Original subtitles

OFFICIAL ENTRY 1974 FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

Downloaded from YTS.MX

A TOHO/HAIYUZA COPRODUCTION

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

TOHO FILMS

SANDAKAN NO. 8 (Sandakan Brothel No. 8 - Nostalgia)

EAST MALAYSIA KOTA KINABALU AIRPORT

Mitani-san?

Yes.

I'm Yamamoto, from the agricultural institute.

How do you do?

I'm afraid the head of the institute was suddenly called away to Kuala Lumpur,

so I was told to meet you instead.

- Thank you. - Well, then.

I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this,

but there's nobody else I can turn to.

Oh, no. We just finished up with the selective fruit breeding tests,

so I have the week off.

In my letter, I asked your chief to help me find the remains of No. 8.

Do you know where it is?

Yeah. On Third Street.

This seems to be the place. The remains of No. 8.

Here?

Something wrong?

It's a very new building, isn't it?

Because the old No. 8 burned down during the war.

There's almost nothing left from those days.

Osaki-san.

It was about three years ago.

In the course of my research on Asian women's studies,

I was investigating those sent overseas as prostitutes,

known as the "karayuki-san. ”

A painter friend of mine in Kyushu

took me to visit where most of the karayuki-san were sent from.

Shimabara and Amakusa.

But nobody would talk about it.

I ended my journey, having gained nothing.

Hey, mister, can we get something to eat?

I'm about to drop dead from hunger here.

All we've get today is champon noodles and fried rice.

Which is faster to make?

You should take the fried rice, miss.

He can make that the fastest.

It should hold you till dinner.

Fried rice, then.

Two please, sir.

Ma'am?

Like one?

Thanks. That's a good brand.

Nothing I like better than a good cigarette.

Do you live here in Tomonotsu, ma'am?

No. I live in a small village called Shioya.

I see -

Still, the accent here in Amakusa is impossible to understand,

but you seem clear as day to me, ma'am.

Well, miss,

I may have been born here,

but I've lived overseas since I was a child.

So, I can speak naturally to just about anybody.

By overseas, do you mean in America?

Nowhere quite so high-class.

You mean -

Ah, I see! You were a karayuki-san, weren't you?

I'm through here.

Nori.

Sorry. Wait for the last bus, okay?

Sure.

Draw a sketch.

Mister, I'm taking this juice, too.

Ma'am.

Ma'am, you forgot this.

You came to give this back?

Sorry to have troubled you.

Ma'am, you're going back to Shioya village, right?

I actually have some business that way. Why don't we go together?

Ah. Well, I suppose so.

A bountiful harvest this year A bountiful harvest this year

Round we dance Round we dance

Don't go scaring old folks, Mr. Frog!

Miss.

My place is a little run down, but would you come inside?

Sure.

Her home was on the furthest edge of the village.

Come.

Come, come.

Tama! Mii! Kuro! Pochi! Come on, din-din.

There we go.

Sorry I'm so late. There we go.

You have a lot of cats, don't you?

They're all abandoned.

But they have to live, too.

Pretty easy life, though.

Please, make yourself at home.

- Don't bother. - It's all right.

I have juice here.

Osaki-san, are you home?

Ah, Tomi-san and Kane-san.

Did you go to the temple?

Yes.

Please.

Oh. And who is this?

This is my son Yujis's wife.

She's not as good about writing as we are

and surprised me with a visit without sending a letter first.

I hear you. So, you must be Toshiko.

Thank you for being so kind to my mother-in-law.

So, where're your kids?

Well -

The trip was so far that she left both of them behind in Kyoto.

She's busy and has to go home tonight without staying over.

We can't stay, either.

No point in lollygagging here, Tomi.

In that case, let's go.

Tired?

No.

When you're tired, the best thing for you is to rest.

Go on, relax. I'm taking a nap, too.

All I am to her is a traveler that she still doesn't know.

So, why did she introduce me to the villagers

as her daughter-in-law?

I've imposed on you too long.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming in.

Hm?

This house is run down and filthy, but you still came in to visit.

Even that son of mine thinks it's too dirty

and hardly ever visits me.

