The Makioka Sisters (1983) 2011

In the late 1930s, Japan’s Shōwa period was in full bloom, and against this serene backdrop, the lives of four sisters - Sachiko, Tsuruko, Yukiko, and Taeko (Taeko) - unfolded like the tender petals of a cherry blossom. The Kansai region, with its vibrant cities of Kobe and Osaka, served as their spiritual home, where they traversed the complexities of family, tradition, and love.

As spring arrived in 1938, the sisters, accompanied by Sachiko’s husband Teinosuke, embarked on a pilgrimage to Kyoto’s temples to marvel at the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms. However, beneath the surface of this idyllic scene lay a tangled web of relationships, insecurities, and secrets. The eldest sister Tsuruko, the heiress of the Makioka clan, had unknowingly upended the carefully crafted plans for Yukiko’s marriage when she discovered a fatal flaw in the groom’s lineage.

Five years prior, Taeko’s impulsive decision to elope with Keizaburo Okuhata, the scion of Osaka’s esteemed jewelry store owner, sent shockwaves through the family. The resulting media frenzy mistakenly linked Yukiko to the scandal, further straining tensions within the Makioka household. As Tatsuo, Tsuruko’s husband and co-head of the main house, demanded a public retraction, the situation only grew more precarious. Faced with the prospect of living under the microscope, Yukiko and Taeko opted for a drastic measure: they abandoned their ancestral home and relocated to Sachiko’s residence, a lateral branch of the Makioka clan.

As the sisters navigated this new reality, Taeko found solace in her newfound passion for doll-making. Her affections, once focused on Okuhata, began to shift toward Itakura, an apprentice-turned-photographer who had previously worked at the jewelry store. Meanwhile, Yukiko’s marital prospects remained stuck in limbo as she rejected a string of unsuitable suitors, including a bank broker, a prefectural council employee, and a pharmaceutical executive.

Just as Taeko’s creative endeavors were beginning to flourish, Itakura fell victim to an ear infection that ultimately proved fatal. The sisters’ world was further rocked by the news that Tatsuo would be relocating to Tokyo for work. As Yukiko struggled to come to terms with this seismic shift, her eldest sister Tsuruko found herself lost and adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

As Yukiko’s life begins anew with the forthcoming union to Mr. Higashidani, a representative of the former aristocracy and grandson of Viscount Higashidani, it becomes apparent that the specter of Itakura’s passing still lingers in the minds of those closest to her. Taeko, meanwhile, has been attempting to drown her own grief in the city’s bars since Itakura’s demise. Her journey eventually leads her to Miyoshi, a bartender with a kind heart and strong sense of morality, who invites her to share his humble abode. As Taeko embarks on this new chapter of her life under Miyoshi’s care, her sisters breathe a collective sigh of relief as they witness the transformation from grief-stricken woman to one rediscovering purpose. The family is similarly heartened by Tsuruko’s decision to finally leave for Tokyo with her husband, marking a milestone in their lives.

On a crisp winter morning at Osaka Station, the group gathers to bid farewell to Tsuruko and her family as they prepare to depart for the bustling city of Tokyo. As the others pay their respects, Sachiko surprisingly chooses not to attend the sendoff, fearing that an emotional goodbye would only lead to tears and embarrassment. Instead, she visits Taeko at her new home, where they share a warm cup of tea while watching the snowflakes gently fall from the sky, bringing a sense of tranquility to their moment together.