Jun,
and Hotaru.
How are you doing?
It's been a year and half since then.
How's everyone in Furano?
Yesterday, Kuma and your dad showed up all sudden and surprised me.
They told me what had happened since.
That there was a fire at Nakahata Lumber.
I was very shocked.
But what surprised me more was...
that they have been here in Tokyo for work since November.
And that you two are living on your own.
You two must have grown a lot.
Is everything okay?
They said they'll go back to Furano on a sleeper train on the 29th.
Goro was excited about being able to spend the New Year with you.
Christmas sale is on in Tokyo right now.
You'll hear "Jingle Bell" everywhere you go.
I'll send you small gifts...
from Tokyo, a city of abundance.
Merry Christmas.
And...
A happy new year!
Kita no kuni kara 1983 Winter
Translated by Chuks Edited by chobuki
Yes! I'm coming!
Sota is here!
I'm coming! Fire safety check, Jun!
I already did!
Do it once more!
You're so annoying!
Okay!
Cover the stove lid!
Or not.
So is it really okay to decline?
Fine, if you say so.
I will decline.
I really will!
Seen yourself in the mirror? Huh?
-Look at your face. And your age... -Sota...
How dare you judge my love life when you're like that...
No wonder farmers can't get any wives!
Dear Keiko,
How have you been?
It's December 30th today.
Dad and Kuma are coming back today.
-How can you say that with your face! -Watch out!
God dammit!
Wait!
Sota is taking us to the station.
Sota is a member of the Young Men's Association and...
tries very hard to find wives for farmers.
-Dad! -Dad!
Were you guys fine on your own?
We were fine! Welcome back!
-Using the lamp all this time? -Yeah!
Toshime lets us use it.
I see.
Jun, he...
No, I didn't!
He snuck into my bed.
-Ah! Stop it! -What did you do?
You snuck into her bed?
Mm?
Footprints.
Somebody came over?
Welcome back.
-Mrs. Tatsumi! -Hello.
You scared us!
Thank you for looking out for my kids.
They were being strong.
Somebody cried once, though.
Next day was New Year's Eve and it was such a busy day.
Because many tasks only Dad could do have been piling up for a month and half.
Jun! Throw me that one.
-Which one? -That one.
-This one? -Yeah!
-I'll bring it up. -Are you sure?
I can do it.
Thanks.
It's Mr. Nakahata!
Hey! Welcome back!
Hello!
-Thank you for your help. -No problem.
Here. Kadomatsu*.
A traditional Japanese decoration for the New Year. Made of pine.
I picked it from the mountains.
-And oranges, fern and sake. -Thanks.
Jun, did Shokichi come over?
Shokichi?
-Are Midori and Shokichi in town? -It's not like that.
A policeman came over earlier...
and asked if I've seen Shokichi.
-Really? -What's wrong?
What happened?
He apparently went missing.
Missing?
He ran away.
-He did? -Yeah.
What's wrong?
-Since when? -Two days ago.
It's been two days?
Goro, did you know...
That Shokichi has run away.
I haven't seen him for a year and half.
He's only my age...
and he ran away from home.
Jun.
Where do you think he ran away to?
Like I know.
Do you also think he isn't in town?
He would come to see us if he was.
The footprints I saw yesterday...
Those were Tatsumi's.
I think those were Shokichi's.
I think he was here.
If he was... why didn't he show his face?
There might be a reason.
Will you let me listen to Kohaku*?
An annual music show on New Year's Eve
Ikue*is singing right now.
Sakakibara Ikue
Good... I think it's good.
I'm listening to NHK's Kohaku on radio, like last year.
On the radio Mom gave us...
which is almost broken now.
I haven't been able to watch it on TV since we moved here.
No, that's not right.
On the first year we came...
Two years ago, we almost saw it on TV.
We almost did, but decided not to.
I'll never forget that night.
Mom was still alive back then.
She was alive, but living far away.
I wanted...
to see her so badly.
On that night,
Hotaru and I went to Shokichi's house to watch Kohaku.
But,
his mom, who lives in Asahikawa was there.
And Shokichi was playing with her.
