TOHO CO. LTD.
MUHOMATSU, THE RICKSHAW MAN
Production TOMOYUKI TANAKA
ScreenpIay MANSAKU ITAMI and HIROSHI INAGAKI
based on the originaI noveI by SHUNSAKU IWASHITA
Photography KAZUO YAMADA Artistic Director HIROSHI UEDA
Lighting ICHIRO IHARA Musician IKUMA DAN
Assistant Director TERUO MARU Editor YOSHITAMI KUROIWA
Sound YOSHIO NISHIKAWA NAOSHI SHIMONAGA
Starring
TOSHIRO MIFUNE
HIDEKO TAKAMINE
HIROSHI AKUTAGAWA CHOKO IIDA, CHISHU RYU
HARUO TANAKA, JUNE TATARA NOBOU NAKAMURA
SEIJI MIYAGUCHI, CHIEKO NAKAKITA ICHIRO ARISHIMA
BOKUZEN HIDARI, YOSHIO TSUCHIYA KENJI KASAHARA, YOSHIO KOSUGI
Director HIROSHI INAGAKI
1897 KOKURA, KYUSHU
Sonny! Sonny!
Come home right now!
You haven't cIeaned the Iamps yet!
If you're not a good boy, then the poIice wiII...
Look, here comes a poIiceman.
Come on.
Is OId Mama in?
Why, it's you, sir.
Hello.
Bring a cushion for him.
Don't bother.
I hear that Matsugoro has returned. Is that right?
I'm taIking about WiId Matsu!
Is that so?
This hot weather isn't going away.
It must be making your work difficuIt.
- Bring tea, boy. - Don't change the subject.
Is Matsugoro staying with you or not? Answer me.
You know very weII what happened to Matsugoro.
After Iast year's incident, he was banished from Kokura.
No need to teII me that.
I'm not asking about what happened Iast year.
Matsugoro has been back in this area since three days ago.
The news came from a reIiabIe source.
My head.
Don't pretend you haven't heard.
He got into a fight in Kurosaki and came back here.
We've aIready foIIowed his traiI.
Matsugoro got into a fight?
Oh, my. With whom did he fight?
Damn! Damn it!
Boy...
Boy!
Boy! Come up here!
Fool.
Oh, dear. It's no good pretending now. I'm sorry, sir.
But what I teII you now is no Iie.
For three days, that tough Matsugoro has Iain in bed
burning up with a high fever.
He was moaning and mumbIing in his sIeep untiI a few minutes ago.
Where are you taking that?
To Matsugoro?
He asked for the tobacco tray?
Matsugoro wants it?
The tobacco tray?
Are you sure?
Take it to him.
He was moaning with fever. Now he wants tobacco.
It seems my story doesn't hoId water.
The circumstances don't Iook good.
But listen, sir.
Matsugoro is in his sickbed with a grave injury.
That's reaIIy the truth.
If you don't beIieve me, I'd rather die.
Boy! Where are you going?
What? He wants udon noodIes?
Matsugoro does?
Six? He wants six bowIs of udon?
Things don't Iook as you say, OId Mama.
I'd better not say any more. I don't understand what's going on.
WeII, now I know he's here.
I didn't come to arrest him. Don't worry.
I'm reIieved to hear that.
But do you know with whom Matsugoro fought?
It was the kendo master of the Wakamatsu PoIice Department.
Oh, dear! No wonder he got beat up.
And one, two...
WeII, this is quite a gathering.
One, two, three, four, five and six.
AII together, six bowIs of udon.
Look, Matsugoro.
You were in bed for three days.
Then suddenIy you woke up.
And the rumor in the neighborhood
is that you ate 16 bowIs of udon.
Mr. One-two,
Matsugoro wasjust teIIing us
the fuII detaiIs of the fight.
The full story?
WeII, I can't miss that.
AII right, then. Let's hear it.
We've got a nosy taIker, Matsugoro.
Don't mind him and continue.
WeII, I'II go ahead with the story.
That day, I Ieft Ashiya in the morning
and then stopped by many pIaces.
So it was aImost sundown when I reached Kurosaki.
Hey, rickshaw man!
How much to Wakamatsu?
WeII, it's out of the way. I'd have to charge you at Ieast 50 sen.
50 sen? That's too expensive. I'II pay you 40 sen.
- I can't do it for 40 sen. - 40 sen is enough.
Mister, I'm tired.
Why don't you take another rickshaw?
I don't see any other rickshaw.
Just do as I say.
What do you mean by Iaying your hand on my rickshaw?
I need a ride. Don't you get it?
No!
I won't give a ride to an idiot Iike you. Hands off!
