Tokyo Biyori (1997)

Tokyo Biyori 1997 / 東京日和 1997 /

Following up on his critically acclaimed 119, Naoto Takenaka directs this portrait of a very passionate, though strange marriage loosely based on a book by renowned photographer Nobuyoshi Araki about his own deceased wife. Shimazu quits his job as ad agency photographer to go freelance. In order to pay the bills, his high-strung wife, Yoko, takes a job at a travel agency answering phones. Yoko, however, is not your ordinary adoring housewife. When she confuses the name of a young editor during a diner party, Yoko slides into a shame spiral resulting in one ugly marital spat before their increasingly embarrassed party guests. She disappears for three days, only to return with a young boy in tow. She plays bizarre games with the lad, including and especially dressing the child in girls clothing. In spite of her often baffling behavior -- including the loss of her job and a brief fling she had with rakish young man -- she and Shimizu remain deeply in love. Later, the couple returns the remote Japanese-style inn, where the couple spent their honeymoon.