Oh, hi.
Happy New Year!
Takako!
There you go.
Here's to a better year.
Oh, Goro!
Oh!
Happy New Year!
Looking forward to your favors this year.
Happy New Year, Hotaru.
Shokichi!
Hey!
Why did you run?
I thought grownups were chasing too.
-Where have you been? -Around.
In Furano?
You can say that.
Where?
Don't worry about that.
-I was worried about you! -Sorry.
Why did you run away anyway?
A family matter.
Were you in Asahikawa all the time?
We moved around.
I went to a school in Sapporo but...
I'll put your PJs here, Shokichi!
What's wrong?
What're you doing?
Can't lock the door?
It doesn't have a lock!
What's wrong?
She can't look at mine.
Why?
You haven't?
What?
I got one already.
You got what?
Pubic hair.
Eh!
Let me see! Let me see!
Wow!
Um... wow.
Let me see it again.
-Don't pull it out. -I won't.
Wow!
-You haven't? -Not at all!
Good for you.
Wow.
It's so cool.
Let me see again.
It's the New Year's Eve. What a bother.
-Are you sure he can stay tonight? -No problem at all.
Thanks then.
Have a happy new year.
You, too.
Have a happy new year.
-I got 5! -I got 4!
It's from Aunty Yukiko!
What's this?
A boar, of course!
It looks like a pig.
It's from Miss Ryoko!
Miss Ryoko!
Where is it from? On...na...
Onnamanbetsu.
Where is Onnamanbetsu, Shokichi?
Mm?
Be careful, Shokichi!
I'm fine!
Are you okay?
I'm used to it!
Thank you.
I should've been more considerate.
There weren't any new years cards for Shokichi.
Shokichi!
Come down, Shokichi!
I'm sorry, Goro.
Don't worry about it.
What happened?
A lot of things happened.
He's at a difficult age.
When a woman manages a bar alone...
things happen.
You know what I mean.
It was my fault anyway.
Must be hard.
I was just stupid.
Goro, I...
What?
Can I ask you another favor?
What is it?
Will you...
let him stay a little while longer?
Sure.
School won't start till the 20th anyway.
I shouldn't...
What?
I'm asking too much of you.
Oh, that.
The kids will be excited.
Really?
Yeah.
I...
What?
Nothing.
Thank you for the tea.
Are you going already?
I have things to take care of at Asahikawa.
The taxi is waiting, too.
Hey.
Did anybody come over?
What for?
Did anybody visit you about me?
No.
Why?
It's all right if no one did.
Then...
thank you.
Midori.
If you're ever in trouble, let me know.
Not that I can do much, though...
God will punish me.
Several days later...
this man comes over to our house.
Hello.
May I help you?
Whose house is this?
The Kuroita family.
Kuroita...
Heikichi?
No.
Goro.
Kuroita Goro.
Kuroita Goro...?
Heikichi doesn't live here?
If you're talking about our grandpa...
he died before I was born.
He died?
I see...
Heikichi died...
Who are you, mister?
I'll give you some otoshidama*.
A custom of giving money to children in Japan.
To all three of you.
But I don't know you...
Thank you very much!
Um, but... who are you, mister?
I used to live in this town.
-Thank you very much! -Thank you!
Yay! How much?
What's this...
Just 50 yen? Really?
Shh! He can hear you!
Sawada Matsukichi?
Remember him?
Mr. Sawada.
He used to be called the Bean Minister.
I remember him.
He cheated on his wife, got in debt and eventually ran away.
Matsukichi?
He's still alive?
Apparently, he is.
I thought he died a long time ago.
I heard he's over 80 but still doing fine.
He was successful in Tokyo.
When was that?
Yesterday. Junsuke brought him over.
Oh, my.
I heard he has relatives in Yamabe.
I heard it last night.
Mr. Izumi? This is Nakahata.
Have you heard of Sawada Matsukichi?
Junsuke told me.
Did you hear Matsukichi is holding a gathering tonight?
On the morning of New Year's Day,
his rumor circulated the usual quiet Rokugo town.
That old man, Sawada Matsukichi, was one of the settlers of this area.