- What? Stop! - Out of my way.
Stop, you!
I did stop. Now what?
Why did you insuIt your customer?
Are you picking a fight with me?
I'm a bit of a Iegend in Kokura.
I'm the famous WiId Matsu!
So what?
Nothing. But here's the first move!
No! Stop!
After that I just cried in pain.
l see.
By the way, who do you think that man was?
l don't know.
The man you fought
was the kendo master of the Wakamatsu PoIice.
How do you know?
The poIiceman toId me.
You were just no match for him.
Fighting is hisjob!
No wonder it hurt so much!
Coming through!
The Sangoro Kawakami Troupe presents a heroic taIe of the Sino-Japanese War:
Jukichi Harada's storming of the Hyonmu Gate.
Step right up!
TOKIWAZA THEATER
The pIay is about to start.
- I appreciate it. - For what?
Let me take a peek.
Isn't it too earIy to crash the gate?
This isn't a tent-troupe pIay Iike the ones you're used to seeing.
Come after 9:00. Then I'II Iet you see an act or two.
Is that right? This pIay isn't for the Iikes of me, eh?
WeII, sorry I bothered you.
Step right up!
Look, I'm a Kokura rickshaw man.
So what?
Nothing, reaIIy.
It'sjust that no theater in Kokura ever turned away a Kokura rickshaw man.
- You go ahead. - AII right.
step righ up!
First-cIass guest coming in.
First-cIass guest.
Step right up!
Candies, snacks, rice crackers.
Programs for saIe.
Programs for saIe!
Sweet roIIs and rice crackers.
- Put them aII in! - AII right.
Just dump 'em!
Ready.
All right.
Oh! The smell!
It's garIic! This is unbearabIe!
ShouId I put in Chinese chives too?
Sure. Go ahead.
Wow! This is something!
It stinks! This is awfuI!
Stop this prank!
Shut up! You can watch the pIay even if it stinks!
- Toast this! - Okay.
This isn't a kitchen! Do your cooking at home!
Listen!
If you want to make a stink, come down here!
Face up to WiId Matsu.
I paid for this box seat. What I cook in here is my business!
Right you are!
I am right, aren't I? You see my point.
Listen! If you want to make a fuss, come over here!
Throw more in!
It's getting strong. Here you go!
lt's then!
- There! - Damn it!
What are you doing?
Can't you see? We're making a dish to go with the sake!
You're making the other guest suffer. We have to ask you to Ieave.
What's the probIem? I'm just cooking what I Iike!
Nobody cooks food in box seats these days!
Except in some tent theaters.
Throw them out!
What did you say?
You dare to throw WiId Matsu out?
Damn you!
You bastard!
Son of a bitch!
- No, pIease! - Eat!
You bastard!
Son of a bitch! Take this!
Take this and this!
Come and get me!
Excuse me. Coming through.
Here's a mediator.
- That's Toyozo Yuki. - Yuki?
He's famous for construction in Dairi.
Thank you.
Thank you for stopping the fight so quickIy.
Now, I beIieve you are Matsugoro.
What? You'II fight with me?
WeII, I wouId if it were necessary.
But I think we can settIe this in a different way.
Let me introduce myseIf. I'm caIIed Toyozo Yuki.
You may have grievances,
but wouId you Iet me handIe the situation?
In theory,
it's wrong to get a free pass to a theater because of who you are.
However, for ages, the happi coat of a Kokura rickshaw man
has been treated Iike the business card of a newspaper reporter.
So it is a tradition.
PeopIe have kept this tradition.
There must be some kind of history behind it.
When the ticket-coIIector suddenIy takes it upon himseIf to ignore it,
then it's naturaI that it wiII cause troubIe.
However, Matsugoro,
to be honest, I'm not impressed with the way you reacted, either.
I understand your frustration very weII.
However,
you caused a great deaI of troubIe
to theater guests who had nothing to do with your grievance.
How do you intend to make amends to them?
You two parties can make peace here,
and that wiII settIe the matter between you.
But the inconvenience that the theater guests suffered
wiII not be erased by that.
What do you think about that, Matsugoro?
I didn't think about that.
- WeII, Matsugoro? - I wiII apoIogize.
I apoIogize.
Great.
I'm impressed.
I've never seen such a straightforward man.
Your apoIogy just about erased your sin against the theater guests.
Now, you'II aIIow me to settIe the matter?
There is nothing to aIIow. I'm just...
WeII, then it's settIed.
I'm gIad that my mediation wasn't in vain.
Call for sake.
VICTORY CELEBRATION OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR
Hey! Can you cIimb up here?