My daughter-in-law has never even sent me a single letter.

And yet a city girl like you

still came in here and even took a nap.

If you should ever come to Amakusa again,

you must come visit me.

I'll never forget you, till my dying day.

The woman who'd survived being a karayuki-san, whom I'd met by chance.

Osaki-san.

Her gentle nature touched my heart.

And so I decided that I wanted to learn about

each and every hardship in her life

that had engraved each and every wrinkle upon her face.

So I discussed it all with my husband.

He works in children's literature.

I decided that the only way was to stay overnight with Osaki-san

and get an account from her.

But a woman wouldn't be strong enough to tell anyone.

No. I figured she'd be strong enough because she's a woman.

Still, it was a big gamble.

So, a month after I first met her -

I missed you, so I came back.

I'm impressed you could find your way here in the dark.

Come in.

Come, come, please.

Would you like some dinner?

No, I ate already.

Right, right.

You've put on a little weight since you were here last.

Oh, have I?

You look better now.

There's something I'd like to ask you.

What?

You're not too busy to stay the night this time, are you?

Right.

Would it be all right if I spent a little time here with you this time?

Fine with me.

Osaki-san didn’t ask any more about me than that.

You must be tired from your long journey.

I'll get that.

It's fine, fine.

This has a different sort of cotton batting.

You have to beat it down, like this.

Different cotton?

This is kapok cotton, brought back from Borneo overseas.

Borneo?

Never mind.

You need a pillow.

- Oh, this floor cushion will do. - Oh, it will? Thanks.

Good night.

Night.

Borneo.

It was bedding from her time as a karayuki-san.

Blessed Kukai.

Lord of the heavens, lord of the seas.

Protect my son Yuji's family in Kyoto from sickness another day.

Protect them, too,

from being hit by cars.

Homage to the great master, vajra of all-pervading spiritual radiance.

Our meal was a mixture of rice and barley

with boiled potatoes seasoned with salt as a side dish.

Morning and evening, that was the only food we ate in that house.

Go on.

Thank you.

Go on, eat.

Kitamura-san?

Registered letter for you.

Right, right.

Where's my seal?

Pardon me. Here.

This is turning out to be a good day.

I got money from Yuji in Kyoto.

One, two, three, four.

It came really late this month. I was worried it'd never get here.

Ah, well. I'm glad it came.

That's all you get to live on for a month?

Yes.

Well, we should make our introductions.

Introductions?

Yes. If you're going to be staying here in my home,

then I should introduce you to the neighbors.

Uh, before we do that -

What?

Well... Where's the toilet?

Does it look like I have one?

Huh?

I use the lot out back.

Nobody out there to see you.

Who are you?

That scarf suits you.

So, what had you running around out here last night in such a hurry?

You know about that?

Everyone knows about it.

A real cutie got off the last bus here all by herself.

Checking her out already?

Well, pleasure to meet you.

My, look at the rain.

This is my daughter-in-law. I hope you'll like her.

Thank you for looking after my mother.

Well, be seeing you.

Say.

Why don't we ask that man to take our picture?

A picture?

It's good timing. With the two of us together. Right?

I wouldn't mind.

I had my picture taken once, in Borneo.

That was 50 years ago.

You think he'll take it?

I'll ask him.

Pardon me.

Would you mind taking a picture of the two of us?

Sure. Be glad to.

And more shellfish.

The fields around here have nothing but pebbles in them.

All we can grow are sweet potatoes.

No decent fishing in the ocean, either.

Practically every family has to send someone out to find work.

Where to?

Years ago, it was across the sea, to the South Pacific.

Is that what took you to Borneo, Osaki-san?

Yes.

How old were you when you went?

Why would you want to know?

Well, I mean... It's Borneo. I don't know anything about it.

Water's getting rough. Maybe we should go back.

I hadn't expected her to tell her story easily,

but I'd been there a week by that time.

Who's there?

You!

Aren't you the peddler?

You're for sale anyway, aren't you?

I suppose it'd be okay if I paid you, huh?

Shut your filthy mouth!

You may have looks, but you're no better.

You should let the old lady show you how it's done.

What's wrong?

Men are all pigs.