When Furano became successful with their beans trade,
he made a fortune with it and built a big house, and was called the Bean Minister.
But he fooled around too much and got into a huge debt.
Eventually, he dumped his wife and kids...
and run away with a cabaret hostess.
He is a legendary figure.
Yo!
Happy New Year!
Yo, Shokichi.
I heard you ran away.
Happy New Year.
No "Happy New Year" for you, you ingrate.
You've grown a lot while I hadn't seen you.
Sota!
-He's got a strand of hair? -Wah! Shh!
Shokichi, have you reported it?
What?
You have to report to the municipal office for your first strand of hair.
No way!
I'm not lying! You didn't learn it at school?
We all reported ours.
When you do, you'll get a stamp on your family registration.
A red circle stamp with "hair" written in it.
Make sure you report yours.
On that night, people gathered on the second floor of a restaurant called Onoda.
The legendary figure, Sawada Matsukichi, offered...
to treat everyone to dinner.
He has come back to Rokugo in a great health after 30 years.
That's the old man from this morning.
You're right. So that was him?
Hey.
What are you doing? Go away.
Together with the late Oka Kyuemon, Fuse Daizaburo,
Kuroita Heikichi, Kasamatsu Kineji...
and other pioneers, our great forefathers.
Later on, he left this place...
to start a pharmaceutical company in Tokyo and achieved great success.
Now he has stepped down as a chairman and is enjoying his retired life.
In other words, he is the most successful man in Rokugo.
This time,
his nostalgic sentiments towards this village and...
his desire to reunite with his relatives and friends,
have brought him back here.
He told me during those 30 years in Tokyo,
he had never forgot about this place, Furano.
Now, Mr. Sawada, please give us a speech.
I'm Sawada Matsukichi.
When you're far away from your hometown, you tend to long for it more.
You can never forget about your hometown.
I'm beyond words to express how happy I am right now.
Yesterday,
Mizunuma Junsuke brought out the violin we used to play.
I think singing a song tells you a lot more than talking about my old days,
so let me sing it!
Lyrics by Mr. Yokoi Hiroshi,
written by Mr. Yashima Hideaki.
"Song of Thistle."
♪A mountains has its sorrow.
♪Ocean has its sorrow as well.
♪But especially if you have thistles...
in your flower filed in your heart...
♪A lily on a lofty height...
You got guests.
Who?
One of them said his name is Takayama. They're waiting at the office.
Takayama?
Takayama Industry
Takayama Jiro
What's this?
It's way overdue.
Midori can't pay so she ran away.
We'd wait for half a month, but...
Loan Application
Kasamatsu Midori
it appears to be she's not able to repay the debt.
Cosigner
Kuroita Goro
Kuroita
This is not something to talk about on New Year's Day,
but we gotta do what we need to.
We'd like you, a cosigner, to pay up the 7 million yen she borrowed.
I'm not... um...
following you.
The seal is yours, isn't it?
Yes.
And the signature?
Yes.
Then you're responsible for it.
Um...
But I...
Let me talk to Midori first...
It's no use to talk to her.
She can't pay.
She ran away anyway.
So...
I'm afraid you'll have to pay.
But...
This, um...
I don't have such money either.
But you own a land.
The land in East Rokugo.
Where you live right now.
Not sure if it's worth 7 million, but...
We'll take it if you don't have the money.
-Welcome back! -Welcome back!
Welcome back.
I'm back.
Didn't two men go see you?
Yeah.
How about this!
Wow!
And now this!
Wow! You're so strong!
I know I am.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Next day,
Dad suddenly left for Asahikawa with his car around noon.
It was past noon when the old man showed up.
Hello!
Hi.
Sit by the stove. It's warm.
Okay.
Over here.
Here.
What?
Otoshidama for you.
But you already...
Thanks! We'll take it!
-But... um, thank you! -Jun!
Yay!
Are there any snacks to serve?
You look just like her.
Eh?
Who?
Kaya.
Kaya?
Your grandmother.
Never met her?
No.
She was already dead when we were born.
There you go.
She was a cute girl. And a hard-worker.
