Tennen kokekkô

This film takes you back to the basics of life. It re-teaches one the values of friendship through the simplicities of serene country living.

The small country village where the film takes place is very charming. It has a school that has only 7 students, and they are almost all in different years.

When a new boy comes to the village he is welcomed with love from the children, and the eldest of the group 'Soyo' is simply captivating in her curiosity towards 'Hiromi'; the handsome boy from Tokyo. Soyo struggles to find a balance between the excitement of falling in love for the first time, and holding on to her precious connection with her village and the other children.

This is a very uplifting film, and the characters make it so. It's a graceful, heartwarming and inspiringly told story, and those who find themselves sometimes wishing for 'a simple life' should enjoy it just as much as I did.