What?

No matter how you feel about him, never fall in love with one for real.

Do that, and your body will mislead you.

Men are all the same.

I learned that the hard way.

In Sandakan.

Sandakan?

I was sold into the business when I was a child.

I see.

Is that the story you wanted to hear?

Yes.

Ah.

Then I'd better start from the beginning.

I...

was born into poverty.

1907 (Meiji 40)

My father passed away,

our house and fields long ago mortgaged.

We moved into a tiny hut to live.

Every one of us worked hard.

My mother and my older brother Yasuki.

Later, my Uncle Tokumatsu's wife passed away

and he proposed to my mother, his sister-in-law.

And so she became his second wife.

Poor kids.

Your feelings are perfectly understandable.

However, if you don't live in his house,

Uncle Tokumatsu's feelings will be hurt.

And you'll worry your mother as well.

I've been thinking about how to help you.

Think about becoming independent.

Have you considered working at the Mitsubishi coal mine?

30 sen a day, living quarters, and no shortage of work.

But -

Osaki?

Osaki, why don't you work overseas?

Overseas?

You'll have nothing to worry about.

If you go, you'll have nice clothes to wear

and all the white rice you can eat.

Osaki, you're really going overseas?

How much did Tarozo say he'd pay you?

A 300 yen advance.

Wow!

Then I'll go.

And I'll send back more money.

And than, big brother,

you can buy our house and fields back, set up a household,

get married to a good woman

and become a respectable man.

Here, try this on.

Yes!

You'll wear this tomorrow when you set out.

I only learned later

that it had been a lot of trouble for mother to make me that kimono.

Uncle Tokumatsu didn't like it at all.

She borrowed the thread

and stayed up nights without any sleep

weaving the cloth for it.

It's now that futon.

It was once a kimono,

but I later made it into a futon.

- Here we go. - Take care.

Go on, get in.

Will I ever see you again?

Sir! Sorry, could you excuse me?

Ayo!

Ohana!

Yukiyo, take care!

Osaki!

In those days,

girls leaving to be karayuki-san from Amakusa and Shimabara

were loaded onto foreign ships

laden with coal from me mines of Miike.

Naturally, they were smuggled.

Osaki.

Osaki!

AMAKUSA

KEELUNG - HONG KONG

Sandakan was located in British Borneo

and was its largest port city.

It had a population of 20,000.

100 of them were Japanese.

Ships from all over the world came there.

HOUSE NO. 1

HOUSE NO. 3

HOUSE NO. 2

In Sandakan in those days,

there were nine brothels that served the Japanese there.

They were referred to by their numbers. House No. 1, House No. 2, and so on.

Mr. Tarozo ran House No. 8.

That was where I came to live.

HOUSE NO. 8

We didn’t prostitute ourselves right away.

For a while we served as maids

for the five women who were already there.

Miss!

Madam!

Madam!

What's wrong, Oyae?

It's Yajima, ma'am.

He took so long to do his business

that he kept me up all night and I couldn't get a wink of sleep.

I'm exhausted.

What's that?

You'll see.

I carefully recorded Osaki-san's story.

At night, I would listen to her and try to remember every word.

The next day, when I was alone, I'd write it all down.

I then sent the collected notes to my husband in Tokyo,

mailed from a safe place where no one could see me.

Sorry for the wait.

Come on.

Then, one summer, a year after I'd come -

I'll never forget it.

The weather started out hot and stifling.

1914, SUMMER (Taisho 3)

Sit down there. I'll do your hair.

What's wrong?

You all aren't kids anymore. You're women now.

Madam, never mind about my hair!

I'm afraid she can't.

My merchandise has to look nice.

Merchandise?

What are you making us do?

Tonight, you'll have customers, like Ofumi and Oyae.

No, not me!

No, not me!

I won't sell myself! I won't!

You won't? What did you think we brought you here for?

Liar!

You said you were bringing us here to work!

You never said we'd have to sell ourselves, too!

Right, Ohana? Yukiyo?

What's wrong with you?

I won't do it!

No matter what you say, I won't sell myself!

Then pay me the 2,000 you owe me! Pay it back right now!

