Pictorial Letters

The film depicts the everyday lives of ordinary young people, yet it feels like a New Wave romance. Men and women overwhelmed by bodies, words, oppressive emotions and memories live and breathe through the actors' bodies. Images of the changing intersections of human emotions, time, light, wind, voices and skin sensations capture the subtleties.

Misaki lives in a rural town situated among lush, green mountains beneath a clear blue sky. Despite graduating from a university in Tokyo, she was unable to find the job she hoped for due to the lack of employment opportunities that befell her generation. Just about everything has gone badly for her and now she is on the verge of turning 40. However, she has dreams of marrying her aging, handicapped mother Mitsuko's care worker, Naoki, who pays visits to their home. Her clandestine meetings with Naoki are one of Misaki's oases from Mitsuko's harsh day-to-day verbal abuse. The other is the bee farm run by her childhood friend Kaori. The honey Kaori diligently works to make is sweet, mild, and soothing. But then Misaki is cruelly betrayed by Naoki. And Kaori abruptly dies. These events drive Misaki's heart to the brink of bursting. "Why did she have to die? "

Saeko and Yukako live together in a small apartment complex in Tokyo. After the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, both live in a state of unease. Saeko, who is in a divorce, is worried that her daughter is exposed to radiation. Yukako is also afraid of radiation and tries to convince her husband to move. The two become friends after Yukako tries to save Saeko after a suicide attempt.

Four young, male and female co-workers in Tokyo become involved in personal relationships with each other.

A mysterious city woman named Kiyomi is cared for by an old village woman. The male villagers are intrigued by Kiyomi, especially Masaru, a young man who the surrogate grandson to the old woman, eats dinner with her every night. Despite constant questioning, Kiyomi refuses to talk about her past. The enigma of her presence only bewitches the men further. Shinji, a writer, gives her the only copy of his book. Tatsuya, a farmer, offers her his ripest tomatoes. Kiyomi acts timid, but she secretly likes the attention. But when the old woman collapses, there is no one to protect the frail city woman. Later, a sinister man from the city arrives looking for Kiyomi. A disturbing truth will be revealed about her while a strange and outrageous battle of love will ensue.

Noboru is homeless and can never stay in a job for long. He strives for an independent life, away from society which takes no notice of him in his tent in the forest. This also makes it possible for him to stalk the young Kifuyu, with whom he falls in love at first sight. He has to learn that she is being exploited by her boyfriend Shigehisa with whom she rips off businessmen in search for a sexual adventure. Noboru decides to help her, but he soon realizes that escaping from social dependancies isn't easy.