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 wonder who
Sorry to bother you
I'm lost
Can you put me up for the 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 for the 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?
A week or two
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
Your supper
Thank you
Mom wants to know your name
My name? It's Kosaku Tajima
Kosaku Tajima?
What's yours?
Takeshi!
What does it mean?
A warrior with 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 of things
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
Ever talk 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
So just tell me what you want, the lower the 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 your answer...
from Igarashi
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 your friend
Friend?
If that's what you think, you're a fool
Your supper
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 sooner she quits the better
what did she say?
Nothing
She never wants 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 for so long
I just 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 remember this!
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 your turn
I'm sorry. I apologize
Forgive me
Let's make up, okay?
Thank you
Serves you right!
Your supper
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 over there
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
It'll take about two weeks
Must I be hospitalized?
Yes
Arrange it
She's in a bad condition, huh?
She has to lie still for two weeks
About her children...
She has a boy
Your health insurance card and chop
This is from Mrs. Saito
From Igarashi, 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 stronger than 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 for watching 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 your father's dead?
My father...
He died when I was your age
was he sick?
No
His business failed
He couldn't pay his debts
There was a bridge near our house
He hanged himself there
My mother wasn't with us then
I lived with my father and brother
when we heard about it
my brother and 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 brother said
"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 and just walked
You didn't cry?
No... I didn't
For a man to live,
there are lots of things 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!