Spring comes late to the north.
It's pouring.
Thunder!
When a calf is about to be born.
This time it'll be female.
I hope so.
Somebody's there!
I wonderwho.
Sorry to bother you.
I'm lost.
Can you put me up forthe night?
Any place will do.
Will a storeroom do?
Fine.
At a time like this.
It's not fine.
Put away all the knives in the kitchen.
Use these.
Thanks.
Mom!
Will you come?
All right
will you pull that rope?
This?
Try hard.
You've almost done it.
Takeshi, come and see.
It's female.
Nice, isn't she?
Mom, I forgot this.
Tell me sooner.
Got a pencil? Why didn't you tell me?
Thanks forthe food.
I sure appreciate it.
It was nothing.
You were a help to me.
Take this to him.
Mister!
It's from Mom.
No, thanks.
It's yours, even if you don't want it.
You have no father, right?
How come?
He is dead.
The long winter passed - so did spring.
And the brief summer came.
Hitomi, come and have some lunch.
Thank you, but I have to go to school.
I'll come again tomorrow.
Thank you very much.
My best to your mother.
Takeshi.
What?
Give milk to the calf.
We meet again.
I appreciate it.
I should thank you.
It's a mess.
I'm all alone.
what brings you?
Have some tea.
I'll be finished soon.
I grew them but they're not good.
Have some.
Ma'am, can I stay and work for you a while?
Aweek ortwo.
Maybe longer.
I could use a hand.
But we hire only through the union.
I'm not rich.
I couldn't pay much.
Pay doesn't matter.
Room and board will do.
But...
Excuse me.
What do you think?
About what?
That man.
Should I have turned him down?
A student would have been better.
He's somehow strange.
Keep an eye on him.
Tell me if he does anything funny.
Don't worry.
If he does anything funny, I'll get him.
I'll count on it.
Yoursupper.
Thank you.
Mom wants to know your name.
My name? It's Kosaku Tajima.
Kosaku Tajima?
What's yours?
Takeshi!
What does it mean?
Awarriorwith a strong will.
That's a good name.
Thanks.
Takeshi, huh?
Mom.
Lock the door.
He said I've got a good name.
Did you ask his name?
Yes
what is his name?
He told me but...
You forgot already?
Some memory!
Have food
I'll do that.
Can you?
I worked on a ranch once.
May I use this?
He's outside.
Take this to him.
It's hot
why doesn't he come in and eat?
Strange man!
Toothpaste on your mouth.
Have you eaten?
No.
Lower it all the way.
Then stop and raise it.
Can you read the meter?
He was born in Kyushu.
He came to Hokkaido to run a ranch.
He became a sailor,
then a factory worker.
He did lots ofthings
where does he live?
I don't know
what about his family?
He didn't say.
He's big and has a good physique.
Yet he works for practically nothing.
He must have a reason.
Maybe so.
Are you all right?
Don't worry
I know what I'm doing.
You have a strong will.
Anyway, when you go out,
be careful of your bankbook...
and purse.
You're a hard worker.
You're a big help to her.
He's good-looking.
Keep the door locked at night
I'll send Hitomi this afternoon.
Thank you.
She can't do much anyway.
Thanks for coming.
He looks scary
I'm not afraid.
Evertalk to him?
Yeah
weren't you scared?
No.
Want to ride?
You too?
Mom!
Good saddle.
My husband used to ride.
Mosquito repellent incense and work clothes.
He wasn't as big as you.
So, they may not fit.
Thank you.
You can give me your laundry
I wish anyway.
About your pay.
I don't have any idea about it.
Sojust tell me what you want, the lowerthe better.
Pay what you can afford.
And one day off every week
I don't need any days off.
It's certainly convenient for me, but...
why do you like that?
Why did you come here?
No special reason
I'd rather you didn't ask me things like that.
It's something personal.
Good night.
Mrs. Kazami!
Mrs. Kazami! I've brought...
some sushi for you.
Grapes too.
Isn't it hard...
to take care of cows all by yourself?
Can you mow by yourself?
I got youranswer...
from lgarashi.
But will you change your mind?
Since I first met you at your husband's funeral
I've been crazy about you.
Frankly speaking, I've had many women
I'm a widower
I like women.
But... after I met you,
I quit playing around.
It's true.
I know.
You're so pretty.
You don't have to work all day...
at a place like this
I'll take care of you.
Your rough hands...
Do you hate me?
Yes, I do!
You talk straight, I like that.
I like you when you're angry.
That's enough! Stop!
Change your mind
I'll come again.
You all right?
You saw?
Why didn't you help me?
I thought he's yourfriend.
Friend?
Lfthat's what you think, you're a fool.
Yoursupper
Sushi? For me?
A gift from a stranger
what about you?
Mom told me not to eat it
why?
I don't know.
It's been two years since Mr. Kazami died.
It rained at his funeral, too.
Eat and drink
at our house.
Thank you. But I'm the one to prepare it.
Our house is bigger.
You too.
Thank you. Rest and eat.
Are they part-timers?
They're students.
From Chiba University.
They work hard.
You're great, aren't you?
I feel as if I were on a farm in Denmark.
It's all because my brother Seiji worked hard here,
before he married Tamiko and left home.
It's all thanks to him.
Seiji was such a hard worker.
Shall we go see the barn?
Better do so.
The barn here is so big.
Sandals are there.
Does Tamiko plan to go on working alone?
I told her last January, too.
She can't keep it up.
The soonershe quits the better
what did she say?
Nothing.
She neverwants to talk about it.
The house and cows always remind her of Seiji.
I can understand that.
She really tries hard, doesn't she?
Hello!
Hurry!
Mrs. Kazami!
