Hajime-chan?
Yes, I'm back.
Last night.
Just a bit tired.
Really? Sounds good.
Today? I'll be going out.
I can call by on the way.
Yes, is that okay?
Yoko-san! You're back!
Oh, hold on a bit.
Welcome back!
How was Taiwan?
Very nice. I was doing my research.
Thanks for keeping an eye on the place.
Just a moment.
Pineapple cakes. Do you like them?
Thank you. You're always so kind.
Take some rest.
Sorry.
The landlady... yes.
Listen, I had another weird dream.
About an unhappy mother.
She's sad because something's happened to her baby.
The baby's face is so wrinkled...
It looks so old... but it's like it's made of ice...
And suddenly it's all melting! Very scary...
I can't remember the rest.
You know any story like that?
Anyhow, I'm still having these weird dreams.
I'll call by anyway.
Okay, see you later... Bye bye.
You made it!
Here you are.
Thanks.
And the receipts.
How much?
Great!
Thank you.
Oh, I brought you something...
A little gift for your birthday.
Really?
This is great!
When I got to Taiwan, I found it was the 116th anniversary
of the founding of the railways.
Look!
This is really beautiful. Thank you.
I should pay you for it.
No need.
Really?
Sure.
Well, thanks a lot.
I'll treasure it.
Oh, I have one of these already.
Do you?
Jiang Wenye won a prize for his "Taiwan Rondo."
At the Olympics Arts Festival.
The Olympics?
Yes, the Berlin Olympics, 1936.
Can I listen to this one?
Okay, just a moment.
You know, Jiang Wenye came to Japan when he was 13
to study electricity.
Electricity?
Right.
And he went to night classes in singing and composition at Ueno Music Academy,
which is now Tokyo Arts University.
Did he?
And he had a favorite jazz cafe.
Maybe not jazz, but anyway a music place.
It was called "Dat."
He listened to records there, and read about music.
Does it still exist?
If it does, I'd like to go.
Shall I check?
Yes, please.
By the way, that dream you mentioned...
About the baby changing.
It's a goblin story. It comes from Europe.
Really?
Yes, goblins are said to take the place of babies.
There are many European stories like that.
Changeling stories... it's like one of those.
I guess it is.
I'd like to read one.
Yoko!
Thank you very much.
I'm home.
Welcome back.
It's been a while...
How long are you staying?
A couple of days.
I'm home.
Welcome.
Was the train crowded?
Not really.
Why don't you get changed?
I will.
Want a drink, Mom?
No thanks.
Where's Mew?
Sorry?
I forgot to feed Mew.
What's for dinner?
Ma!
What's for dinner?
Fish... Flatfish.
Flatfish.
No nikujaga beef stew?
Nikujaga?
No.
Wait a second...
Mew!
Yoko, dinner's ready.
Yoko!
Yoko.
I guess we should let her rest.
She's nodded off. Leave her alone.
Maybe she's not sleeping well.
Anything to go with my beer?
How about pickles?
Fine.
Chopsticks.
You're awake.
I'm hungry.
Is there anything to eat?
I'll heat it up.
You slept in those clothes?
Kimpira, okay?
Sure.
Any rice left?
Yes.
Thanks.
Can I have this too?
You know what?
What?
What is it?
I'm pregnant.
Whose is it?
My Taiwanese boyfriend.
Boyfriend?
You know how often I visit Taiwan.
But I won't marry him.
And his parents?
Do they know?
Yeah...
But I can bring it up by myself.
Good afternoon.
It's over there. Near the car.
This way, Yoko-chan.
I'll bring it.
Careful, brother. You're getting splashed.
Okay? Your shirt's getting dirty.
There's enough water.
I'll wipe it off.
Here. No problem.
Brother?
It's okay.
Mom!
I'm borrowing the bike.
Going out for a bit.
The roads are slippery.
Watch out for cars.
What are we going to do?
You have to say something to Yoko.
You're always evasive.
Something important comes up, and you say nothing.
You just stay silent.
They hung up...
Who could it have been?
Does the boyfriend have a job?
Yoko has no savings.
And we'll soon be
living on our pensions.
Say something.
Excuse me...
Yes?
Where's Tora-chan?
Inside.
See her?
Yes, she's asleep.
You know Tora-chan?
I used to catch my train to school here.
She's fatter than she was.
Everyone loves her.
She's sound asleep.
She's getting old.
Yes.
I'll be honored to meet you.
Thank you so much.
Yes.
Whatever time you can spare for me...
Hello, Cafe Erika.
Yes, thank you very much.
Thanks, Mrs. Jiang.
Yes, hold on a moment.
A call for you.
Hello?
Yes, hi!
Good afternoon.
Yes.
Thank you.
I'll come by to pick it up.
Got it. See you later, then. Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks for that umbrella for my girlfriend.
By the way...
did you hear about Hajime?
Hear what?
Well... A girl came into his bookshop just like that...
and said she wanted to be his girlfriend.
