes.
A long time ago,
Buddhist master, 'Kobo Daishi' came to this town.
He was thirsty, so asked an old woman for water.
There was no water source like this back then,
she took the trouble to walk
all the way to the Yoshino river to get water.
Moved by her kind efforts,
the master dug a hole on the ground with his cane.
Water has been coming up through the ground ever since.
Isn't it great?
Yes, it is.
The old woman drank the water from the well,
she suddenly became younger.
And she fell in love with the master.
But he stayed for a couple of days and left.
Meanwhile, she got pregnant,
And she gave birth to a carp. That's the carp.
A carp?
- Fish. - You're kidding.
It's true.
- How is it possible? - Because it says right there.
Really?
That the carp was born here.
Can you read it?
No, I can't.
You don't want to read it.
- You told me a lie? - No, I didn't.
It's true in a way.
I guess you will only remember Gojo's hot weather.
- How was Gojo? - You mean today?
- Better than I expected. - Better than you expected?
Though you saw nothing?
I liked it because there's nothing.
Did you want to go some place no one's around?
Yes.
Why?
Because I needed the time for me.
Are you okay with me? Was I too noisy?
You were little...
I was noisy?
I'm sorry.
- You're in the way... - In the way?
I should be quiet from now.
Just kidding.
- Kidding? Are you sure? - Yes.
I see.
A quiet place...
I went to Osaka and Nara before.
Nara is a quiet place.
Temples and shrines.
That's what I heard.
But, there were many...
Many what?
- Buildings and cars? - No.
Many deer.
You went to a park.
No.
- I think it was. - No.
That must've been the park.
They were everywhere.
No way.
Did they come to you?
"Feed me, feed me." right?
They came to you for food, right?
Yes, they were frightening.
At a quiet place, I was...
Walking?
I was taking a walk,
and a deer was interrupting me.
- So my mind got complicated. - Complicated?
Yes.
- Due to deer?- Yes.
It's good there is no deer in Gojo.
So...
As for a quiet place,
Gojo is okay, but there is some traffic on the street.
If you go further into mountains, it'd be quieter.
No people.
No cars.
No deer.
Wouldn't that place be better?
Sounds good.
No deer.
My father...
There is a place called 'Shinohara' where you should go by car.
- Shinohara. - Shinohara.
He was born there.
So I've been there, when I was a child.
I remember that place was beautiful.
Good, good.
I want to go.
I just feel like going too.
Surprise...?
Suddenly!
- Yes, suddenly. - Suddenly.
When I was little,
my dad often said to me "Shinohara was a nice place...",
Probably because we lived in Tokyo.
I thought he was annoying,
but thinking of it now,
it was a nice place.
I'd like to go alone.
- I see. - Yes.
Quiet is good.
Yes.
I see.
Wait a second.
You want to go to Shinohara, right?
If you go there tomorrow,
please give me a call.
I'm Takeda Yusuke.
My phone number is here.
Okay.
Nice to meet you.
Okay.
And...
I'm okay!
Really okay.
You said it was good.
- It was... - Then, take these.
It's souvenir.
Thanks.
This one too.
Just this one.
So...
Later.
If you get lost or something,
just give me a call.
- I will show you the way. - Thanks.
So...
- Take care. - Yes.
Bon voyage.
- Thank you. - My pleasure. Thank you.
I told you before.
Just don't ask anybody a favor for me.
Why do you ask for my job instead of me?
You don't care about what I think.
What do you mean I never find an audition?
You don't even know if I'm looking? Or not.
Save it.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
- Did you have breakfast? - Yes.
I've kept you waiting.
Excuse me.
Iced coffee, please.
- It's hot. - Today is hot, too.
- Coffee tastes good here. - Yes.
- Really good. - Really good.
- I'm sorry. - Why?
I called you suddenly...
Not at all.
I was happy.
- Really? - Really.
At this early morning?
- Day or night. - I'm sorry.
Anytime is fine.
What's Shinohara like?
Shinohara?
Shinohara is...
Actually I've not been there lately...
so I don't remember much, but...
Nature is beautiful, indeed.
Clean air.
Clean river water.
At the river...
Once I went fishing
with my dad by the river.
There are sweetfish. You know 'sweetfish'?
No.
- You don't know? - No.
It's a name of fish.
Anyway we went fishing,
but we caught nothing.
We already told everybody that we were going fishing.
So... before we went home,
we bought one at a fish shop.
- So sad. - Sad, that's right.
But, my grandma had the fish, thinking we caught it.
