"KINDAI EIGA KYOKAI and ATG Present" "HYMN" "Based on the novel Shunkinsho by Junichiro TANIZAKI" "Nobuko OTOWA" "Tokuko WATANABE" "Jiro KAWARAZAKI" "Daijiro HARADA" "Teiji TONOYAMA Rokko TORA" "Daigo KUSANO Tetsuji TAKECHI" "Kotoe HATSUI Taiyu WAKAMIYA" "Kakuko MOTOYAMA Shoji OKI Yoshinobu OGAWA" "Photographed by Kiyomi KURODA" "Music by Hikaru HAYASHI Additional Music by Tomiyo TOMOZAKI" "Lighting by Kenichi OKAMOTO" "Art Direction by Takezaburo WATANABE" "Edited by Hideo KONDO" "Produced by Kaneto SHINDO Kinshiro KUZUI Manabu AKASHI" "Written and Directed by Kaneto SHINDO" "The grave of Mr. Mozuya is over there." "This is the grave of Mr. Mozuya." "How about the grave of his daughter Shunkin?" "Yes... over there." "Here it is." "SHUNKIN MOZUYA'S GRAVE" "BY STUDENT SASUKE NUKUI" "Mr. Mozuya was ruined, nothing is known of his kin now." "Yes, now his grave is unvisited, but this one is visited once or twice every year." "Oh... once or twice every year." "By whom?" "I don't know the name." "It's a lady over 70." "First she visits this grave of Miss Shunkin, then this small one." "Is this the grave of Sasuke Nukui, student of Shunkin?" "Sorry, I don't know." "I'd like to meet the person who came every year." "Does she ask you to recite a sutra?" "When she's here next time, I'll tell her to visit you." "Please." "I'd like to give her a gift." "Oh... you're giving her a gift?" "Well..." "You're Teru Shigizawa?" "Yes, I am." "May I ask you about Shunkin Mozuya?" "I know nothing." "I've been finding out things about her for a long long time." "I won't tell you anything." "Sorry to say this but I can pay you a lot of money." "I'm staying at this elderly home." "They give me meals." "They'll bury me when I die." "I don't need money." "Miss Shigizawa, please!" "There's only you who knows about Shunkin Mozuya." "No." "I know nothing." "Please forgive me for mentioning money." "Goodbye." "Please wait!" "I got permission from the office... to talk to you this morning." "They don't have the right!" "No time to play." "I got work to do." "Please wait!" "Hey!" "Money..." "I can really pay you well." "How much will you get for talking with me?" "I have this precious book, The Life of Shunkin Mozuya." "You can keep this if you like." "Handwritten on expensive paper." "Very exquisite thing." "The author wrote about her in detail." "It is written in third person." "Sasuke wrote this." "That's what I thought too." "He wrote this for the 3rd anniversary of Teacher Shunkin's death." "I wrote down what he dictated." "So you wrote it down?" "There are only 3 copies." "This is one of them." "Where did you get this?" "Please." "I'd try my best to give what you'd like." "Please!" "You should." "I won't talk if you don't pay me well." "OK?" ""The family heads of the Mozuyas are all called Yasuzaemon"," ""They lived in Doshomachi, Osaka." "For generations, they sold medicine."" ""Shunkin caught eye disease when she was 9."" ""Soon she lost her eyesight."" ""Her parents were very sad."" ""Her mother's sadness turned into anger towards heaven and mankind."" ""She lost her sanity for a while."" ""Shunkin dedicated all her energy to study music, "" ""with the goal of becoming a musician."" "When she was 17, she was so skilled," ""she's simply the best in her class."" "Sasuke." "Sasuke!" " Yes!" "What is it?" " What are you doing?" "Things at the store..." "Just do my things." "Yes!" "Don't "Yes!"." " Yes!" "What if I'm late for my lesson?" "I'm very sorry." "Let's go." "Sasuke came here at 13, to be an apprentice." "He was born in Hino, Goshu." "His family was also in the medicine business." "Sasuke's father had been an apprentice at the Mozuyas." "Apprentice for two generations." "How about me?" "You don't ask about me." "No..." "I was going to." "I'm her maid." "Before Sasuke came, I took care of her." "After Sasuke got here, he did most of that work." "She chose Sasuke among all other apprentices." "Why chose him?" "He talked only if necessary." "She said "I want Sasuke"." "She ordered." "She got it." "Her teacher, Shunsho's place, was 10 blocks from the