2,000 yen? You only gave Yasuki 300 yen!

Little smart-mouthed brat!

Dear! Dear! Remember your blood pressure.

Leave me be!

Listen.

There's also the cost of shipping you here and a year's room and board.

You're in debt to me for 2,000 yen now.

And now you're gonna have to use your body to pay it back!

I won't do it!

Oh, yes you will!

Shit!

No!

You have nothing to worry about.

It's something all women have to do, eventually.

Go on.

There, there.

You don't want to be crying on your first night.

Cheer up.

He's a good customer.

All right.

Go on.

You still don't get it?

You think you can do business wearing that plain-looking kimono?

I...

I'd sooner die than do that again.

I won't be a whore.

Well, if you won't do that, just what else can you do?

Get married to a guy around here?

Even married men and women only do one thing together.

It's no different than working here.

Big brother.

I'll do my work and bide my time.

Want a good time?

Cheap!

I'm surprised.

You've learned their language?

Yeah. The locals like it when I can speak their language.

You mean you're going after natives now?

Yeah.

We can't just get white guys and Japanese as customers.

Osaki.

You might want to rephrase that.

It's my choice to only go after white guys and Japanese.

Are you implying I'm trying to be better than you?

No.

I don't mean anything against you, Ofumi.

Then what?

It's my own decision.

Even if I do it alone, I'll get any customer I can,

work hard every day, repay my debt as fast as I can

and get back home.

But prostitution isn't easy work.

Even when you're sick, and your stomach aches,

even when your head is pounding

or it's that time of the month, you can't ever take a rest.

If we had fewer clients than normal and had less money coming in,

Mr. Tarozo would complain and get on our case about it.

I've never enjoyed "doing it" with a man.

Men say they enjoy it.

And lots of women say they enjoy it, too.

I understand some even scream in ecstasy when they do it.

I never could figure that out.

Not to say I didn't do my share of screaming.

That's what the clients paid us for.

It was... What would you call it?

Service. Right. Service.

Honestly, I'd always hope that they'd finish quickly and just go.

Then, from your youth,

you have no pleasant memories at all?

For instance, someone you loved?

Wasn't there one?

I'm embarrassed to mention it.

However -

See this mole?

They used to call these beauty marks.

1918 (Taisho 7)

What are you doing?

Well, well.

You're Japanese?

C'mon.

- Just two yen. - Give it back.

Give it back.

Japanese or white man, I give the same service.

What's the harm?

Why do you keep looking at my face like that?

You were making mochi cakes for New Year's.

I liked it better seeing you like that.

So, you saw me before and came to have some fun tonight?

Not just now.

This is the third time I saw you.

Each time I see you, you're like a different person.

Without that beauty mark, I wouldn't have recognized you.

This is my face, here and now.

C'mon.

It's past 11:00.

Five yen for a half-night.

You can take your time.

Go on.

What's your name?

Hideo Takeuchi.

Hideo. Hide, huh?

And yours?

Saki Yamakawa. Call me Osaki.

- Where are you from? - Tanjung Aru.

There are Japanese on that island?

I work on a little rubber plantation.

Alone. - All by yourself?

How old are you?

Eighteen. And you?

I'm a year older. Nineteen.

So, tell me...

What brings such a young man to the South Pacific?

Because silkworms drove my family to ruin.

- Silkworms? - Yeah.

We lived in the mountains, in Nagano Prefecture.

We couldn't grow rice or wheat in the land there.

We could only breed silkworms.

We lost our mulberry orchard...

to a hard frost.

My mom poisoned herself.

Wow.

And your dad?

He died a long time ago.

A man at the town hall convinced me to go to Singapore.

There, I joined up with the Malaysian man who's my boss now.

You poor kid.

Huh?

I said "You poor kid."

What's wrong?

Time's up. I should go.

You can't stay the night?

I don't have the money for that.

Tonight...

I just wanted to meet you.

Bye.

Never mind that. Stay.

I'll pay the difference.

Why?

Why?

I'm not sure, either.

For the last five years...

I've been tortured by animals called "men."

Every single one I'd just hope would leave quickly so I could sleep.

Until now...

Until now...