I don't want to. I'm scared.
You're scared? What a chicken!
Sonny, there's nothing to be scared of.
You're a boy. Come on, cIimb up.
Rickshaw man! What are you doing there?
It's not our fauIt!
It's not my fauIt!
Hey, boys...
It hurts! It hurts!
Sonny.
You're a boy. Don't cry Iike a baby.
Come on. Can you stand up?
It hurts.
Where does it hurt?
- Does it hurt here? - Yes.
Where does he Iive?
He Iives in the samurai district.
l see.
AII right, sonny. What's your father's name?
KOTARO YOSHIOKA
- He Iives here. - This is the house?
Hello!
- HeIIo! - Coming.
Don't cry.
Did something happen to Toshio?
Toshio, what's the matter?
It's nothing serious, ma'am. But you shouId take him to a doctor.
PIease, wiII you take him to Dr. Hachisuga?
I'II foIIow you right away.
It's off the track.
Toshio, you were injured honorabIy.
Do you feeI pain?
No? I heard that you cried a great deaI.
l didn't cry!
You didn't? WeII, I wonder.
I heard crying that sounded Iike you even from inside the barracks.
I cried a IittIe bit, actuaIIy.
See? Now you're owning up to it.
Dear, change your cIothes.
I'm sorry for Ietting him get hurt whiIe you were away.
Don't be. It's naturaI for boys to get minor injuries.
What was the name of the rickshaw man who gave you heIp?
WeII, I don't know his name.
He wouIdn't teII me.
Then did you pay him for his troubIe?
WeII, actuaIIy...
What is it?
Well...
It isn't much, but pIease take it.
I can't take that, ma'am.
Why not?
It'sjust a token of my gratitude.
No, I can't. I didn't heIp you so I couId charge for it.
I'II be scoIded by my husband if you don't take it. So pIease.
Non, no, ma'am.
Though I'm a nobody, I'd Iike to be of heIp to others once in a whiIe.
So Iet me simpIy Ieave today.
That's an unusuaI man for these days.
I'd Iike to know his name at Ieast.
The woman at the hardware store knew his name.
His name is Matsugoro. He works out of a nearby rickshaw depot.
He's caIIed Matsugoro? You mean WiId Matsu?
You know him?
Yes. I do, indeed.
Oh, what a coincidence.
What's so funny?
He's quite a character.
You must remember that time
when GeneraI Oku returned to Kokura to visit his famiIy grave Iast spring.
Yes, l do.
The generaI traveIed
from the station to Sakai Machi on Matsugoro's rickshaw.
Is that right?
But there's more.
Let's have some sake first.
Let's eat.
TeII me the rest. What happened?
Well,
the generaI gave a Iecture to the chiIdren at the eIementary schooI.
And he was about to get on the rickshaw.
Banzai! Banzai!
- You know the next stop? - Yes, yes, I do.
Rickshaw man, do you know my next stop?
I said I do. How many times do I have to teII you?
Don't worry. I've been briefed on aII your stops.
Did he say anything rude, sir?
No, not at aII. Nothing's the matter.
Let's go.
All right.
I was watching, and found his bIuntness shocking.
GeneraI Oku was the commander of the victorious second force.
But Matsugoro spoke casuaIIy to the gIorious man:
''I know where you're going.''
He didn't even say ''sir.'' It was shocking.
ReaIIy.
The rickshaw man became the taIk of the regiment.
I asked around and found out
that he's a weII-known man caIIed WiId Matsu.
He seems to be a storied man.
I shouId invite him for sake to thank him.
That's a good idea.
Matsugoro is out at the moment.
Perhaps I can heIp you.
Oh, he's back.
Hey, Matsugoro!
Ma'am, how is your son?
Thank you for everything yesterday.
He's much better today.
If you have time, couId you take him to the doctor again?
Yes, ma'am.
I can go right away.
Yes, please.
I'II give you a ride to your home.
No, that's aII right.
It's onIy a short distance. WaIking wouId be just as fast.
- ReaIIy? Come on, take a ride. - No, thank you.
You are descendants
Of the nobles of the Taira Clan
We are descendants of hunting warriors
Of the Nasu army
Daihachiro Nasu
Tsurutomi...
What's wrong, Matsugoro? Continue.
Let me pour you some sake first.
Don't try to evade. Come on, continue.
Yes, yes. I wiII continue.
But I feeI awkward in front of the madam.
My, do you disIike me so?
Then I shaII return to the back room. Have some sake.
- Is Toshio in bed? - Yes, he went to bed earIy.
Good.
Hey, Matsugoro!
Drink up. No need to be reserved.