store." "Every day, Sasuke took her hand and walked her there and back." "Swallows." " Yes." "Light breeze today." " Yes." "Hot." "Hot." " Yes." "Goodbye." "It's your turn." "Her teacher was so impressed with her genius." "He treated her better than his own children." "Sasuke." " Yes." "Your hand's sweaty." "Yes!" "I'm so sorry!" "Sasuke was a country boy." "He was mesmerized by the proud Shunkin." "I see." "She knew that, so she bullied him." "He thought that this meant she cared for him, he enjoyed it even more." "It was like that from the start." "I'm so sorry." "I'm sorry." "I'm really very sorry." "Your hand, please." "Then he learned to play the shamisen." "Yes, it's in the book." "What she liked, he'd like it too." "He tried to have the same mind." "He saved up his wages and bonuses... to buy a shamisen." "When she's having her lesson, he memorized what she played." "He developed a musical taste." "He also had the talent?" "Shunkin was a genius." "Sasuke was the hardworking type." "I can play it too." " You too?" ""You too?"!" "I'm Sasuke's best student!" "I too, took a liking of it while serving her." "He bought a shamisen, but kept it a secret." "He waited until others were fast asleep, then he woke up and practiced." "That isn't in the book." "Of course!" "He's not the type who boasted about their struggles." "To hide in a drawer in summer nights, that's unbearable!" "He worshiped her so much, he practiced in darkness." "That itself... made him so happy." "Give me a cigarette." "That worship is too much." "It's perverse." "Cut the crap!" "This is pure admiration!" "I see." "Well, you can put it that way." "Perverse!" "That's what you are!" "Sorry." "Yes... the drawer." "I see." "Practicing when he should be sleeping, of course he's tired." "To stay awake, he practiced on the roof." "Still, he couldn't hide it forever." "One night, the dorm head woke up to go to the toilet." "She heard the shamisen on the roof." "You're just an apprentice!" "Shamisen?" "Know your place!" "Sasuke was about to be sent packing," "Shunkin came to the rescue." ""If he likes it that much, let me hear him."" ""Shunkin took pity of Sasuke's determination."" ""She requested to teach him herself."" ""She asked for the permission to teach him at his free time."" ""Her father gave the permission."" ""It was heaven for Sasuke."" ""On top of his apprentice duties, "" ""she taught him every day for a limited amount of time."" "Actually, he was ordered to be her student." "Shunkin's father took pity of her blindness," ""I'll just give her a teacher-student game to play."" "But Sasuke came there to learn to do business, not to learn the koto or shamisen." "Yes, but... his daughter was more important than the future of an apprentice." "Wouldn't you?" " Well..." "They all thought it was just a teacher-student game, but it wasn't." "Sasuke." "I taught you that?" " Yes!" "No!" "Did I teach you that?" " I'm so sorry, Teacher." "Let's say... we don't stop until you get it." "No!" "Fool!" "Can't you remember it?" "This is not teaching." "It's torture." "She's just bullying him for fun!" "Now you." "No." "Sorry, Teacher." "Again." "You won't?" "Fool!" "Teacher!" "Forgive me!" "Teacher!" "I'm sorry!" "Sasuke, are you all right?" "What are you doing?" "No!" "What are you doing!" "You're not a princess!" "Don't do this to a boy!" "You don't understand!" "Let go!" "This is not a game!" "You know how late it is?" "This is too much!" "My parents scolded me." "Looks like I'm bullying you." "Of course not, Teacher!" "Sasuke is just very stupid." "Really?" "You're a coward." "You're a man!" "Can't you endure this?" "Crying like a baby!" "To master an art, you must pay in blood, sweat and tears!" "Yes!" "If you can't," "I won't teach you anymore." "Teacher!" "No matter what, I won't cry anymore." "Keep on teaching me this way!" "You won't cry." "Really?" "Yes!" "I won't!" "All right." "I'll keep the same style." "He really didn't cry anymore." "Beat him, kick him." "No." "He's an apprentice, yes." "But a girl shouldn't keep yelling "Fool!" to a man's face." "So her father allowed