I've brought lots of men here.

Just to sell my body to them.

Because I just wanted their money.

For me -

I may be a woman, but I don't feel like one.

But -

I -

Tonight, I want to become a real woman.

For you -

This is your first time with a woman, isn't it?

So...

that makes me your first girl.

I want you to be my first man.

After that, Takeuchi came to see me every three nights.

What about the money?

Who knows how he scraped it together.

His feelings for me were almost pathetic.

Would you be my wife?

What?

Someday, I'll raise the money

and then I'll come for you.

Hide.

I swear.

1927 (Showa 2)

You'll be sorry if you buy it.

This dry-goods dealer is in cahoots with the boss.

Ofumi! What are you saying?

They make us buy kimonos we don't need

so that we end up back in debt.

Ofumi, you shouldn't go around slandering people.

Oh, man. You've got me all wrong, Ofumi.

I always sell these to you girls at a big loss.

Anyway, miss, how do you like this one?

It's all the rage back home.

Oh, that reminds me.

Yajima.

Let's get a formal kimono for every girl this time.

Thank you, boss!

Formal attire?

We decided at the last meeting of the Japanese Society.

We're celebrating the coronation.

What coronation?

Don't you read the newspapers?

The Taisho emperor passed away

and the crown prince has ascended to the throne.

This is now the Showa era.

How foolish.

So it's like the emperor's in cahoots with you, too.

And he helps drive us prostitutes into debt, too?

Everyone, please keep your eyes open.

Boss, can you sit up a little straighter?

Your medals aren't catching the light.

A little more.

Okay, good. Good, that's got it.

Everyone, look at my hat, please.

I'm taking it now.

One, two -

Boss! This is big!

House No. 8 boss!

Try to keep calm.

At this very moment,

there is a Japanese warship anchoring in the harbor!

There's what?

Here. Over here.

What are you all doing still fooling around in here?

Dear, remember your blood pressure.

Right! You work, too.

What? Me, too?

We're going to be slammed with business.

Now hurry up and get ready.

Oh, Madam. What are you doing?

It can't be helped. We're going to be busy.

Every girl in Sandakan will have to sleep with 30 men.

What? 30 men each?

Halt! Halt!

I'll take your services first!

I'll take your services first!

I'll take your services!

Five yen per girl, up front. Hold on a sec.

No shoving. No shoving.

Right, five yen, please.

Five yen, up front. Five yen.

Five yen, please.

Stay in line.

Five yen, up front.

Boss, what's wrong? Boss!

Out of the way!

Madam, it's terrible! The boss!

That was the last I saw of Takeuchi.

He married the daughter of his Malaysian boss at the rubber plantation.

I see.

At the time, Takeuchi was the first man I had ever loved.

Even if it took 10 or 20 years to save up the money,

I'd hoped he'd be able to eventually redeem me.

But -

He abandoned me and betrayed my feelings.

And so I swore I'd never fall in love with another man.

I bear him no ill will now.

Besides, that was 50 years ago.

Got me.

Again?

Damn it.

At least the boss's death gives us some time off.

There! That's a monk for 20 points.

Adding that to 40 gets us 60.

Ofumi, are you sick?

No, it's nothing.

No point worrying about it.

In the end, we all end up like that.

There's no escaping it.

Get packed, everyone. We're leaving.

You're all moving.

We sail for Phnom Penh tonight.

Who are you?

Me?

I'm the guy who just bought all six of you.

You -

You've walked out on Okiku and become a pimp?

Shut up! Just get packed!

But the madam still owns this place.

Don't you know anything?

Your madam...

sold this place and everyone in it.

She's taking the money now

and running off to Singapore with that dry-goods dealer.

Okiku?

Okiku Hayami.

Sandakan Okiku.

They called her the Lady Consul.

She was a big name there.

Born in Amakusa. When she was young,

she married an Englishman in Yokohama.

A high-class lady, waited on by servants.

So, what brought her to Sandakan?

That Englishman left her and went home.

She took care of us.

The prostitutes of Sandakan

would call her "Okiku-san" or "Mother"

and we all relied on her.

Yosaburo, would you please remove your clogs?