We used to play a lot. Even though there wasn't anything around here.
Heikichi, Junsuke,
Kasamatsu Kineji...
There you go.
Thank you.
I'd like to see Kasamatsu Kineji.
Where is he right now?
Kasamatsu's old man is dead.
He died?
Yes.
When?
In spring, two years ago.
Kineji is... dead?
Yes.
Kineji is...
gone...
He is Shokichi's grandpa. Shokichi...
Where is Shokichi?
(50 yen)
(For real?)
You're Kineji's grandson?
Yeah.
Is his house still in East Rokugo?
Nobody lives there anymore.
But it's still there?
Yeah.
Just like the way it was?
Mister.
Yeah?
You're rich, aren't you?
Rich?
Sure.
Then you should know the current rates for Otoshidama.
Shokichi.
These days, you can't buy anything with 50 yen.
Is that so?
I didn't know. I'm sorry.
What's the current rate?
I'd say around 1000 yen...
Ouch!
Wanna go see his house?
Sure. 1000 yen...
He was lying. Don't worry. Let's go.
But 1000 yen...
Don't worry! You go ahead.
I'll catch up with you soon.
1000 yen...
Don't worry about that.
You're so low.
I can't believe you.
Remember what you said the other day?
I know!
You said you wouldn't ask me for help anymore!
But look at you! You haven't even spoken to her?
I said I know!
That's her.
Her name is Taeko. She lives in Yamabe.
She's a bit old, but she's looking for a husband.
She's from a farm family.
What a waste.
Be careful, it's hot.
I'm sorry for the wait.
Where did you find her?
You know Sawada Matsukichi?
She's his granddaughter. She was at the gathering.
What do you think?
Not bad, huh?
Help me out, Sota.
Good evening!
We met earlier.
Since when have you been working there?
I heard you're Matsukichi's granddaughter.
It's Dad!
It's not.
Mister!
-Your dad? -Not back yet.
-Where did he go? -Asahikawa.
What's wrong?
Nah.
When he gets back, tell him to come see me.
I'll be up till around midnight.
I will.
Thanks.
I wonder what was that about.
Is there something wrong?
Shin.
Are you sure it's true?
I'm sure.
I heard it from Funada.
He's pretty bad with money.
I hear he's associated with a loan shark in Asahikawa.
I heard it from him. I'm positive.
Why did Midori have to borrow money?
I don't know the details, but I heard it was gamble.
Gamble?
So Goro co-signed for gambling money?
I bet he didn't know it was for gambling.
What about Kasamatsu's land?
It's gone a long time ago.
She sold it to pay off her debt.
We knew nothing about it.
We had no idea that...
we were about to lose our house.
Come on!
♪It's almost spring. Let's fall in love.
♪It's almost spring.
What the hell!
I got a new year's card!
From who?
Hotaru.
What a nice girl!
♪It's almost spring.
Jun!
Let's go eat ramen! Get ready!
Ramen?!
Ramen! Let's go eat ramen!
Me too! Me too!
What, you too?
Don't order any meat. Let's go!
Here's your ramen.
Were you okay last night? No hangover?
We ended up finishing a bottle.
This one is mine...
You sure hold your liquor well.
I'll buy you lunch again today.
Lunch break starts at 2, right? I'll stay here.
But don't worry about me, okay?
Let's go eat good ramen!
I see how it is.
Hey, Sota.
Mm?
Wasn't that bad?
What was?
You said "good ramen" but this is a ramen restaurant.
You care those things?
I don't care those things at all.
Jun.
Go home after you finish your ramen.
Hey, hey...
-Give me some too. -You too?
Damn you.
Yay!
Come on!
What?
Let's hide!
In there?
Let's watch what those two will do in a car!
What if they catch us?
Worry about that then.
We'll be in a trouble!
Taeko.
Are you okay?
-What's wrong? -Nothing!
Here's the key.
Hey, Tokio!
Don't even think about it!
Why not?
She is on a different level. I'll find you another one.
Don't worry, or you'll get bald.
Seriously, don't worry about it.
Tokio, don't worry.
Life is long.
Sota.
Not fair.