Sasuke to study with Shunsho directly." "So as to stop her from teaching Sasuke." "The lessons were stopped?" "He was relieved of his duties." "He was now formally her guide, her fellow student." "And went with her to Shunsho." "That sealed his fate." "I talked a lot." "Oh yes, you'll have a reward." "Please go on." "Her hands were so soft, like a fresh rice cake." "She was raised immaculately." "It was done in a way befitting... a shogun or other dignitaries in the old days." "She was raised like that." "Sasuke worshipped her like Buddha, and served her without a bit of evil thoughts." "Two generations before, the family head ordered "a toilet that won't stink" to be made." "There's such a toilet in Katsura Palace." "It's just to put a lacquer box underneath to collect the dirty stuff." "With small birds' feather in it." "The faeces fell softly in the box, without making a sound." "Change it every time, it'd hardly stink." "I'm done." "She didn't wash her hands." "There's no need to." "She did nothing." "You saw a part of it?" "You couldn't avoid seeing it." "We lived in the same house." "It's Sasuke's job to clean up every time." "He did this very carefully, like he was burying some treasure." "Shunkin had exquisite taste in food." "She loved sea bream sashimi." "Tell me about yourself." "I'm a reject..." "Divorced?" "My husband drank, gambled and visited whores." "I divorced him and left." "Then you became a maid at the Mozuyas?" "Yes." "I hate being bossed around by men." "Teru?" "Tonight?" "Please." "Teru?" "Hi." "Tonight?" "Good night." "Sasuke." " Yes?" "My legs are tired." " Yes." "Softer." " Yes." "Harder." " Yes." "Fool!" "Can't you do it right?" "Yes." "My feet." " Yes." "Teru?" "I'm..." "I'm here." "What?" "You?" "Bye." " Fool!" "Lower." "Yes." "Harder." " Yes." "This one." "Yes." "Something's wrong." "I'm the first one to notice." "I told the dorm head." "She took a good look." ""No doubt about it", she said." "There was a big panic." "Shunkin's father saw Sasuke first." "Sasuke, tell me the truth." "I won't be angry, so be honest with me." "Is that your child?" "Please forgive me." "I won't tell you anything." "I don't intend to get married." "It's an insult to suggest I marry Sasuke!" "The belly got bigger and bigger." "The fifth month..." "can't hide it anymore." "I won't tell you." "I know." "It must be Sasuke!" "Why would I sleep with an apprentice?" "Then who else?" "Did Sasuke say so?" "He just cried." "He said nothing." "What's done is done." "We can't let others know this." "Can we trust you?" "Under the pretext of a cure, I took her to Arima Springs." "Sasuke." "Why did you say things that arouse suspicion?" "Causing me great trouble." "I don't remember doing it," "I wish I could proof my innocence!" "I wouldn't dare do such thing to you." "I'm innocent!" "All right." "If you refuse to admit it." "A fatherless kid would harm our reputation." "It's a pity but we have to get rid of it." "Is that all right?" "Go ahead, send him anywhere." "I intend to live my life alone." "I don't want this burden." "I was shocked to hear this." "She felt no ties to her own baby." "She had 3 babies in her life." "Once it was born, she'd get rid of it." "Where are they now?" "No one would ever know." "Did the staff and apprentices know... she had babies?" "They felt something was wrong, but no one knew." "Only me." "Give people money to take the baby, without telling them whose child it was." "Shunkin's a scary person." "She's an egoist." "What does that mean?" "She just cared about herself." "What's wrong with that?" "Why not?" "I got you." "You got me." "Their relationship set a bad example for other apprentices." "Her father gave her a house." "Their thing was an open secret." "The house was built in Yodoyabashisuji." "She'd become independent?" "Her teacher died around that time." "She grasped this chance to be independent." "Now she formally takes the "Shun" of her teacher Shunsho, calls herself Shunkin Mozuya, and took students." "She took me with her." ""Shunkin was obsessed with cleanliness."" ""She wanted nothing dirty on