You're still Japanese.

As are these women.

Can't we settle this quietly as fellow countrymen?

You talk down to me, then talk about settling things?

I'd like to save all of you, but there's no way.

I'm afraid two of you will have to go to Phnom Penh.

Yosaburo, will you take 100 yen per girl?

What?

God damn you. You think a woman can talk to me like that?

Why, you -

Yosaburo, you owe me, don't you?

Huh?

After I saved you from the police back home all those years ago?

Okay, fine.

All right, now draw lots.

I won't. I want to stay here.

Everybody does!

Now draw.

No, not me!

- Not me! - Come on.

- No! - Bitch!

Help me! Help me!

Come on!

Go on, move it!

If you know anything at all, about the women of No. 8,

then I'd really like to hear about it.

I don't know myself,

but you can try asking in the backstreet markets

or the old men who hang around at the shore.

At that time, as Japan modernized in the Showa era,

the karayuki-san system which had begun in the Meiji Restoration era,

in short, the foreign trafficking of women, at long last began to dwindle.

It was because world opinion

had turned against the trafficking of women and children

and so the Japanese government finally banned it.

This was also due to Japan being on the winning side in World War I.

It was now a modern nation

and it had grown in power, politically, economically and militarily.

Since it could now match the West in China and East Asia,

there was no longer any need to have the karayuki-san

help to establish its footholds overseas.

I hate the damned Japanese!

Their army occupied us during the war.

And now their trading companies

are dominating our economy!

1930 (Showa 5)

Okiku-san.

Okiku-san.

Sorry to rush in like this, but could you shut your gate?

Could you take tonight off, please?

Why?

Well, you see, Lord Ichijo from the House of Lords

is coming from the homeland to make an inspection.

The Japanese Association doesn't want him to see any embarrassments.

Embarrassments?

What embarrassments do you mean?

Okiku-san -

Still being unreasonable?

Well, if it isn't Yosaburo.

Don't you understand?

As we spread out to the south,

you whores make the rest of us look bad.

No, you make the whole country look bad!

You're one to talk.

A former pimp.

Not for a long time.

I'm branch manager of an Asian products trading company now.

See this?

The government decorated me for my South Seas development.

What's the big idea?

You louse!

- What? - Mother!

Mother, don't strain yourself.

You deny it?

You sucked the blood of those girls and grew fat off of it!

We make the nation look bad?

You mean you do!

Get cut!

LORD SANETAKA ICHIJO HOUSE OF LORDS

Due to our lack of both land and resources

which hinders the economic development of the Japanese Empire,

we naturally must expand overseas

to exploit the undeveloped areas

of Manchuria and Southeast Asia.

You Japanese colonists here have assisted this glorious advancement

by living here for a long time and working hard

to develop it.

You are the rock upon which the Empire is built.

What's taking the doctor so long?

I'm going to get him.

Osaki.

It's all right.

My time has come.

Stop that, Mother. It isn't like you.

You have to get well soon and go home to Amakusa.

Amakusa.

I don't want to go back to Japan.

You don't?

That's why I built a graveyard here in Sandakan.

Nothing good awaits any of you if you dare to return there.

Never go back.

I wanted to leave you all something,

but I have nothing to give.

Yukiyo. - Yes?

Would you bring me the bag in that closet, please?

Yes.

I want you to have that.

Open it, please.

What's this?

Each taken, one by one, from every man who ever had me.

From men?

When I first came to the South Pacific, long ago,

I had to sleep with men in order to live.

Instead of money,

I took their rings as payment.

Each one bought

with my blood

and my tears.

Mother, hang on.

I am...

so tired.

Okiku didn't make a graveyard just for herself.

It was a public cemetery

for all the Japanese women who died in Sandakan.

She built a public cemetery?

Her greatest achievement. I still admire her for it.

Is it near Sandakan?

In a jungle clearing at the edge of the city.

If you go into this jungle carelessly, you won't be coming out again.

Pardon me if this sounds a little rude...

but may I ask why you want to find

a public cemetery?

The karayuki-san are resting quietly in the heart of the jungle.

Shouldn't we leave them in peace?

What's the point now?

