Video information
The story takes place in Tokyo during Showa 49, where a 94-year-old painter named Shuichi Kumagai (played by Ken Ogata) resides. Kumagai and his wife, Shuko (played by Kirin Kiki), have a warm home with a porch and a small courtyard, which allows them to enjoy a fulfilling life. Every day, Kumagai can feel the passage of seasons and time through the trees and plants in his backyard. He and his wife have both come to understand the essence of life—the true sources of joy, which cannot be bought with money. They believed that their peaceful life would continue forever. However, one day, Kumagai learns that a towering skyscraper is going to be built next to his house. The shadow of the building will fall onto his courtyard, meaning that the plants that require sunlight will face certain death.