Indeed...
- You're a liar indeed. - A liar? Right.
What do you mean 'indeed'?
When I was a child, I often went fishing.
Fishing, really?
With my dad.
- We went sea-fishing. - Sea-fishing?
- That's good. - Yes.
Sea-fishing sounds good.
Usually I couldn't catch anything either.
Fishing is not easy.
One day,
- One octopus. - One octopus?
I caught one.
- Only one? - Yes.
So you cooked only that octopus at home?
- That was delicious. - Was it?
It tastes better, when you actually catch it.
Sure.
Can I have one too?
Here.
We're almost there.
Here...
Here we are!
Thank you.
Now I remember.
There is a river down there.
Can you hear water flowing?
- Can we fish? - Let's go fishing.
But we'll catch nothing.
Nothing's changed.
- Good. - Good.
Excuse me.
Mr. Nobuo?
Hello!
- No one is in. - Nobody?
Not sure.
- Is it all right if we wait longer? - Okay.
Let's take a rest.
- Can I sit? - Sure.
Over there...
You see a red-roof and a black one side by side?
There...
Can you see it?
And there is a white one above them.
And the one above that one is
where my grandma lived.
Is that house still solid?
I'm not sure, but
my grandma passed away.
She was born and raised in Shinohara.
Before she passed away, she was sick and had to be hospitalized.
But there was no hospital around here,
so she went to a hospital in a big city.
She never came back, and
died in the hospital.
I thought this could happen...
Hyejeong,
Do you want to live long?
Me?
Moderately...
Moderately?
That's a good word.
I know that word.
You know that word.
I think,
living a happy life is more important than living a long life.
You say something right today.
You're right.
Classroom.
- Newspaper here. - Old one?
You don't know?
I don't know.
I found an old photo.
Here.
They don't look happy.
That can't be.
Look.
This one...
I think he is my father.
Really?
Really.
- You're lying again. - That's true.
I wonder when it was taken...
I'm sure he's my dad.
Look at this.
- Do I look like him? - Nope.
You see his back is bent like cat's.
Cat's?
Bent like a cat's back.
It's him. It's him.
I can't be wrong.
So did you find it?
Find what?
You were looking for something.
You said.
- Not yet. - Not yet?
I see...
But...
I think I found what I'm going to do.
- Really? - Yes.
- You owe me, right? - Yes.
So, you don't have to look for anything from tomorrow?
- Yes. - Yes.
Did you get it?
So what are you up to tomorrow?
Tomorrow,
I'm going back.
Going back?
To Korea?
- Really? - Really.
I'm sorry to hear that.
I wanted to spend more time with you.
And talk with you more.
You got work to do?
- Yes. - I see.
Stay just one more day...
Just kidding.
- What? - What?
You're going back to Korea to make something.
I'm actually...
acting.
You're an actress?
That's great.
- Really? - Yes.
- Indeed. - Indeed?
I see...
It's tough.
I can imagine.
- Difficult? - Yes...
When I started,
I just liked that.
And that was enough.
I thought I'd be better, if I tried harder.
But well,
it's not that easy.
Acting...
I don't know much about it.
I also feel what you feel.
- You do from your work? - Yes.
When I harvest persimmons,
it doesn't always go as I planned.
Then...
Having a dream to do this and
that is not something bad.
But living happily now is
more important than being a slave of a dream.
- That's what you said, right? - Yes.
I know, but it is difficult.
I know it's not easy.
You'll be fine.
Why is that?
Why?
Because...
you are pretty.
Really.
Just be who you are.
You're a beautiful woman.
Thank you.
When I...
first met you at the information office in front of the tram station,
I thought 'Ah!'.
What do you mean 'Ah'?
What a beautiful woman! Really.
I'm not kidding.
I wanted to talk to you and be with you.
So I talked to you first.
Can I be your boyfriend?
I...
have a boyfriend.
Really?
I see.
So I was a little late to meet you.
Japanese...
As your boyfriend in Japan...
How about that?
So...
Thank you.
We have a big fireworks event tonight.
Would you go with me?
No?
Then...
When I visit Korea next time,
would you be my guide?
Like today.
- Fine. - You okay with it?
Yes.
It's not free.
Do you have any paper?
- No. - No?
Just a piece of paper...
- I don't have any. - You don't?
Write here.
You sure?
Then... here.
If you write on a hand, it can be easily erased.
Here's better. Your phone number, please.
Okay.
- Here? - It might be erased.
Where?
Then... here.
A MIDSUMMER'S FANTASIA