her."" ""Her inner garments were changed and washed every day."" ""The house had to be cleaned twice every day."" ""Before sitting down, she'd use her finger..."" ""to feel if there's any dust on the cushion or tatami."" "She hated to be seen as a couple by others." "All manners and language were strictly maintained... to be those between a teacher and a student." "Sasuke knew her body well, down to every single inch." "No other couple in the world... would have such closeness as them." "For her, Sasuke picked off meat from a whole fish." "He took off the shell from prawns and crabs." "He was very good at this." "She drank a little." "About a glass at night." "She had low body temperature." "She had no sweat, even in summer." "Her feet were as cold as ice." "When she slept, they had to be wrapped, no matter what season." "She was prone to hot flashes, she couldn't use stoves or hot water bottles." "On really cold nights, he warmed her feet with his chest." "One night... a cavity made him very painful." "His right cheek was swollen, as if he was having a candy." "You stay here too long." "Yes." "My feet are cold." "He thought he could use his swollen cheek... to warm her feet." "His pain could also be relieved." "I told you to use your chest, not your face." "Yes." "I can't see." "But I can tell by my heels." "Why deceive me?" "I'm so sorry." "An apology won't do." " Yes." "Even if I'm blind," "I know you have a toothache." "If you're so painful, just say so!" "Please forgive me." "You pretend to be faithful, and use your master's body to cool your teeth." "I hate cunning people!" "Teacher, I'm so sorry." "I'll be more careful." "Please forgive me!" "Fool!" "My feet are cold now!" "Yes!" "I wonder what she said... when she made advances on Sasuke?" "Osaka merchants are stingy and greedy." "Shunkin also had those traits in her." "She hated to waste a penny." "She was very concerned about what her students... gave her at Midyear Festival and New Year." "Ms. Kikuchi." "Yokan jelly." "Jelly?" "How rude!" "Her family is poor." "She hasn't paid her fee for a while." "She can't afford a gift." "She brought this to show her devotion." ""I hope the Teacher would like this", she said." "Sasuke." " Yes." "Listen carefully." "Yes." "She can't pay her fee." "Yokan jelly as Midyear gift." "This is an insult to her teacher." "If she's so poor, she won't succeed in art." "Yes, in some cases," "I'd waive my fee." "But only for those with the greatest talent." "Art is not done with only determination or devotion." "Just because she's devoted... doesn't mean she'd succeed in art." ""Please pity my poverty." How vain!" "Instead of bringing disgrace to herself, she should quit at once!" "I won't teach her anymore." "Once she started paying again," "Shunkin did something worse." "You're so devoted and talented, your progress is so astonishing!" "I'm so impressed... that your parents really understand art." "Work hard." " Yes!" "Her skills... were simply pathetic!" "Amateurs can't be very good." "To Shunkin they're just the same." "Yes, she thought they were all bad." "If she thought so, it's bad of her to make such compliments." "She needed those rich girls for her good living." "That's why." "Exactly." "She's good at that." "But some came for her looks." "Yes." "Some people came for her art, but... some came for her looks." "Her strictness to students, is a way to chase away halfhearted playboys." "But doing that made her more famous." "Such a strange world!" "Ritaro, son of Kyubei Minoya, was one of them?" "Yes." "He's the son of a grain merchant." "He's a playboy, a real dandy." "He studied with her just for her looks." "He flaunted his father's wealth, and behaved arrogantly." "But he paid a big fee." "You can't say no to that." "Shunkin held back her temper." "Stop." "Thank you very much!" "Sasuke." " Yes." "What are you doing?" " Yes." "You're not allowed in here." "Sorry." "Yes." "For all seasons, day and night." "After she went to the toilet," "Sasuke would take care of the rest." "While doing that, he was very happy." "Persimmon trees were in full