The End of Summer

The End of Summer (1961) is a Japanese drama that explores the complex relationships within the Kohayagawa family, who run a small sake brewery outside Kyoto. As Manbei, the aging patriarch, navigates his finances and health concerns, he also reconnects with an old mistress from his youth, causing tension among his family members. Akiko (Setsuko Hara), Manbei's daughter-in-law, and Noriko (Yoko Tsukasa), his younger daughter, are both concerned about their father's well-being and find themselves entangled in a series of matchmaking sessions and heartbreaks. As the summer draws to a close, the family gathers for a memorial service, marking the passing of Manbei's life.