What was that?
'Cause he's so slow, he never gets a girl.
He's so... So, where were we?
Oh.
So, my family friend, Kuroita Goro...
his mouth is always pointing out like this, look...
Was it funny? You like it?
Then I'll do it again.
His mouth is like this.
So what about him?
He co-signed for a 7 million yen loan without second thought.
But the debtor couldn't pay it off, so it became his liability.
It was a big deal last night.
He doesn't have the money, he'll have to give up his house and land.
How scary.
So his friends gathered last night. Even the association president showed up.
The debtor is originally from Rokugo.
Remember the kid with Jun, the one who looked like a troublemaker?
His mother is the debtor.
She owns a business in Asahikawa.
-Aren't you cold? -I'm fine.
Your grandfather heard it somewhere and he came to the gathering.
I tell you, he's something. I was so amazed.
He simply said, "Sell my mountain."
He said it like it was nothing.
You don't see such a generous man often.
It took everybody by surprise.
When we said we can't do that,
he just smiled and said, "The mountain hasn't been of any use, just sell it."
Aren't you cold?
Something's wrong with the heater. Come closer.
Sapporo Ramen
Where are we?
Do you know?
Looks like we're in Nunobe.
Then Rokugo is that way.
Yeah.
Shall we walk?
Sure.
I was shocked.
Extremely shocked.
However...
I'm sure Shokichi was...
way more shocked than me.
Dear Keiko...
I can't find words.
Dad,
is it...
true?
What will happen to us?
If we lose the land, we'll have nothing left.
What will happen to us?
Did he really say such a thing?
What?
My grandpa.
About selling the mountain.
He did.
Why?
We have no mountain.
Why would we?
It's just hallucination. He's delusional.
How could he own a mountain?
Why would he say such a thing?
He abandoned everything and ran away.
I don't know how he makes a living in Tokyo.
He's gone senile.
So he thinks he's still in the days when things were going well.
His visit was a total surprise.
He doesn't even have money to go back.
There you go.
So... um...
Did you tell him...
he's imagining things?
I can't.
It's right up here, but...
I really want to spit out our grudge against him...
to tell him how much...
we've suffered because of him...
But when I look at his face, I can't.
'Cause...
somehow...
he's became like Buddha.
Grave of Kasamatsu Family
The horse is gone.
I sold it this morning.
What she...
wanted to say to me...
She trusted me.
But I sold her...
I see...
Kineji fell off from a bridge...
He's gone...
Mister.
Yeah?
It's cold out here. Let's go.
Okay.
I understand that you don't want to cause us trouble.
But then how are you gonna pay up?
Do you know anybody who would loan you money?
Even if you found one,
how are you going to pay back?
Seems like you're thinking about letting go of your land, but what are you gonna do then?
We can't undo what already happened.
So listen to us and do what we say.
It's true that we'll suffer.
But not as much as you would.
Above anything, we've known you for a long time and we trust you.
Just accept everyone's kindness.
Do what we say.
I'm sorry...
but I can't.
Then...
are you giving up your land?
You really have no idea where Midori is?
I can't believe it. Losing money in gambling...
Seikichi.
About what Sawada Matsukichi said last night...
What do you think of it?
He came over again today.
He mentioned the mountain again.
I can't...
accept it.
No way...
I can accept it.
About that, it's a little strange.
What do you mean?
Which mountain was he talking about?
Mt. Sansu in Rokugo.
Mizunuma came over earlier.
Junsuke did?
He said there's something strange about what Sawada said.
How strange?
He believes the mountain belongs to Watanabe.
Really?
It used to be Sawada's,
but now it belongs to Watanabe.
He's right.
Sawada Matsukichi doesn't own any mountains anymore.
Who told you that?
His granddaughter, Taeko.
Apparently he's imagining things.
He's gone senile.
Is that true?
Apparently.
He said he owns a big company in Tokyo, but that's all in the past.
He's senile.
They are all lie.
Well...
I guess... that's how things go.
Naka.
It was too good to be true anyway.
Thank you anyway.
I'm leaving.
Goro.
Yes.
Everybody is genuinely worried about you.