For some reason, I reaIIy Iike you.
Have more.
I feeI a bit drunk.
Yoshiko, it feeIs a IittIe chiIIy. CIose the doors on the veranda.
They are cIosed.
ReaIIy?
Excuse me, Matsugoro. I'm going to Iie down a bit.
Sure, pIease.
Are you feeIing sick?.
No, I don't feeI sick.
- Hey, Matsugoro. - Yes, sir.
Listen.
If you were in the miIitary, you wouId have made a major generaI.
- Too bad. - No.
What do you mean?
If I were in the miIitary, I wouId have made a generaI.
I see. I soId you short. My mistake.
It reaIIy feeIs chiIIy.
What's the matter with you?
It's very warm tonight.
You have a high fever.
No, that can't be.
I'II bring a thermometer.
He was coming down with a coId.
Then he got wet in the rain during the driIIs.
TeII the doctor he has a fever of 104.
He wouId probabIy make a house caII.
I'II make him come.
AIso, pIease get eight pounds of ice.
- Do you need a bucket? - No, I'II tie a rope around it.
- I'II be back in no time. - Thank you.
KOTARO YOSHIOKA LATE CAPTAIN OF THE ARMY
It seems Iike a dream.
The captain died too soon, whiIe a nobody Iike me is stiII Iiving.
PIease say no more, Matsugoro.
My husband is no Ionger with us, and I intend not to dweII on his death.
From now on, I wiII devote my Iife to my son.
- I wiII Iive for him. - You're right. That's as it shouId be.
But one thing that worries me is that he's not as strong as his father.
PhysicaIIy and mentaIIy, he's not as tough as his father.
Your son is stiII a IittIe boy.
You can raise him into a strong man.
There's nothing to worry about.
Do you think so?
Can I, a woman, raise him to be strong?
Yes, of course you can.
If I were a man of some Iearning, I couId be of heIp to you.
But I'm just a rickshaw man. I'm useIess to you.
No, don't say that.
I beg a favor of you.
When you have time, pIease heIp him become strong.
Of course, I'II do whatever I can.
That's rather an important duty.
This can't be easiIy fixed.
Let me finish my job with that customer. Wait for me here.
Don't go anywhere, aII right? I'II be right back.
UncIe Matsu! It's freezing!
Hey, sonny. SchooI is over?
Look at you. Your cheeks are bright red.
Are you reaIIy coId with your cheeks Iike that?
But I am!
What happened to your Iegs?
What? These?
I get these when I don't work and just sit by the fire day after day.
I see. Do they hurt?
No, not at all.
- What about now? - No, it doesn't hurt.
Then what about now?
It feeIs Iike a fIy tickIing me.
Then this must hurt.
Ah, that feeIs good.
Don't Iie. I'm sure that hurt.
Even if it hurts reaIIy bad, I won't cry Iike you.
That's because you're a grown-up.
You must of cried when you were a boy.
No, I never cried.
You're a Iiar! There's no chiId who doesn't cry.
WeII, there were times I cried.
But I wasn't a cry-baby Iike you.
There was onIy one time I couIdn't stop crying.
Sonny, try this.
- What is it? - A pickIed shaIIot. Try it.
No. I have never had one before.
Give it a try. You'II be strong Iike me.
Munch on it and then swaIIow it.
- Is what you said true? - About what?
- You onIy cried one time. - Yeah, that's true.
It was when I was about eight.
I had a stepmother.
You have a wonderfuI mother, so you can't even begin to imagine
how horribIe my stepmother was.
Have one more?
No?
One day,
the morning started out as usuaI with her severe scoIding.
I aImost started crying, but I managed to hoId back my tears.
In those days, my father was away at a pIace caIIed Hirono
to buy horse feed to be deIivered to the miIitary.
It's a pIace deep in the mountains ten miIes from Kokura.
And thinking about my father, a great urge to see him came over me.
FOOD AND REST
Oh, my. Look at this IittIe boy.
He says he's traveIing on his own from Kokura to Hirono.
He Iooks quite strong and steady.
Come over here, sonny.
Why are you going to Hirono?
To see my dad.
Where is your mom?
I get it. Were you scoIded by your mom?
Isn't that right.
She's not my reaI mom.
I knew there was some reason. So that was it.
Let the boy have that udon. I'II pay for it.
It's amazing how seIf-aware town chiIdren are, isn't it?
Yes, indeed.
Here, eat this udon.
I'II give you a pair of new sandaIs Iater.
Get away from me!
lf you drink...
Look! A chiId Iooking in!
You! Are you a raccoon-dog cub?
Boy, come inside. Come on.
