WIT Life #279: 東京家族
Film, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life, Writers 
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
I can’t believe I haven’t posted here in over a month, though I think I know part of the reason why. Last month TV Japan offered a free two-week viewing period of its programming for non-subscribers. During this time I got used to watching this 24-hour Japanese channel, particularly its wide array of news shows that are really useful for learning vocabulary for interpreting. The service is through NHK Cosmomedia America, and will be very familiar to those of you who followed NHK’s programming in Japan. There are multiple daily news shows, including internationally focused ones and one I really like called Today’s Close-Up (現代クロースアップ) which takes a deep dive into a particular subject. For $25 a month you can be immersed in the world of Japan, so I immediately became a subscriber when the trial period ended (TV Japan is offering a $50 rebate if you sign up before the end of the year and maintain your subscription for at least three months!). I’ve not only been studying via the news but also getting back into Japanese dramas, as well as enjoying the movies shown. Last night I caught Yoji Yamada’s Tokyo Family (東京家族), which featured stellar performances from favorites such as Satoshi Tsumabuki and Yu Aoi.
The film, released last year as an updated version of Yasujiro Ozu’s classic Tokyo Story (東京物語), commemorates 50 years of filmmaking for Yamada. It tells the story of an elderly couple who leave their home on a small island in the Inland Seto to visit their three children who are working in Tokyo. Although all siblings perform their filial duties faithfully in the beginning, as time goes on their interest in spending time with their parents wanes to various degrees. The behavior of the middle child and only daughter is particularly painful to watch at times, as both she and her husband clearly are not interested in anybody but themselves. The older son is the most stable with a career as a doctor and a loving wife and two sons, but the youngest played by Tsumabuki surprises his family, who have underestimated him though he is only making his own way in the world. The story as it unfolds in Tokyo is interesting in itself, but I was most touched by the final section of the movie which takes place in the family’s hometown. After spending the majority of the movie in the big city, the contrast between the respective lifestyles and paces is striking.
This month TV Japan showcased Yamada’s work by showing several of his films, including the 2010 About Her Brother (おとうと) which I saw at Japan Society’s Japan Cuts film festival a few years ago and really liked. If you have a chance to catch this flick you will recognize Aoi from Tokyo Family, who here plays the soon to be bride whose wedding has the potential to be ruined by her mother’s heavy drinking younger brother. This film is another tribute from Yamada, this time to director Kon Ichikawa who had made a film with the same name in 1960 (which incidentally won a Special Distinction Award at Cannes in 1961).
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