bloom, bearing large fruits." "The Minoyas had a villa in Ashiya." "They had a small swimming pool there." "He invited Shunkin to come to its "grand opening"." "He invited her so his friends could see her." "Come on!" "Swim on!" "Swim on!" "Come on!" "Hang on!" "You're getting there!" "Marvelous!" "Champion!" "I feel great!" "Come swim!" "Sasuke!" "Swim!" "No..." "Sasuke." " Yes." "To the side." " Yes." "The water's cold." " Yes." "I'm water!" "Touch me!" "Sasuke!" "Sasuke!" "Be careful." " I want Sasuke." "Yes yes yes." "Ouch!" "Let me be your guide!" "I'll go by myself." "Teacher..." "Sasuke always helps you to the toilet?" "Let me do it!" "Please get Sasuke!" "Teacher..." "Let's go." "Come!" "This way!" "Teacher!" "Where were you?" " I'm sorry." "She wants to go to the toilet." "She won't let me take her." "She wants only you!" "We're leaving." " Yes." "Don't wait until you get home." "What if you can't hold it back?" "Hurry!" " Bye." "Play the shamisen for us!" "Clap your hands!" "Loudly!" "Wave your hands!" "Beat on drums!" "Go on the hill of flowers." "Peep inside the curtain." "Pick the..." "Stop it!" "What's wrong?" " Fool!" "Fool?" "Sasuke." " Yes." "Is there a toilet around here?" "No..." "That won't do." " Sorry." "Sorry!" "Actually..." "No!" "Someone help me!" "Murder!" "Help!" "Help!" "I'm so sorry!" "Sorry!" "I'm here." "Sasuke." " Yes." "I feel good." " Yes." "No." "No." "No!" "No?" "I can't stand it anymore!" "Lesson's not over yet." "No!" "Yes..." "Fool!" "Ouch!" "You cut my forehead!" "Remember this!" "Was that the end of it?" "Oh..." "Please have a cigarette." "No thanks." "What happened then?" "He must have been angry?" "We didn't know who did that to Shunkin." "Yes..." "But I think it was him." "Any other suspects?" "There were a lot of enemies." "Cigarette!" " Here it is." "A geisha house sent us a girl." ""Please be strict with her." So Shunkin trained her hard." "But one day Shunkin struck her forehead." "She went home crying." "Her owner came and protested." "She was cut on her forehead." ""You hurt my merchandise!" "I can't forgive you!"" "He took out a knife." "But Shunkin didn't move." "Because she couldn't see." ""I've always been strict."" ""You knew that and asked for it!"" "That's what happened." " Yes." "He also yelled "Remember this!" before leaving." "Shunkin was very proud." "Her rival teachers, male and female, hated her deeply." "Some people believed they'd hire thugs to get revenge." "It was 3 in the morning..." ""Sasuke..."" ""woke up to Shinkin's moaning."" "MOANING" ""Someone opened the storm windows and sneaked in Shunkin's room."" ""Sasuke woke up in time."" ""The thief had to go empty-handed."" ""He was so scared, he threw a kettle..."" ""above Shunkin's face and left."" ""Hot water was splashed on her snow-white face."" ""And left a spot of burned skin."" ""It was just a small scar"," ""yet she thought it was very serious."" ""She wrapped her face in a scarf from then on."" ""She stayed in her room, she hardly saw people."" ""Her family and students couldn't see her face."" ""So there were all kinds of rumours."" "If it's just a spot, she wouldn't hide her face in a scarf." "You think she wouldn't know how big it was, because she's blind?" "She could feel it with her hand, and her senses were sharp." "She could tell." "The book tells it that way." ""1 or 2 months later, by some unknown cause, "" ""Sasuke had cataracts and lost his eyesight suddenly."" ""Things became blurred, "" ""he could no longer tell the shape of things."" ""With small steps of a blind man, he went to Shunkin."" ""In ecstasy, he yelled, "" ""Teacher!" "I'm blind."" "BLIND" ""Now I'd no longer see the scar of Teacher."" ""It's the right time to become blind."" ""Shunkin heard that, and became sad for a long time."" ""Shunkin heard that"," ""and became sad."" "Cataracts suddenly?" "Strange." "A thief sneaked in, he ran away and threw a kettle." "It's also strange." "Why did he have a kettle?" "If Ritaro did this, it'd be his aim to pour hot water on her." "Then her face would be completely ruined." "You know the