How's it going?
Just about done here. How about you?
It's buried in the snow.
It's just a matter of whether the rain the day before yesterday affected it.
Shall we give it a try?
Let's hope the water flows through all right.
Dear Keiko, how are you?
Today is December 29th.
We're going to get water run to our house today.
We're going to try to bring the water from the river about 1 km
above the hosue and the project's almost done.
If this works, we won't have
to go into the forest for water anymore.
Push!
Ok?
Ok!
Hold it down!
A little further.
Well?
Did it come?
No good.
It's not flowing.
It must be blocked somewhere.
It didn't work after all that!
They said it must be frozen somewhere.
It's too much for amateurs.
He should just ask the water department.
I'm going to mail my New Year's greeting cards.
The main road through Rokugo seemed to have more people than usual.
It was because folks that work on the mainland were coming
home for New Year's.
What were you doing?
It's my mom.
She's coming home?
She's supposed to but she didn't.
Want to come to my house?
I have work to do.
It's the end of the year. No idiot works at the end of the year.
Come over, okay?
Where's your grandpa?
He went to Furano to pay off debts.
Kneel?
On all fours right here.
What's that?
Don't worry. Hurry up.
What's that?
Let's drink some.
Is that sake?
'Course it is. Get comfortable.
But I've never drank any sake.
It's the end of the year.
But...
That's plenty....
You're a man, aren't you?
Here's to a good year.
The same to you.
I wish you a good new year.
Happy New Year.
This is water.
There was only a little bit down here so I added some water.
Is that what you did?
Get comfortable.
I wonder if there's anything to eat with it.
Please don't bother.
Sorry about that.
This is the best for New Year's. Drink some sake and
watch the Red and White Songfest on TV.
You're lucky to have a TV at your house.
You don't even have a TV?
Come over to watch. I'll tell Grandpa.
I don't know what my dad'll say.
Children should be free to do what they want.
Just don't tell him and come over.
This year Yashiro Aki is going to do this, you know.
What's that?
Don't you know?
Don't know.
You're so behind the times.
It's her song,
"Ame no Bojo."
Have another cup.
That's enough!
Here, here.
Really, enough.
My ma runs a bar in Asahikura.
What about yours?
A beauty salon.
Beauty Salon?
Rei's Beauty Salon.
Why'd they get divorced?
She has a guy, doesn't she?
Who knows.
My ma has one, too.
Stupid! You spilled.
Welcome home, Grandpa.
Jun came to visit.
Hello, sir.
Where's your ma?
Not there. I don't think she's going to come home this year.
Don't just stand there. Sit.
I have to be leaving now.
After dinner that night,
Dad went into Rokugo to go drinking.
Did they find out what the problem was?
I don't think so.
Dad was really disappointed.
The rain earlier on made the snow heavy, so they think
the pipe's broken somewhere.
But they can't find the spot.
Hotaru?
Yes?
Do you think Dad's going to get mad if I told him
I want to go watch some TV tomorrow?
Dad'll be alone tomorrow, but he said he'll start looking for the bad spot from early in the morning.
He'll be alone, so don't you think it'll be mean not to help him?
Don't you want to watch the Red and White Songfest?
I want to, but ...
Do you think I should ask?
I don't think so.
Do you know what this is?
What?
See? You don't know anything.
What is it?
It's that Yashiro Aki song.
What do you mean!
It's pathetic!
You may think no one knows,
but everyone's laughing at you!
You stand like a moron in front of the Nunobe
train station every time a train comes in!
It's pathetic for a grown man to be doing that!
Shall we go outside for a minute?
Sure!
Where'd those 2 go?
They're punching each other out in front.
The next morning was especially cold.
So cold, it woke me up.
Dad was already out in the forest.
Dad was determined
to find the bad spot in the pipe today.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
What're you doing?
Trying to get water to the house from the river.
But the pipe's blocked somewhere.
A friend of mine work at the water bureau. I can ask him for you.
I appreciate the offer, but... I should manage if I can get this to work.
I heard you don't even have electricity at your house.
That's right.
Your kids want to watch TV.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Send them over to my house.
Thanks.
I'll
discuss it with them.
Goro.
You should gratefully accept the goodwill of others.
Yes.
What happened to your faces?
We sure had a big one, didn't we?
Didn't even know what we were fighting for after awhile.
Sota's punch was hard to take, though.