Incredible, right?
What did he say?
I don't know.
People are saying that she's after his property.
Or that there's some hidden agenda, that's the guess.
You hadn't heard?
No... but...
He didn't want to tell you?
I wonder what she was like?
I have no idea.
This is very much like the dream you told me about.
"Outside, Over There"
Delivery from Cafe Erika.
Good day.
I'll put it here.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I remember this sunflower...
Where did this coffee come from?
My treat.
That's nice of you.
Strange...
Why?
I must have read this sometime.
Did you?
It's very close to what you dreamed?
Thanks for the treat!
Hello?
It's me, Yoko.
You know, it came back to me.
There was a very large hall.
That's where I read that book.
Yes, the picture book that Hajime-chan gave me.
The whole floor was tatami mats.
I remember many people chanting sutras. Believers I guess.
My mom was one of them.
Hello? Yes...
She was a strong believer.
A big donor too.
She left when I was four.
Yes.
This is my biological mother, not my mom now.
Yes.
Anyhow, it all came back.
It gave me a very strange feeling.
That's why I called. I wanted to tell you.
Okay, see you.
Yes, bye bye.
Thank you very much.
I'll put it here.
Excuse me...
My name is Inoue. I'm a writer.
I'd like to ask you some questions.
I'm researching a man named Mr. Jiang Wenye.
Mr. Jiang Wenye?
Yes.
What kind of...?
A composer, Taiwanese.
He came here very often.
Really?
I'm sorry. I don't know about him.
It was 60 or 70 years ago.
I see. Quite long ago.
Did your father ever mention him?
No, he didn't.
I see.
Sorry I can't help you.
Thanks.
Hello?
What's up?
Great! Let's do it!
Right now I'm in Koenji.
Shall we meet in Ochanomizu Station?
Okay?
Yes, see you later...
The next station is Shinjuku.
The following stop will be Yotsuya.
Change here for Yoyogi, Sendagaya and Shinanomachi,
and the Marunouchi, Shinjuku
and Oedo subway lines.
Please take all your belongings with you when leaving the train.
Hello...
I suddenly don't feel well.
Now I'm in Shinjuku...
Can you wait a bit?
OK, then I'll come later.
What's wrong?
What is it?
Hey, are you okay?
What's the matter?
You feel bad?
Okay?
I'm pregnant. Probably.
I suddenly didn't feel good.
You're pregnant?
Yes.
Welcome.
What'll you have?
Coffee.
One coffee, one milk, please.
Thank you.
Show me the map.
I got a lot from this man's book.
Between 2-chome and 3-chome?
I think...
it's in the middle, there.
Facing the side road?
There are only two cafes there.
It must be one of them.
The former Ginza Nishi 2-chome?
This is a map from that time.
Excuse me, your drinks.
Master...
This...
Here, there used to be a cafe called "Dat"...
Ever heard of it?
"Dat"?
Before...
Wasn't it around Subaru-gai?
It's too small. I can't see.
Ah, Ginza 2-chome?
Yes... It used to be Ginza Nishi 2-chome.
The name sounds familiar.
"Dat."
So it's Ginza 2-chome?
How would I get there from here?
Let me see...
Go straight down this street till you reach the traffic light.
Cross over to the right, and you're in Ginza 2-chome.
Thank you very much.
Hello?
Yes. Oh, hi, Mom.
Tomorrow?
I see... What time will you get here?
Then cook something delicious!
Nikujaga beef stew!
Bye bye... Wait! Mom, you know what?
Uncle in Hokkaido will have his eye operation.
So I have to pick him up.
No, on 31 August.
I'll tell you when I see you.
Bye.
Something wrong?
I'm sick. I was asleep.
Is it flu?
Are you okay?
I'm not sure.
Did you catch a flu?
Yes, I'm a bit feverish.
Can I have some more sleep?
Yeah, sorry that I woke you.
Need anything?
Here you are.
What's that?
Want a look?
Sure.
Beautiful.
Great, isn't it?
Trains...
Yes, trains.
So many trains?
That's right.
Yamate Line trains.
Yamate Line?
So they are.
Fantastic!
Can it be enlarged?
Sure. You know how to do it?
No.
Press that.
This?
Right.
It's slow. There's too much data.
It's quite something.
Guess so... it's a womb of trains.
Really? What's this?
A mike and an MD-recorder... it's me.
It's you!
Yes, right.
The eye seems kind of lonely.
Yes, close to tears.
Can I go closer?
Press this?
Zero.
Zero?
Yes, press zero!
Press!
Trains everywhere.
This Hajime-chan looks a bit sorry for himself.
Yeah, he's on the edge!
These are shadows all around?
No... yes, these are shadows... those are trains.
Trains, shadows...
There are different colors in the window?
Nice, isn't it?
This key...
Why are they different lengths?
No reason.
No reason?
No reason... each train is a different size.
In this part, I changed the size of the trains.
Are those rails in the background?
