My Way (わが道)

"The village woman can't sleep."

"If she can't hold her husband's hand, she can't sleep."

"If her husband doesn't fondle her breasts, she can't sleep."

"If her husband doesn't support her waist, she can't sleep."

"If she can't feel her husband's warmth, she can't sleep."

MY WAY

The lady of this house, Keiko, is now behind bars.

When her husband was sleeping, she killed him with an axe.

He just came back from a long stint of work out of town.

He thought that she had an affair with a young man.

He was so jealous that he scolded her day and night.

She lost her mind and swung the axe at him.

"I didn't cheat on him!"

"He insisted that I did, and I became mentally ill."

Here, four children died.

New farmland in Kamikita. Kiyo Nakatani, 32 years old.

She got so tired after a day's work;

when she awoke, her house was already a sea of fire.

Before rescuing her four children, she rushed to the shed.

She couldn't afford to lose her valuable cattle.

Her husband was working out of town.

If he found out the cattle were dead, he'd be furious.

Cattle shouldn't be more important than children, but...

poverty pushed her to the shed.

The cattle were saved, but her four children perished.

These siblings are in this orphanage in Sichinohe.

Takako alone, takes care of her brothers and sisters.

The father left town to work, but vanished. The mother was caught...

shoplifting, because she wanted her children to have socks.

She became a repeat offender. She's now in prison.

"I didn't tell them what happened to Mom."

"Mom's not a bad person."

"Dad vanished, he's the bad one."

"The village woman can't sleep."

"No matter how far she stretches her hand, she can't reach her husband."

"No matter how hot her breasts are, she can't show them to her husband."

"No matter how she writhes her waist, her husband can't respond to that."

"Those, whose husbands are sleeping in faraway barracks, can't sleep."

The father of this girl is working out of town.

The mother is working at an inn 2 km away.

She went to work because she's bored,

as her husband's not at home.

She left her daughter the key.

This is a "latchkey kid".

The night before this man left town to work,

he strangled his baby to death. It was just 1 year, 5 months old.

His wife had already left them.

She couldn't bear the loneliness of not having her husband home.

This man came home after 6 months' work. He found out her wife's affair.

Her lover was a long-time friend.

The man got drunk...

He went to the home of her wife's lover, and killed him with a sickle.

He was arrested and the wife simply went away.

CONTINENTAL CANTEEN

Hi.

Noodles.

It's hot today.

You're closed?

No customers.

You're closed. Of course; no one comes.

I'm old. Young folks don't want to come here.

How's your husband?

So-so.

- He's here? -Yes.

It's been a while. I want to see him.

Hi.

Making bonsai?

You can pick as much as you want from the hills.

Free capital.

Are they selling well?

Not a bit.

When did he start doing this?

No one would buy them.

Don't say that. Maybe some connoisseurs will.

This work fits him.

Granny.

- One bowl of noodles. - Hi.

Mr. Reporter.

Still doing it. What's up?

You don't come back much. Met someone nice there?

I'm going to your village tomorrow.

Newspaper man, you do work hard!

Here you are.

Hey. Me too.

Foggy night.

The wet, painful platform of farewell.

The bell's ringing "goodbye".

She's from Yurigahara Village.

I know.

She had it real bad.

It's the same for everyone in that new farmland.

Her husband left a year ago. He's still not back.

He had no choice.

Hi granny. Chinese soba please.

Hamaguchi of Town Office.

- Hi. - Nice to meet you.

Hi.

Only 3 families are left.

No lessons?

There are no kids here.

We'll leave at the end of the month.

You're quitting?

There's one Form 3 pupil.

So we aren't expected to close down the school.

But that pupil isn't coming.

I reported this to the Education Committee.

I asked them to let me go.

Did your wife get well?

It's mental illness. When she leaves this place, she'll be well.

Everyone's going crazy.

A school with no pupils. Nothing to do here.

Nakano, Negishi, Konishi. Just these 3 families.

The Konishis have left already.

He went to Chiba to work. It's a very good job.

He's going to settle there.

He has no kid. So it's easy.

Mrs. Negishi's working at a bar in Towada.

Her husband didn't come back. She gets lonely.

I heard something strange about the Nakanos.

A teacher can't do anything about those things.

I can't save anyone.

They're forgotten by the state.

Bastard, just do what you like. You're trouble!

Ah... I worked so hard.

Can't I rest some more? Woke me up so early.

Be more careful.

When your man's back, you'll be in trouble.

I did nothing bad.

I know. But you did something strange upstairs.

It was late. Yamanaka didn't want to go home.

It'll become a habit.

Sorry. I'll go wash my face.

It's my man who's messing around in Tokyo.

It's bad to live and die here.

Sometimes I've no business, and have nothing to eat.

Here we go.

Hey hey. This way. This way.

What's this pig for?

Pig? We can't keep it!

- But... - No!

Yamashita asked me to keep it for him.

We've no money to buy a pig,

not to mention, its food!

When the pig gets big, the price may go down suddenly.

Amateurs, stay away.

It can eat our leftovers.

We run a business, we shouldn't have leftovers.

Me too, I don't want you to keep it here.

It's not hygienic.

It's not just a pig that's not hygienic.

Just what're you wearing? Dress like a human being!

I'll keep it clean so it won't be smelly.

This is my place. I didn't rent it to you to raise pigs.

It's not your place.

You rented it from someone, then you rented it to us.

Right!

Never mind that. I have the rights.

Pigs belong to a field!

They squeal day and night. We'll go crazy.

Right!

How much did you pay?

I didn't buy it yet.

I just borrowed it. I'll get a commission when it gets big.

How many months before it's ready to be eaten?

6 months.

How much will it cost per month?

1,000 yen.

Take it back.

But we'll get money for the food...

- Take it back! - Oh!

Oh! Hey!

It's not your pig! Don't kick it!

TOMEKICHI KAWAMURA TAILOR

Sometimes I get sick and can't keep the shop open.

Can you go to the Town Office for me?

I hate to get welfare, but...

I know someone at the welfare office. I'll try.

But your shop...

Does someone from the welfare office eat at your shop?

Someone called Hamaguchi comes from time to time.

I don't want to ask directly.

I see. I'll go for you.

Yoshizo didn't leave town to work, did he?

- Well, his health... - Ah.

It's shameful to get welfare.

But... Can't help it.

Our business is bad. You and I get sick.

Forget about shame. We can't carry on like this.

We have a shop.

With that, we won't be eligible for welfare.

They'll understand if they come and see this.

We hardly have business.

Tomekichi knows many people... councillors as well.

If we get something,

you don't have to work out of town.

To the moon's desert,

Comes the camel from afar.

Golden and silver saddles...

- Good evening. - Good evening.

- Good evening. - Good evening.