Where Spring Comes Late

Where Spring Comes Late is a 1970 Japanese film directed by Yoji Yamada.

Plot

The Kazami family live on the island of Iōjima, Nagasaki, where Seiichi Kamazi works in a coal mine. With the coal mine closing, Seiichi decides to move to Hokkaido and become a dairy farmer. The family rides the train between the two islands. Along the way, they stop in Fukuyama, where Seiichi's brother Tsutomu lives, Osaka, where they attend Expo '70, and Tokyo. In Tokyo, the family's youngest daughter passes away. Genzō, Seiichi's father, reaches Hokkaido but passes away shortly after. He is buried in a Catholic ceremony. Despite Seiichi's misgivings, Tamiko convinces him to stay and forge a new life for themselves.

Cast

Chieko Baisho as Tamiko Kazami
Hisashi Igawa as Seiichi Kazami
Chishū Ryū as Genzō Kazami
Gin Maeda
Hiroshi Inuzuka as Comedian
Kiyoshi Atsumi
Shūichi Ikeda

Awards

25th Mainichi Film Award

Won: Mainichi [Film Award for Best Film|Best Film]

Criticism

Scholar Yoshikuni Igarashi called the film "a declaration of war against the regime of the high-growth economy." He views Seiichi's journey as motivated by his desire to maintain economic independence.