The Makioka Sisters Page #5

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When Mrs. Jinba told me

about Miss Yukiko,

I was overjoyed and wanted to

accept for my nephew.

At the age of 42,

my nephew lost his wife and children.

He's been single for five years.

As his uncle, I've been concerned.

Then I heard about Miss Yukiko.

I pounced on the opportunity.

Mr. Nomura, you studied

agriculture at the university?

I studied fish hatching.

I thought you worked

at the Agricultural Office.

I'm an officer at the fishery agency

within that office.

Which means you do -

I instruct and monitor

the breeding of ayu fish in rivers.

It's an important position,

with the food shortage today.

I'm trying to improve

the species via reproduction.

The best ayu are from Tatsuno.

Unless we protect them,

they'll become extinct.

Mrs. Makioka,

this shrimp is very good.

Please have some.

Thank you.

Have some, Yukiko.

A little sake?

I'll have this one.

- Do you like the theater?

- No.

By the way,

Mr. Igarashi is a good singer.

Aren't you?

Oh, no.

When you learn to sing,

you just want to sing for people

and end up at some watering hole.

I have friends like that.

That's right.

Japanese songs are not for families.

Really?

But I'm an exception.

I didn't learn to sing

to attract the ladies.

I'm a stranger to such things.

Right, Mr. Jinba?

Right. He doesn't "steel" ladies' hearts.

They're going to war.

Our army is advancing fiercely.

They occupied Hsuchou before.

Now they're attacking Hankou.

Where the Yangtse River meets the Han

is a strategic stronghold.

It's also abundant

in freshwater fish.

How do you like freshwater fish?

I'm not fond of their smell.

Mr. Makioka,

have you investigated me thoroughly?

Well...

I took the liberty of checking

your family background.

I went to the newspapers too.

I saw the article from five years ago

in which they mixed up the names.

I don't care about the scandal.

He's the type that

has to investigate everything.

- Idle assumptions cause mistakes.

- It's the same with ayu.

You'd think fleshy ayu

would be tastier.

But their taste depends

on the quality of the river they live in.

You have to study these things.

I inquired at the hospital

your family goes to

about Miss Yukiko's health.

I'd like you to know

everything about me as well.

Look.

This is my university diploma.

These are my grades

and certificates of achievement.

Citations.

Death certificates.

Death certificates?

My late wife's and children's.

She died of complications

from the flu,

and they died of nonhereditary causes.

Why don't my sisters trust me?

They want me

to get rid of this studio.

How did the arranged meeting

for Yukiko go?

She turned that one down too.

- She said she wasn't an ayu.

- Ayu?

The fish.

Relationships are more difficult

than they seem.

I'm thinking about

telling my sisters about us.

They'll be against it.

They'll be shocked,

but that's all right.

When I get married,

Tsuruko will have to give me the dowry.

Just leave that to me.

That must be Sachiko.

Itakura, come out in the hall.

- What is it, Okuhata?

- You better stay out of this.

Hurry!

What are you trying to do?

You stole her away from me!

How did you do that?

The pictures...

Are you trying to fool

your former boss?

Give me that camera!

Don't tell anyone.

Welcome.

Hello.

Please have a seat.

Thriving as usual, I see.

Thank you.

Mrs. Makioka came by two days ago.

She told me.

Her hair looked very nice.

Were you at the barber's next door?

No, I had a business client near here.

I'm so sorry for setting you up

with Mr. Segoshi.

The mother with the mental illness?

It was careless of me

not to check properly.

Not at all.

We waited so long before refusing

that we made it difficult for you

as the go-between.

I'll make it up to you

by finding a good groom.

For Yukiko I'll try my best.

Perhaps you don't really

want Yukiko to get married.

What do you mean?

But your wife

wants her to get married soon.

So do I.

I want the sisters to marry

in order of age.

It's hard for a man

to marry into the woman's family.

What's so funny?

You wanted to marry into that family.

Still, it's not all good.

If something bad happens,

they say it's because

a merchant family can't mix

with a working-class man like me.

Don't you handle the finances?

Of course I do.

Neither Sachiko nor her sisters

know how much money they have.

I envy them.

I lost my husband at a young age

and put my daughter

through university myself.

And I still have to work

to make ends meet.

And rich as they are,

she can be stingy.

You look happy working

and caring for her.

But sometimes

I want to complain to someone.

So I'm listening.

Are you not feeling well, ma'am?

Going to Tokyo.

Who's going?

All of us. The family.

My husband got transferred to Tokyo.

He just came home and told me.

This is serious!

What's going to happen?

How should I know?

Not even in my dreams

did I think I'd ever leave Osaka.

What are you doing here?

I'm going back to the bank.

Dear, can't you refuse the transfer?

I told you.

Go away.

The company decided.

I can't refuse.

In my position,

there's nothing I can do.

Hello.

What a surprise!

I was in the neighborhood.

Did you take the day off?

Listen, Teinosuke.

Is it wrong to be attached

to my hometown of Osaka?

What?

A transfer.

My superior told me.

I'll be heading

the Marunouchi branch in Tokyo.

Congratulations!

It's nothing to congratulate him about!

- This is a promotion.

- That's right.

Men are so selfish.

You don't care about my feelings.

I've never been east of Kyoto

in all my life.

Is that so?

I never had time to travel,

but I love Osaka best anyway.

How can I move now

to some unfamiliar place?

Listen.

It's not overseas,

or in the mountains with no roads.

We're going where the emperor lives.

People would laugh if they heard you.

Let them. I don't care.

The Makioka family

cannot leave Osaka.

The economy has changed.

The cost of living is high these days.

It's hard to keep this big house.

You can't live

on your inheritance forever.

You sold the shop.

Now you want to sell this house?

Don't cry!

I'm sure Tatsuo thought everything over

before he decided.

When would you leave?

- Next January.

Oh, not until next year!

Oharu.

Another wrong note?

Act like a lady and cover your knees.

Ready?

Oharu, the phone is ringing.

Why didn't you answer it?

With your little voice

you hate the phone,

but you must get used to it.

The sooner the better.

A call for Miss Taeko.

Who is it?

I asked...

but they wouldn't say.

- Is it a man?

- No.

Hello. This is Taeko.

Who's calling?

Where are you calling from?

Uozaki? Near the coast?

Yes, I know it.

I'm on my way.

- I have to go.

- Where?

Itakura's in the hospital.

What is Itakura to her?

- Welcome home.

- Hello, dear.

Taeko was in a hurry.

What happened?

Itakura's sick.

What do you think?

About the two of them?

Taeko leads such a sheltered life.

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