You may be right.

But I think I have a duty here

to verify Osaki-san's story.

Despite Okiku-san's warning, I returned to Japan.

It's just that - I missed it so much.

I was so lonely.

And so, without a second thought, I went home.

1931 (Showa 6)

Hello?

Yes?

Uh, I'm -

Dear, could you come in?

Hi.

Brother.

Sorry I was too busy to come meet you.

Please, have a seat.

Oh, this is my wife.

You're Oharu? I'm Osaki.

How do you do?

Brother, what's wrong with your leg?

You must be tired after your long journey.

Why don't you draw a bath?

Brother, it's all right.

The bath can wait.

This is such a nice house.

Masa, don't just peek from there. Come over and say hello.

I have gifts for you.

Oh, yes.

I have some for the neighbors, too. When shall we go meet them?

That's all right.

But, it's fruit. We shouldn't wait long.

Keep away from the neighbors.

Why?

I haven't been home in 10 years.

Why can't I say hello?

The shame.

Shame?

It's not like the old days. When people hear you've been overseas doing work,

It's not looked upon favorably.

Mother had died years before.

Even if she'd been alive, I'd have been treated like a stranger.

Dear, there won't be trouble, will there?

Like what?

You built this house with the money she sent you, right?

What if she claims that it's hers?

What will you do about that?

But it's officially deeded to me.

She can't lay a finger on it.

Besides, she'll be leaving soon.

My lover is the daughter of the chief

Skin so dark, a beauty of the South Seas

That's right!

Everybody, have fun!

Let's play mamemaki! Pick it all up!

Rings!

All over.

Rings!

Hey!

Osaki-san. Osaki-san.

This place is no fun for us anymore.

Wanna go to Manchuria with me?

Who are you?

Same as you.

I spent years in Phnom before I came back.

I know just how frustrated you are.

Why don't we both get out of here?

A good day to get out of town, huh?

Let's go!

Let's go!

And so I left for Manchuria.

In Mukden, I married a bag dealer named Ryouta Kitamura.

For the first time in my life, I was able to have my own home.

I gave birth to Yuji, my only child.

But then the war broke out

and we lost all the property we'd struggled for.

In the end, my husband died on the way back to Japan.

After I made it back, I lived in Kyoto with Yuji.

Then, one day, he asked me to return to Amakusa.

You mean, he -

He wanted to get married, so he sent me back to Amakusa.

Yuji would have been embarrassed to introduce me to his wife.

His mother, the former prostitute.

In the nine years since,

Yuji's wife has never come to see me even once

or written me a single letter.

Even so, I'm happy.

Even if she's never come,

I have you here with me like this.

YOSHITOKU MERCANTILE

I could tell from the start.

That girl wasn't who she claimed to be.

Good day.

I'd like to buy some salt, please.

It's from Mr. Yoshida from the high school.

He asked my daughter at school to give it to you.

He told her...

"That lady must really be a hot-shot reporter from Tokyo.

She must be here working on a story."

She's just going to write about something she shouldn't,

and nothing good will come of it!

If that happens, it'll embarrass everyone in the village.

Don't you understand that?

Fine.

Then when you finally die,

no one will come to pick up your bones.

You don't want to die like that.

Do you, Osaki-san?

- Good-bye, Osaki-san. - Good-bye.

I'm sorry.

I've caused you so much trouble.

No. You didn't do anything.

Come on, let's get the meal started.

- Move. - There we go.

Shoo! Out of the way.

Lovely.

It looks lovely.

It looks like a palace.

It's lovely.

Want some tea?

Want some?

- Osaki-san. - Yes?

I've imposed on you long enough.

I'm going back to Tokyo tomorrow.

What?

I -

I want to go home to Tokyo tomorrow.

I've caused you trouble and I'm sorry for it.

It's all right, really.

Besides -

I'm worried about my daughter Masako back in Tokyo.

I really will miss you.

I understand. It's all right if you go.

You should go home right away.

That little girl Masako

must miss you terribly.

I knew you'd have to leave eventually,

but I was glad to have you here for so long.

Thank you.

These last few weeks,

I've come to think of you

as a sort of daughter-in-law to me.

