Synopsis

Tokyo banker Shûkichi Sugiyama's two surviving offspring, adult daughters Takako Numata and Akiko Sugiyama, who he had to raise on his own in his wife/their mother, Kisako, long ago having abandoned the family, lives with him. He worries about both of them in different ways. Without telling her husband Yasuo Numata, a translator and writer, Takako with their two year old daughter, Michiko, left him in believing he is neurotic, although he was/is well aware of the problems in their marriage. Akiko, an English shorthand student who has no recollection of her mother, has been staying out to all hours of the evenings without saying a word to anyone. Shûkichi and the women's Aunt Shigeko believe what sullen Akiko needs is a boyfriend to get her out of her funk, Auntie taking measures to find such an appropriate suitor. What Akiko's family is unaware of is her tie to a fellow college student, Kenji Kimura, he, generally considered irresponsible by those who know him, the reason for her sullenness and non-communicative manner, and also the reason she has secretly been trying to raise ¥5,000. While Shûkichi takes some responsibility for both their problems - with Takako, in he having preferred Numata rather than her other suitor at the time who may have ultimately been a better match for her - he is more disappointed in than worried about Akiko in he having given her more attention than Takako in their formative years in Akiko never really having had a mother. Takako and Akiko's lives take a turn when their mother, who they presumed was long deceased, reenters their lives seemingly at least to want to have some sort of relationship with them. Kisako's return has a profound effect on both Takako and Akiko, most specifically in how they view the recent goings-on in their own lives.

Tokyo banker Shûkichi Sugiyama's two surviving offspring, adult daughters Takako Numata and Akiko Sugiyama, who he had to raise on his own in his wife/their mother, Kisako, long ago having abandoned the family, lives with him. He worries about both of them in different ways. Without telling her husband Yasuo Numata, a translator and writer, Takako with their two year old daughter, Michiko, left him in believing he is neurotic, although he was/is well aware of the problems in their marriage. Akiko, an English shorthand student who has no recollection of her mother, has been staying out to all hours of the evenings without saying a word to anyone. Shûkichi and the women's Aunt Shigeko believe what sullen Akiko needs is a boyfriend to get her out of her funk, Auntie taking measures to find such an appropriate suitor. What Akiko's family is unaware of is her tie to a fellow college student, Kenji Kimura, he, generally considered irresponsible by those who know him, the reason for her sullenness and non-communicative manner, and also the reason she has secretly been trying to raise ¥5,000. While Shûkichi takes some responsibility for both their problems - with Takako, in he having preferred Numata rather than her other suitor at the time who may have ultimately been a better match for her - he is more disappointed in than worried about Akiko in he having given her more attention than Takako in their formative years in Akiko never really having had a mother. Takako and Akiko's lives take a turn when their mother, who they presumed was long deceased, reenters their lives seemingly at least to want to have some sort of relationship with them. Kisako's return has a profound effect on both Takako and Akiko, most specifically in how they view the recent goings-on in their own lives.