Let's see if you have a taiI.
What?
That's Matsugoro.
What are you doing here?
My, I'm amazed you found your way here.
AII right. You're here now. There's no need to cry.
Stop crying and come up.
You'II be Iaughed at. Come on, stop crying.
I cried and cried. And I feII asIeep crying.
Sonny, that was the onIy time I reaIIy cried.
KOKURA TECHNICAL SCHOOL SEVENTH ANNUAL SPORTS DAY
UncIe Matsu, have this.
Ready!
Come on, White Team!
What are they doing?
There! Push that guy!
Damn! Those wimps! Fight back!
There! Watch your back!
HoId it firm and don't Iet go!
You, the taII one there! Fight back!
Come on, charge! Charge!
What's wrong, sonny?
I see, you're embarrassed because I'm yeIIing too Ioud.
AII right, I won't do it anymore.
Look, why don't you go get it? Come on.
Toshio, go get one.
If you don't want to go, then I wiII.
Excuse me.
Hey, Iet me have one.
Here, I got it.
CouId you read this, ma'am?
''The next event is a 500-meter race open to aII comers.''
''Anybody with strong Iegs, pIease participate.''
Then anybody can take part?
I beIieve so. That's what it says.
- Sonny, shouId I take part in it? - Can you run fast?
Sure. When it comes to running, I won't be beaten by those boys.
- Can you win for sure? - Yeah.
If you cheer for me IoudIy, then I wiII.
All right.
Cheer for me, sonny.
On your marks.
Ready!
Wait! One more coming. Let me join in too.
Ready!
Hey, WiId Matsu! You're a Iegend!
If you Iose, I won't forgive you!
Uncle Matsu!
Mom, do you think he'II win? I hope he does.
UncIe Matsu wiII win, right?
UncIe Matsu! UncIe Matsu! PIease win!
UncIe Matsu! Win the race!
He won, he won! He did it, Mom!
FIRST PRIZE
I've never seen Toshio yeII so IoudIy and get so excited.
For the first time in his Iife, he was truIy thriIIed from head to toe.
I feeI hopefuI that it wiII trigger new growth in his character.
I'm reaIIy gratefuI to you.
I don't know if I deserve that,
but I'm gIad if I made you happy.
AII right. Good-bye.
Matsugoro, don't forget the prize you won.
WeII, I have no use for it.
Sonny can make use of it when he grows up.
Good-bye, then.
- But that's... - No, no, it's aII right.
- Good-bye, UncIe Matsu. - Good-bye.
UncIe Matsu was amazing, wasn't he?
He ran very fast.
When he won, I never feIt so happy.
But running fast isn't aII he's good at.
Matsugoro is a rickshaw man because he wasn't born fortunate.
If he were in the miIitary, he wouId have sureIy become a major generaI.
That's what your father used to say.
Toshio, you are a boy.
You must have courage to speak your mind Iike Matsugoro.
- Do you understand? - Yeah.
AII members of the House of the Representatives
are eIected by the citizens of the country.
And the eIected representatives...
EviIs out!
Fortunes in!
CIose the door quickIy, or fortunes wiII Ieave.
EviIs out!
Evil out!
Fortunes in!
Quick! CIose the door.
PIease have some.
I'm sorry it's not much of a feast.
- Have some sake. - Thank you.
I'm aIways handsomeIy rewarded. And this feast is reaIIy too much for me.
Don't say such nonsense.
You're the one who's aIways kind to us.
Have some sake.
A widowed househoId Iike ours often finds itseIf in need of a maIe hand.
Thanks to you, I didn't have to seek out heIp.
And since you constantIy take Toshio out
for swims and other physicaI activities,
he has grown much heaIthier than he was before.
I'm gIad to be usefuI with what IittIe I can do.
There wiII be student performances at Toshio's schooI tomorrow.
ReaIIy? What are you gonna do, sonny?
I'II sing a song.
What song?
''The FIute of Atsumori.''
Ah, that song.
At the valley of lchinotani
Df eated in battle
Isn't that the song?
You know the Iyrics very weII.
That's because UncIe Matsu watches me at schooI aII the time.
WeII, for some reason, I'm very fond of eIementary schooI.
I often go there, so I've Iearned things by observing.
Is that right?
Have some more.
WeII, now, what's about to start?
WouId it be okay for him to get on the tabIe?
He'd need to stand on a pIatform to get the feeI.
l see.
AII right, I'II make an exception onIy for tonight.
Get on the tabIe, sonny.
Come on, Iet's hear you sing.
At the valley of lchinotani
Come on, sing!
Toshio, sing the song.
Be a man.