Sota was in it, too?
Yes.
That idiot wouldn't stop.
What started the whole thing anyway?
We're getting to the important part!
Go on and help her.
It's Nakagawa. That guy was making fun of Sota.
About what?
I heard Sota's been going to the Nunobe train station
every day to wait for Yukiko.
Is it true?
So I heard.
There's a lots of
witnesses that've seen him
So what did happen to Yukiko?
Didn't she say she'd be back before the end of the year?
She has a man
she loves in Tokyo.
Dad!
It's snowing again!
Shimokitazawa Station
If you don't like it, please throw it away.
I am going home to Hokkaido. Goodbye, Yukiko.
Lover ... please stay next to me ...
I'm so cold I feel like I'll freeze to death ...
Please say you were joking when we said goodbye ...
What did you want to talk about?
I'm thinking of going to Asahikawa.
Go?
And rent a apartment.
Why?
Because Rokugo's not for me.
What'll you do in Asahikawa?
Don't know.
I know someone that was ahead of me in school there.
You're talking about the Motoyama's Fukuyo?
Do you know where she works?
In a bar. A cabaret.
What about the folks?
I'll leave without telling them.
A glass of water please.
Not yours. Mine.
Aren't you going to come to us?
Ma and Pa are waiting for you.
But not you, Sota.
Are you talking about Yukiko?
She jilted me.
Can't you tell?
Just think about it.
If you think about it calmly,
it wasn't meant to be.
Uncle Goro is a perfect example.
At least it's over before anything
serious happened.
I was dreaming.
Want to get hitched?
You're lying.
I'm not lying.
You're lying.
Hurry and eat.
Hotaru!
What's wrong?
We found it!
Dad just found where it was frozen and thawed it out.
Really!?
He said to watch for the water.
Jun?
Teacher!
What're you doing?
We're waiting for the water to start flowing.
Water?
Dad made a water pipe.
We may get water!
We've tried so many times already.
I'm counting on you.
It's not coming out.
Not again.
Maybe there's another bad spot.
It's not coming out.
It's not working.
I'll go to where Dad is.
Hotaru?
He did it!
Dad! You did it!
The water came out!
Thank you.
I'd better study up on how to make something better to eat.
Have a good New Year's.
Get your clothes on.
We'll drive Miss Reiko back to the school and on the way I'll drop you off at the Kasamatsu house.
You want to see the Red and White Songfest on TV, don't you?
But... are you sure we can?
It's your reward for working so hard. Get ready.
Will you come with us, Dad?
I'll go to Nakahatas. I'll come for you when it's over.
Bye.
Give my regards to Shokichi.
Let's go!
Good evening!
Thank you very much.
Have a nice New Year's.
Mr. Kuroita?
It's wonderful.
What is?
The 3 of you are.
What are you saying?
I...Ò
May I ask one question?
What is it?
Why do you use such
formal lanuguage with Jun?
You talk normally to Hotaru.
I've been wondering about it.
Is there a reason?
No.
I'm sorry for asking.
It's nothing.
Have a nice New Year's.
Happy New Year,
Reiko...
The children are fine.
How are you doing?
I'm...
What happened?
We changed our minds.
Why?
Just because.
Shall we go
look at the light of Furano?
Close your eyes.
Every single light
is getting ready
to welcome the new year.
Probably half are watching the Red and White Songfest.
But
you don't need it. We can have our own New Year's Eve.
Jun?
Hotaru?
You both worked really hard.
I'm grateful
to you both.
I'll never
forget how hard you both worked this past year.
You can open your eyes now.
Let's yell!
Yell?
Yell whatever you want!
I can't do that!
Jun?
I've been
using formal language with you.
I didn't mean to
but before I realized it, I'd gotten into the habit.
But I won't do it anymore.
Right this minute.
So you stop, too.
Yes.
Ok.
Now...let's yell.
I can't do it.
I can.
Really?
I'll yell, so you two copy me.
Yes.
Ok.
What year is it?
It's 1980.
Ah, right, 1980.
Good-bye, 1980!
Now, you yell.
One, two, ...
Goodbye, 1980!
Goodbye!
I'm home.
Aunty Yukiko!
Jun!
I'm home!
Whose is this?
Mine!
We're going to the shrine, Uncle!
Yukiko.
Yukiko! You came home?
I was waiting for you! You came home!