Yes, here they're in the foreground.
So they are.
When you record train sounds,
are you trying to find the essence of railways?
What do you hear?
Well, I guess it's different every time.
That's what makes it interesting to listen to.
Maybe my recordings will help in an investigation one day.
Yes.
Someone might need to hear a tape as evidence of something.
You know all the station names by heart?
Pretty much, although I had trouble reading some of old Chinese characters.
It's really beautiful.
Beautiful?
Really.
Station names are shown, too.
It's really murky in the center.
That's dark blood.
Dark blood? Yours?
Is my blood dark?
Sure.
Then I'll change the color...
Welcome.
Good afternoon.
Hot milk, please.
Hello, this is Yoko.
I thought you might be here, so I called.
Call me back when you hear this... Bye.
Where's Hajime-chan?
Hajime-chan isn't in the bookshop or in Cafe Erika...
He's out recording. Japan Railways sounds.
Really? I see.
Thanks for that little umbrella.
You're welcome.
You can see my father's holding the shutter-release.
You know about cameras with an extension shutter-release?
That's how he took the picture himself.
He did so many things: Photographs, paintings, music...
This was their skiing trip.
It was in Sugadaira, in Shinshu.
The skiing area had just opened.
All the Morokoshi-kai members went skiing.
So these are all members of the alumnus group?
That picture is called "Sweet Pea and Pansy."
"Pansy" is me.
He said my face looked similar.
So he called you "Pansy."
Yes, he did.
And he said "I'm as smart as a sweet pea."
So I called him "Pea."
I get it.
I still have a copy hidden away somewhere.
You two were really close.
Yes, but many people thought our marriage was too good to be true.
They thought I was secretly under his thumb.
It seems real enough to me.
Yeah, I don't feel that way.
Hi!
I'm back.
Where's Mom?
Visiting Kishibojin Shrine.
I see.
Let's wait. She'll be back soon.
Hot, isn't it?
Not much in the fridge.
Things go off quickly.
"You have a message."
(Chinese) Hello, Yoko!
Water, Dad?
Thanks.
Fancy a snack?
Why not?
I'll have tea.
Okay.
...Please fix the shooting schedule. Thanks, bye!
Where are the pans?
Upper shelf.
Upper?
Found it?
Thanks.
Mom, I have no tea. Will water do?
Water's fine.
Dad, whose funeral is it?
My former boss.
He was very kind to me.
It's tomorrow?
Yes.
Cerebral haemorrhage.
Really?
Shall I put it here?
Where are the chopsticks?
Chopsticks are...
...in this bottle.
In a bottle!
Here?
I'll hang up your jacket.
Okay.
Have some food?
Bon appetit!
I cooked well today.
Yes, very good.
Dad, it's great. Why don't you try some?
Will you eat?
A little.
Tasty, isn't it?
You bet.
Better than what I make myself.
Tastes good?
I found some chopsticks.
Here.
Not too much. We'll have dinner later.
Yoko, you like this.
Thanks.
Potato.
For you!
Yes, who is it?
Excuse me... Inoue, from next door.
Just a moment.
Next door?
Yes!
Good afternoon!
Thank you for being so kind to my daughter. I'm Yoko's mother.
How do you do?
Sorry, I should have greeted you sooner.
This is a small gift, from Takasaki.
Thank you! These are my favorites!
Glad to meet you.
So am I, thank you so much.
Could I beg some sake from you?
Is an open bottle okay?
Sorry about this. My husband selfishly demanded sake.
Not at all!
Can you spare me a glass, too?
All right, wait a moment.
Sorry to bother you.
Thank you for the gift.
You even have to borrow a glass! I feel ashamed!
You often borrow from her?
Sure, soy sauce or whatever.
I can't believe it...
Thank you so much.
Sorry to trouble you.
Will this help?
Yes, thanks.
I'm ashamed...
My pleasure!
Have a nice stay!
I'm ashamed...
How many months?
Three months.
Have you been to a clinic?
Yes.
Don't worry, Mom.
But I won't marry him.
You won't?
No.
Because he's too close to his mother.
He is?
Yes.
His family manufactures umbrellas.
I'd be expected to help with the business...
No way!
They produce umbrellas?
Right.
They had a factory in Thailand, and then moved it to China.
He was my student when I taught Japanese in Taiwan.
After that he went to the American School.
And after graduating he went to the United States.
And his mother went with him!
Unbelievable!
So those umbrellas are from him?
Yes.
They are?
Yes.
Now he's managing the factory in Amoy with his sister.
You stay in touch with him?
Yes, on the phone.
He's forever saying "Come to Thailand!"
Thailand...
That parasol too?
Yes.
Excuse me... Wakaba Sushi delivery.
Sorry for keeping you waiting.
It's here...
I'll pay.
It's all right. You have no money!
Thank you!
Sorry for keeping you waiting.
Three orders of Jo-sushi, right?
Yes, thank you...
How much is it?
Excuse me...