Don't rush and let your land go.
Promise me that.
If you let your land go, that'll be the end of you.
Welcome back.
Damn it!
I'm out of luck.
Shokichi.
You're not bothered to say, "Welcome back?"
Welcome back.
Are you done getting snow off the roof?
-I'll do it later-- -It's not done yet?
I thought it was your job.
You said I could count on you. Was that a lie?
And I don't want you to play anything related to gambling in my house.
Are you listening?
I said are you listening?!
Shokichi!
Dad.
Is it true that we will lose this house?
Shokichi knows about it too.
I see.
Midori.
There's snow stuck to my shoes.
The snow is so deep...
I can't walk well.
Come in.
I'm taking a train soon.
I don't have time.
What's gonna happen?
There's nothing I can do.
I went to see Naka earlier.
I got yelled at.
He told me to never show up again.
I can't come back here anymore.
What are you talking about.
This is your hometown.
I betrayed you.
I can't call it my hometown anymore.
I don't have a place to return to anymore.
Midori.
Don't say that.
This is your hometown.
Always will be.
Don't say you won't come back.
Don't.
Don't say...
something sad like that.
Rapid train to Sapporo will arrive soon...
6-car train will arrive soon. Front 4 cars will be the rapid train to Sapporo...
Do you know...
Sawada Matsukichi?
He's back.
You haven't heard?
He's gone senile and the things he say really don't make sense, but...
he looks genuinely happy.
He forgot all the bad things.
About him abandoning his wife and kids...
and losing all his money and land.
But he looks... really...
contented.
Somehow,
he looks... contented.
Why does he look so happy?
Must be because he's back in his hometown.
I'm sure he always wanted to come back here.
I was...
also like that.
When I was...
still married and living in Tokyo,
and when I was there for work last year,
I kept having dreams of Rokugo.
I was always dreaming about going back to Rokugo...
and be with my family.
That was all I could think of.
Midori.
Forget about the money.
Don't say you can't come back. Don't say such a stupid thing.
One more thing.
I want to ask you something.
Will you let me take care of Shokichi for a while?
Jun and Hotaru love having him here.
I will have to go to Tokyo for work again.
It'd be helpful if he's with us.
Just for a while. Please?
Let me take care of him.
What? I am asking you to...
Why are you...
What?
Why...
are you so nice?
I'm not.
Why...
are you so...
(Ikoku by Nakajima Miyuki) If the town had begged me to stay,
Midori.
it could have let me call it "hometown."
Leaving the town was an honoring thing to do.
A festival for my departure reaches my ears.
The town spits me to "never come back."
If the town says it even doesn't remember...
that I was living there,
even on my deathbed, it is another country.
I didn't know anything about it.
A storm came at night.
Dinner time had long passed,
but Shokichi hasn't come back yet.
My car died.
When I woke up in the middle of night,
Dad was still awake.
He was looking out the window.
The sky cleared up the next day.
We dug out dad's car...
and walked around where Shokichi might be hiding.
But,
we weren't able to find him.
Jun.
When we find him, I'm thinking about telling him to stay here.
Actually,
I met his mother...
Snow on the roof is half shoveled off. Shokichi must have been here!
Look!
Shokichi!
Shokichi! Where are you!
Shokichi!
Where are you!
Shokichi!
What's wrong?
No!
What's wrong?!
Shokichi!
Hotaru! Call the ambulance!
Shokichi!
Shokichi! Shokichi!
Shokichi!
Pull!
Shokichi!
Shokichi?
Shokichi!
It felt like I was having a bad dream.
But Shokichi came back to life.
It seems he fell off from the roof and was buried in the snow for more than an hour.
The doctor said it was miracle that he survived.
I couldn't stop crying.
'Cause...
Shokichi tried to shovel off snow from the roof.
That was the only thing he could do...
to please my dad.
So he decided to shovel off the snow.
How's he?
He'll be fine.
You got a sec?
Sure.
Midori came to see you?
Yes.
Nothing she can do?
No.
Okay.
Goro.
Yes.
We came up with the money.
We all went to the agricultural cooperative union and borrowed money.