I'll never forget you.

Thank you.

You really have been very kind.

Pardon.

I have one question, though.

Yes?

You had no idea who I was

and yet you let me stay here with you for three weeks.

Didn't you ever want to know anything about me?

Well, yes, I did want to ask you.

The villagers all talked about you, but...

nobody wanted to know about you more than I did.

However,

people have reasons for not confiding in others.

If it was all right to talk,

there wouldn't have been any need for me to ask you.

But...

your silence meant there was a reason you couldn't say anything.

If you wouldn't talk,

why would it be all right for a stranger like me to ask?

Mother -

Forgive me.

For not realizing how you felt

and not telling you anything till now.

I...

I'm from Tokyo, like the villagers said.

And I have a husband as well as a child.

I'm researching the lives and history of Japanese women.

Especially

poor women like you who have led hard lives.

I'm going to write a book someday,

because I want everyone to know what happened.

But I hid it from you, took advantage of your kindness -

No.

I lied to you.

I'm so sorry!

It's all right. Now stop that crying.

Okay?

At first, I thought you'd run away from your home.

But then I learned you wanted to hear what happened overseas.

You want to bring it to lots of people, do you?

I don't mind if you want to write it down in a book.

As long as you write the truth, there's no need to hide it from anyone.

Now quit crying.

Mother, take this. It's not much, but -

Keiko.

I didn't let you stay here so that you'd pay me money.

Please take it.

It'd make me feel better.

But...

there's something I want from you...

besides money.

What?

If you have other towels back in Tokyo,

could you maybe...

give me the one you've been using?

Thank you. Thank you.

Whenever I use it from now on,

I'll think of you.

Here it is.

Graves.

It was burned up in the war.

The war?

Yes.

HOUSE NO. 8

Osaki-san.

The Allies hit Sandakan from the air and sea.

The Japanese forces massacred the natives

and burned the city as they pulled out.

Mitani-san.

GRAVE OF THE UNKNOWNS

Okiku-san's grave should be somewhere around here.

OKIKU HAYAMI

Here it is.

SHASAISHO SHINNYO (nee Kuni Kinoshita)

Yamamoto-san, which way is north?

Which way is north? Which direction is Japan?

That way.

Osaki-san.

All of them -

They're all buried

with their backs to Japan.

GRAVE OF THE UNKNOWNS

CAST

KOMAKI KURIHARA YOKO TAKAHASHI, KEN TANAKA

MITSUO HAMADA, KANEKO IWASAKI ICHIRO NAKATANI

KINZO SHIN, YASUKIYO UMENO HATSUO YAMATANI

TAKASHI EBATA YOSHTARO ASAWAKA

MAMORU HIRATA, MIKIO SHIMIZU KIKUO KANEUCHI

SHUNSUKE KARIYA WATARU KOBAYASHI

YOSHIO KIRISHIMA JIROU SASAGAWA, TERUKO KISHI

KANEKO IWASAKI MITSUHATA AKIYOSHI

YOSHIKO MAKI MARIKO NONAKA

MASAKI TAKAYAMA TAKAKO YAMADA

KIN SUGAI, EIKO MIZUHARA TOMOKO JINBO, KYOKO IGUCHI

SAYURI KISHINO YOKO TODO

MASAYO UMEZAWA YOKO NAKAGAWA

YUKIKO YANAGAWA MARIKO KUZUMI

JUNKO MATSUMOTO SAYOKO TANIMOTO

CHIGUSA TAKAYAMA EITAROU OZAWA

TAKIKO MIZUNOE KINUYO TANAKA

Executive Producers MASAYUKI SATO - HIDEYUKI SHIINO

Story by TOMOKO YAMASAKI

Screenplay by CHIKAE HIROSAWA - KEI KUMAI

Photography by MITSUJI KANAU

Ari Direction by TAKEO KIMURA

Audio Recording by MUTSUTOSHI OHTA

Lighting by NOBORU SHIBA

Music by AKIRA IFUKUBE

Editing by TATSUJI TAKASHIZU

Directed by KEI KUMAI

THE END

Translation and Subtitles by Captions, Inc., Burbank