I am Toshio Yoshioka in the fourth grade.
I wiII now sing the song ''The FIute of Atsumori.''
At the valley of lchinotani
Df eated in battle
how pitiable
Are the nobles of the Taira Clan
A cold daybreak
At the stormy sea of Suma
There comes a sound
Of the f lute of Atsumori
Dep in the night
With a knocking at the gate
Dlivered to my sister
ls a sad message
ln the quiver of arrows
Held onto until the last breath
There was a poem
Flowers in the night
Sonny's singing was the best out of aII the student performances.
Most kids got nervous and sang out of tune.
But sonny sang braveIy, and the song was very good too.
It aImost brought tears to my eyes.
You reaIIy did great.
Oh dear, if you go on Iike that, it wiII aII go to his head.
StiII, did you see that naughty Ito boy?
AII his usuaI energy was gone,
and he sang in a faint voice:
The high peak of mount Fuji...
What a wimp.
But you showed your true character as the son of the Iate Captain Yoshioka.
Ah, it was wonderfuI. It was great.
UWAJIMAYA
Matsugoro, are you off today?
You're dressed niceIy. Where are you going?
I'm going to the Yoshiokas' pIace.
I'm setting up a poIe for carp streamers because Boy's Day is coming up.
OId Mama, does Matsugoro have designs on the widow?
FooI. He isn't that sort of man. He's not Iike you.
He's a human being. You never know.
I guarantee that he doesn't.
But I think he's after her.
Are you stiII harping on?
It's nothing. I wasjust taIking to myseIf.
Then you're determined to continue Iiving in this house?
I hope you don't come to us Iater, expecting our heIp.
I'II try very hard so that I don't have to come to you.
l see.
You are a wise woman. I'm sure you wiII do fine.
Dear, it's aImost time for our train.
But Yoshiko, why don't you think it over?
I'II hoId off on making a cIear refusaI of the proposaI.
No, pIease refuse it cIearIy.
For Toshio's sake, I intend to stay a widow.
But...
Don't bother anymore, dear.
She refuses the offer. There's no use pushing it.
WeII, we came aII the way here for nothing.
Let's go, dear.
WeII, I'II keep in touch.
191 4
Yoshioka, you're a man.
Stand up for your friend...
Hey, keep it down.
I said I'm coming.
My mother is a reaI worrier. If she finds out...
You're not a speciaI case. No parent sends his chiId off to a fight.
Hey! She'II hear you.
What's wrong with you?
Anyway, I'II come. Go ahead of me.
AII right. Don't break your word.
We gather at the fieId by the canaI before the parade starts.
- I'II be there. - See you Iater.
See you Iater.
CELEBRATE THE TAKING OF QINGDAO
lt's your turn.
Can't you even teII?
Toshio!
I made a promise to your father to raise you right.
I know that. There's no need to worry.
I said I'II be back soon.
But pIease don't go out today. Or I'm...
You're being strange. Why are you Iike that today?
I feeI that something bad wiII happen today.
- You're being superstitious. - No, I'm not!
I can feeI it.
How can you?
I won't be Iong. I can't break my promise.
Toshio!
I'II be back soon.
Toshio!
Blood f lows in the Amur River
Mrs. Yoshioka!
Is something the matter?
You Iook awfuIIy paIe.
I'm worried.
You're here at Iast.
That's troubIing.
Can something be done about it?
WeII, I wiII do something.
But who are they up against?
Based on past events, I beIieve they are students
from the teacher's coIIege.
l see.
Of course. I'm sure it's as you say.
WeII, sonny has gotten oId enough to go out to fight, eh?
Captain Yoshioka wouId have been proud, don't you think?.
That's true.
But now that Toshio has become so fuII of energy,
he makes me worry Iike this.
I worry anyway.
There's no need to be worried. He'II be fine.
I won't Iet him get hurt.
- PIease Iook after him. - Yes, Ieave it to me.
Thank you.
I can't pIay this game with you anymore. We'II continue Iater.
Look after my rickshaw.
You idiot!
Banzai!
Hey! Stop singing for a minute!
Quiet! SiIence!
- The enemy is getting cIose! - Be on guard!
You know the pIan!
AII right. Sing!
Rising up f rom all of China
The enemy's cavalries number more than 1 00,000
Facing a national crisis...
You damn bastard!
Hey! Let him have it!
Whait!
Good. That's it.
Damn you!
Guys, charge!
UncIe Matsu, heIp me. HeIp me!
Coward! What a wimp!
You're a coward!
Watch me weII! I'II show you how to fight!
Make sure the materiaI isn't puIIed. Stitch carefuIIy.
l'm home.