truth." "Sasuke got blind." "That's true." "Cataracts all of a sudden?" "That's too convenient." "It's written in the book." "What's wrong with that?" "I want to know the truth." "Why do you want to know it?" "That's a tough question..." "The truth is more interesting." "Only Sasuke knew it." "No!" "You know it!" "You started lessons with him around that time." "That's when you started to revere him." "Tell me the truth!" "You know the truth!" "Teacher?" "Teacher?" "What's wrong?" "Teacher!" "Are you all right?" "Don't look at my wretched face!" "Teacher!" "I won't let anyone see this!" "This face!" "Don't look!" "Don't!" "You were there?" "Yes." "You saw it?" "No." "Only the doctor saw your face." "Teacher." "When the blister heals, your face will be all right." "Don't lie to me." "My face won't look the same again with such burns." "Sasuke." " Yes." "She's afraid he will see it." "He too, was afraid he would see it." "Sasuke." " Yes." "You saw my face?" "No!" "I didn't!" "Soon, the bandage would be taken off." "Along with the others," "I don't want you to see my face." "Teacher." "I won't see it." "You said you won't, but you have eyes!" "Teru, may I have a needle?" "What for?" " To sew up an open seam." "Let me do it." "You'll see my ass." "Really?" "Why didn't you tell the police?" "They'll find out who did it." "Teacher said no." "Here." "I can see, but I'm not free." "Teacher!" "Teacher!" "Teacher!" "Sasuke?" "Teacher?" "Teacher?" "Sasuke." "I just became blind!" "I'll never see your face in my whole life!" "What did you do?" " Needle..." "Needle?" " My eyes." "You pricked your eyes?" "I can't see anything!" "Can't see anything!" "Sasuke, really?" "Teacher!" "I can't see anything, Teacher." "Sasuke." "It's all dark." "Is this your world?" "I'm now in your world!" "Sasuke, that must be painful?" "No!" "Compared to your pain, this is nothing." "Sasuke, I'm so happy!" "Teacher!" "I won't ever see your scarred face!" "I could only see... the beautiful face in my mind!" "Please keep me and let me serve you as before!" "Sasuke." "Well done." "You read my mind." " Yes!" "The meal's ready." "And here's the tea." "Thank you." "Tea." "It's sea bream today, your favourite." "Please eat here with me." "No, I'll eat later." "Sasuke took her to toilet, as before." "He cleaned it up, as before." "He never asked me to do it." "They were blind, the sense of touch was all they shared." "They shared their tender love without the use of words." "He was really happy." "He served her with all of him." "She asked him to serve all of her." "When she got pregnant, she'd go to Arima Springs to give birth." "I took care of the rest." "They don't want their children." "We'll pay others to take them." "Shunkin and Sasuke just cared about themselves." "Since being blind," "I see things that I couldn't see with my eyes." "It was after getting blind, that I can really see how beautiful she is." "How soft her limbs are." "How fair her skin is." "How nice her voice is." "Now I really know it." "I didn't feel it so strongly when I could see." "It's so incredible." "Above all, now I can really hear... how harmonious is her playing." "I couldn't understand it earlier." "What a waste!" "How dumb I was!" "If God says, "I'll make you see again."" "I'd say no." "I envy you." "Really?" "You envy me?" "Why don't you get married?" "In my heart, her appearance... stays the same forever." "If I make this into reality by marrying her, it'll go away." "She said, "Why would I sleep with an apprentice?"" "You don't feel bad?" "I don't mind being an apprentice!" "It's all right with me." "By serving her, you make her yours." "Her sufferings made her art... progress to a much higher level." "It's God's severe test of a real genius." "After Sasuke went blind," "Shunkin became more relaxed." "She took off her clothes and composed." "As their love grew deeper, they got even more formal with each other." "The Spring Warbler's Whisper is a masterpiece composed by her." "You know how to play it?" "Of course!" "I'm Sasuke's student!" "Can you play it for me?" "It's gonna cost you!" "THE END"