Goro.
I can't...
Stop trying.
In a time like this, we should help each other.
I have an idea about how to pay back.
So don't worry about it.
Just go with it.
It's been done.
It's solved.
Something happened the next day.
When I returned from the hospital, they were at our house.
Mr. Sawada and his granddaughter were there.
So were Mr. Nakahata and Sota.
Mr. Muzunuma Junsuke was there too.
Why is that?
Why won't you accept my offer?
How are you all going to pay back such amount of money?
Just sell my mountain.
I can't be your help?
Nakahata.
Yes.
Sell my mountain.
I've told you so already.
Didn't you explain it to everybody?
Nakahata.
Yes.
A village is like a family.
We should help each other in a time like this--
Grandpa.
There is no mountain.
What are you talking about?
You don't have a mountain.
What are you talking about?
You've gotten old so you forgot.
We let go of that mountain a long time ago.
Don't be silly. You just don't know.
That mountain is--
Stop it already!
Stop imagining things!
Taeko...
You abandoned everything and ran away!
You abondoned Mom, Granny, the land... and left us in debt!
You don't remember that?!
Do you have any idea what we went through after that?!
We hated you so much!
But...
whenever we spoke bad about you,
Granny defended you.
All along she defended you and never said ill about you.
Do you know about a scrapbook Granny treasured till she died?
The scrapbook of match boxes?
You got them from cafés and cabaret clubs in Furano.
Where you were fooling around every night.
Cafe Nihonbashi.
Sujaku, Black Cat,
Olympus New World.
We still have it somewhere.
Salon Sun
Don't come back here as you like...
and just remember the good days!
Cafe Nihonbashi
Don't forget about the bad times!
Nichirin
Cafe
You abandoned your home thirty years ago!
There's nothing left for you here!
Junsuke.
Yes.
What's she talking about?
She doesn't know the old days. What does she know?
Taeko!
Mr. Sawada.
Yeah?
Don't worry about it anymore.
I appreciate your concern.
I really do.
But my debt has been managed.
I won't need to sell my land anymore.
I...
your...
Um...
I...
I... I don't know what to say...
It'll warm you up.
Kaya!
Wait up!
Kaya!
Wait up!
Kaya!
Hurry!
On that night, when we were preparing dinner,
Shota rushed into our house.
Then we all rushed to where Mr. Kasamatsu's house used to be.
What's going on?
He--He is seeding.
Seeding?
He's tilling the snow and...
and seeding into it...
This is the trick, Junsuke.
I--I see.
Do you remember?
Or did you forget?
Matsukichi...
Don't rely on machines.
You can't make good products that way.
Hey, it's too cold out here for you.
What are you talking about. This is nothing.
Still, let's wrap it up for tonight.
Kineji is coming.
Kineji?
Matsukichi...
Junsuke, I guess I haven't told you yet.
What is it?
I've decided to do it again.
With Kuroita Heikichi and...
Kasamatsu Kineji...
and Oka Kyuemon, Fuse Daizaburo...
Kine!
Are you at it?
Oh, Kine.
My spirit is so up these days.
That makes two of us!
You too?
So is Kuroita Heikichi.
Heikichi too?
He'll be joining us soon.
Did you tell him about the plan?
Beans?
Right. Beans!
We'll bring back beans to Furano!
What are you talking about! Beans are already there!
Look!
What?
Oh, beans!
Beans!
Grandpa!
Beans!
That was what happened in the beginning of this year.
On January 10th,
Dad left for work with Kuma again.
He told us we don't need to worry about our land anymore.
Shokichi will be living with us for a while.
Because Shokichi's mother went to Tokyo for work...
and won't be able to come back for a while.
I don't know what happened between Sota and Taeko.
Sometimes, Shokichi would show a sad face.
I'm sure he misses his mom.
Everytime I see his sad face, I get tempted to say...
"Shokichi,
you still have a mother at least.
She's not here with you, but she's in Tokyo.
Horatu and I don't have one anymore.
But,
every time I open my mouth,
I close it soon after.
It'll be getting colder and colder in Furano.
It was -26°C this morning.