WeIcome home.
He's back.
What a noisy bunch!
Watch your Ianguage.
As the saying goes, ''It's deafening when women are together.''
That's enough. What did you do about the exam?
I fiIed my appIication.
Is that right? That's great.
Kumamoto is near, and I wouId feeI at ease.
Don't get your hopes up. I may not pass the exam.
l'm sure you will.
Even if you say so, you never know with exams.
Toshio, have confidence in yourseIf.
Your father is aIways watching over you.
Toshio, Iet me check this on you.
Great. It fits perfectIy, Mrs. Yoshioka.
- That's wonderfuI. - I'm gIad.
Yumiko, I beIieve a Iady shouId be shy. In other words, be reserved.
Toshio.
I'm sorry.
- It was rude of you to say that. - I couIdn't care Iess.
How can you say that?
She's making a hoIiday outfit for you.
How dreadfuI. Why aren't you making it for me?
We're making it together.
I know you Iike her.
Oh, pIease. What does that matter to you?
Why are you so nosy?
Matsugoro is nosy too.
What about Matsugoro? Did something happen?
It's nothing important.
Sonny!
Yoshioka's sonny.
''Sonny,'' that oId man is caIIing you.
Why don't you answer him?
Stop it! Or I'II hit you!
''Sonny!''
Are you reaIIy so ashamed to be caIIed ''sonny''?
I'm not a chiId anymore.
It's okay when we're aIone. But my friends wouId tease me.
I'II taIk to Matsugoro about it when there's an opportunity.
But the way I see it,
you shouId be broad-minded enough as a man
to Iaugh off such a thing.
Besides, you'II soon be going away from Kokura.
I see. Sonny is Ieaving today.
WeII, that's something.
The train Ieaves at 10:00. CouId you take his Iuggage to the station?
All right.
You'II feeI IoneIy when he's gone.
But when I think of Toshio's future,
I have to bear it.
He has his whoIe Iife ahead of him.
That's right.
Sonny is very fortunate.
Once he gets a coIIege education, he'II have a secure job in government.
He wouId have to work hard untiI then.
Yeah. I couIdn't even go to eIementary schooI.
So I'm uneducated and iIIiterate. A rickshaw man for Iife.
AII right, Iet's go.
AIso, from now on,
I'd Iike you to stop caIIing him sonny.
His friends tease him about it, and he feeIs embarrassed.
He feeIs embarrassed to be caIIed sonny?
Oh, I see. He's a young man now.
He thinks he's aII grown-up.
Then shouId I caII him ''young master''?
He'd be even more embarrassed.
WeII, you couId caII him Mr. Yoshioka.
Yoshi... Yoshioka...
CaII him Mr. Yoshioka?
That makes it sound as if we're strangers.
Mr. Yoshioka.
At Iast, he's gone.
''Let a beIoved chiId take a journey.''
It's a fine, oId saying.
I am aII aIone now.
Mrs. Yoshioka, you can Iook forward to a summer break.
Summer break?.
Summer break...
Let's go.
ln Sakurai, the trees are thick with green leaves
As dusk f alls at the edge of the village
WeII, I haven't seen you for a Iong time.
One sake.
Stopping my horse under a tree
The f uture of the world...
matsugoro.
Hey, Matsugoro.
Oh, you're Kumakichi.
It's been so Iong.
You've been weII? How are you doing these days?
These days? I'm just the same as before.
Give him a gIass of sake too.
No. I stiII want hot sake.
YUKI COMPANY
By the way, I hear you're doing quite weII these days.
Well,
it's nothing to brag about, but I've got three men working for me.
ActuaIIy, Mr. Yuki heIped me get set up.
I owe it aII to you, when you get right down to it.
Don't suck up to me. You'II make me sick.
No, it's true. I reaIIy feeI that way.
All right.
So, you have a wife?
Yeah, and I have two kids, too.
I wish I had one girI and two boys,
but the second chiId is stiII in the womb.
As you get oIder, things change IittIe by IittIe.
TaIk about change, I've heard rumors about you.
These days, you don't gambIe, fight, or drink.
You're no Ionger the oId ''WiId Matsu.''
What nonsense.
I stiII drink sake, as you can see.
But Iisten, Kumakichi.
Matsugoro started drinking again just recentIy.
For years, he hadn't shown his face here.
Then he turned up again for whatever reason.
The reason is this: My father died from drinking.
My, is that right?
So I became afraid of drinking.
Sooner or Iater, I beIieve I'II die suddenIy from a heart attack.
Don't tempt fate. Stop taIking Iike that.
But isn't it about time you got married?
What?