Are you in?
Did I wake you? I'm sorry.
You were sound asleep, huh?
I'm going to play golf
I've brought crab and flatfish.
For you.
Put them in the refrigerator.
I can't accept.
Take them away
I'm sorry about the other day
I haven't had a woman forso long
ljust want to say sorry.
By the way, did you think it over?
The nerve! Get out!
Just keep company with me
I'm nicer than you think
I hate you!
Help!
Go away!
Don't be so mean
who are you?
Outside!
What?
Scram!
I'll rememberthis!
I'll get you for it.
You all right?
That him?
You're carrying cow dung? Come.
I stepped on a meadow pie!
Ass!
Who the hell are you?
Answer!
Never mind
we're the three Abuta brothers
we're well known around here.
And I was treated like that.
My brothers can't ignore it
we want to fight.
Say something.
If you don't want to, then apologize!
Okay, let's fight.
But the kid's watching.
Let's go to the field.
All right. Let's go!
Don't tell your mom, okay?
You first.
It hurts!
Ass!
Jiro, you next
wait a minute.
It's yourturn
I'm sorry. I apologize.
Forgive me.
Let's make up, okay?
Thank you.
Serves you right!
Yoursupper
what is it?
You're strong, huh?
Takeshi.
You didn't tell you mom?
I did.
You told her?
Didn't I say not to?
Men don't break promises.
Mom said to give you this.
It's sake.
There he is!
Let's go. Let's make up
I'll treat you.
No thanks
I'm a Hokkaido man.
Once I like you,
I'll take care of you.
Let's go drink.
It's kind of you, but...
I must do something for you
I'm a little tired.
Tired? Let's have a party here.
Come in.
Good evening.
Sorry about a while ago.
He's tired. Let's do it here.
Bring the food and stuff
what about girls?
Girls? Send them in.
Sorry they're all beasts.
Not going to Kushiro?
Never mind. You too.
Let me introduce you.
Neoko, Reiko and Yoshiko.
Be quiet.
Let's clap hands and make up
what are they doing?
I don't know.
The fish is burning.
Takeshi, Takeshi... Takeshi...
what?
What, Mom?
Mister!
Mister, Mom fell!
Where is she?
Does it hurt?
Don't move her. We're coming soon.
Hitomi!
I phoned them.
They're coming soon.
You all right?
Does it hurt?
Go away. Mom's sick.
They're here.
IT may hurt.
All right?
Go overthere.
Put something under her head.
Hurry!
You go with her
I'll close the door.
Close it slowly.
Don't worry about your house
I'll come to the hospital later.
Ready? I'll start.
You worked too hard
lt'll take about two weeks.
Must I be hospitalized?
Yes.
Arrange it.
She's in a bad condition, huh?
She has to lie still fortwo weeks.
About her children...
She has a boy.
Your health insurance card and chop.
This is from Mrs. Saito.
From lgarashi, too
I've bought pajamas for you.
How's Takeshi?
He refused to move in and live with me
I sent Hitomi...
to cook for him.
Sorry to trouble you.
It's no trouble.
She's on vacation now.
This might be your only chance to take a rest.
Appreciate it while you can.
Come to think of it, you're lucky to have that man.
Otherwise you'd have to hire some help,
and that'd cost plenty.
Does it hurt?
I'm sorry.
Mr. Abuta!
Is Mrs. Kazami here?
Yes.
It's hard on you, isn't it?
Come in.
No, thanks.
This is for her.
Get well soon, goodbye.
Let me know if you need me.
Your lunch
I'm glad it's only a ruptured disk.
But if you go on like this,
you'll really get sick.
It will be too late to regret.
Don't worry
I'm strongerthan I look.
But it's too much work for a woman who's alone.
People speculate how long it'll be before you quit
I know.
Aren't you thinking...
you shouldn't sell the land...
because Seiji left it to you?
That's not it.
He once told me, when he got sick, that if he died,
I ought to sell the land and move to town.
He said that?
But... even if I move to town...
with Takeshi, then what?
I don't have any skills
what could I do?
Come to think of it.
Keeping cows is better, even if it is hard.
That's what I think.
I wonder how long you'll be able to do it.
Takeshi, we'll go get the cows.
Come on.
Ready?
Hello? Are you listening?
I'm much better now.
I can come to phone you
I'll be fine soon.
Have you eaten?
Sure.
Is Hitomi a good cook?
No.
Still, she's doing her best for you.
You should eat it all.
Yeah, I know.
And how is he?
I se. Well, thank him for me. Understand?
I'll hang up now
we came to help you.
Boss, good morning!
What are you doing?
Fool!
You came to see me?
There she is!
You look much better.
Does it still hurt?
Thanks forwatching Takeshi
what's wrong?
Are you shy?
What's the matter?
Hitomi went home.
So you're lonely?
All right, sleep here.
Are you lonely because yourfather's dead?
My father...
He died when I was yourage
was he sick?
No.
His business failed.
He couldn't pay his debts.
There was a bridge near our house.
He hanged himselfthere.
My motherwasn't with us then
I lived with my fatherand brother
when we heard about it
my brotherand I went to get him
we took his body down...
from the bridge
we put him on a cart
we covered him with a mat.
Then the two of us pulled the cart home.
People in town cam to watch.
I was so sad I almost started to cry.
But my brothersaid.
"Don't cry! We'll look like sissies!"
That's what he said.
So...
I did my best to bear it.
I held back the tears andjust walked.
You didn't cry?
No... I didn't.
Fora man to live,
there are lots ofthings he must endure.
So, just because your mom is in the hospital,
it's nothing to cry about.
Got it?
Good. Go to sleep.
It's Mom!