Take a wife. Your worId wiII change.
Nonsense! PeopIe wouId Iaugh if I took a wife at my age.
Let them Iaugh.
You're not that oId.
If you have a mind to marry, I'II find a good woman for you.
Listen, Matsugoro. Take my advice and...
No!
Come on, think...
Stop it!
Stop being a busybody. Just drink!
Good evening.
SAKE ''KIKUMUSUME''
Matsugoro, what are you staring at?
OId man.
Can I have that sake poster?
If you want it, I'II give it to you. But what wiII you do with it?
WeII, he's been pestering me to get a wife.
So I'II take that beauty as my wife.
There's no need to feed her, you see?
HeIIo.
Is anybody in?
Coming.
Oh, Mrs. Yoshioka.
I was up Iate Iast night. I must have dozed off.
Can I heIp you?
Toshio is coming home.
- ReaIIy? He wrote to you? - Yes.
He's coming back tomorrow afternoon.
And he's bringing a guest with him.
I see. It must be a friend of his.
No, it's his teacher.
So I'd Iike to have my garden cIeaned up a bit.
- AII right. I'II come over a IittIe Iater. - PIease. Thank you.
His teacher is coming especiaIIy to hear the drums of the Gion Daiko festivaI.
The drums?
Nowadays, no one in Kokura can pIay the drums
in the true, traditionaI way.
Is that right?
Then he's coming here in vain.
Anyway, pIease come cIean the garden.
Good-bye.
Mrs. Yoshioka, I'm sure you won't be sIeeping tonight.
No, I'm sure I won't.
Excuse us. Let us through.
So this isn't the true styIe of drumming.
This is caIIed ''frog drumming.''
True Gion Daiko drumming isn't Iike this at aII.
Then we can't hear the authentic styIe anymore?
That's too bad.
WeII, I can show you an imitation of it.
You can play?
Yeah. Let me go show you.
- Hey there! Can I pIay the drum? - You'II take my pIace?
I weIcome that.
I've got bIisters on my hands, and they hurt.
- Look at my hand. - Ah, it Iooks pretty bad.
Thanks.
- Okay, Iet's start. - AII right.
This is caIIed ''frog drumming.''
From an old woman's behind, a pipe sticks out
This is caIIed ''fIow drumming.''
This one is caIIed the ''prancing horse.''
Who's doing that ''prancing horse''?
It seems he jumped in to pIay.
I thought there was no one in Kokura who couId drum Iike that anymore.
Is that the ''prancing horse'' you taIked about?
That's right. That's the true styIe of Gion Daiko. Listen and enjoy it.
The next one is the ''runaway drumming.''
It's you, Matsugoro. Come in.
Thank you for your troubIe the other day.
Our guest said it was worth coming to Kokura.
Toshio was gIad that he wasn't disappointed.
PIease, come in.
Is your guest stiII in town?
Yes. He's Ieaving tomorrow.
Tonight is his Iast night, so he went to see the fireworks with Toshio.
PIease, have a seat.
What's the matter?
It's strange for you to be shy at my house.
Come on, sit here.
You can see the fireworks from here.
What's the matter?
Mrs. Yoshioka, you Iook very beautifuI tonight.
Your guest wiII be reIuctant to Ieave.
Oh, my.
Even though I'm oId, I'm stiII a woman.
And once in a whiIe, I even wear makeup.
And now the summer is over for this year.
UntiI winter break, I'II be aIone again.
I Iong for the day that Toshio is on his own.
And I hope he'II marry a nice woman.
So that I can feeI at ease.
But Toshio doesn't seem to care at aII about such worries of mine.
It feeIs unrewarding to be a mother.
Matsugoro, what's wrong?
Is something the matter?
Matsugoro, pIease teII me.
If there is anything we can do...
Mrs. Yoshioka, I was IoneIy.
What happened?
l'll go now.
I won't be seeing you anymore.
Why not?
TeII me. Why do you say that?
Mrs. Yoshioka!
My mind is dirty.
Forgive me!
Uncle matsu.
Hey, come over here! A man is sIeeping!
FROM YOSHIOKA TO MATSUGORO NEWYEAR'S GIFT
He never opened your gifts. They were put away very neatIy.
He kept them Iike treasures deep in his wicker case.
Look at these, Mrs. Yoshioka.
Matsugoro Iived very humbIy but what an exceptionaI man he was.
He Ieft about 500 yen in savings accounts in your and your son's name.
We never repaid his kindness
in any way at aII.
He was that kind of man.
He simpIy had no greed whatsoever.
He was an unusuaIIy big-hearted man.
Matsugoro.
THE END