Task: Story Composition
Input (English): Fact1: Shukichi and Tomi Hirayama live in town of Onomichi in southwest Japan with Kyoko, Fact2: wife of Shoji is missing presumed dead during Pacific War, Fact3: Kyoko voices complaints to Noriko about siblings by deriding them over being selfish to family, Fact4: Shukichi has treated them despite not being related by blood, Fact5: train with Noriko speeds from Onomichi back to Tokyo showing Shukichi preparing for solitude he experiences in home in harbor town of Onomichi
Output (English): A retired couple, Shukichi and Tomi Hirayama played by Chishu Ryu and Chieko Higashiyama respectively live in the town of Onomichi in southwest Japan with their daughter Kyoko played by Kyoko Kagawa who is a primary school teacher. They have five adult children, four living. The couple travel to Tokyo to visit their son, daughter, and widowed daughterinlaw. Their eldest son, Koichi So Yamamura, is a pediatrician, and their eldest daughter, Shige Haruko Sugimura, runs a hairdressing salon. Koichi and Shige are both busy, and dont have much time for their parents. Only their widowed daughterinlaw, Noriko Setsuko Hara, the wife of their middle son Shoji who is missing presumed dead during The Pacific War, goes out of her way to entertain them. She takes time from her busy office job to take Shukichi and Tomi on a sightseeing tour of metropolitan Tokyo. Koichi and Shige are too busy to give time but instead pay for their parents stay at a hot spring spa at Atami. Shukichi and Tomi go but the parents return early because the nightlife at the hotel interrupts their sleep. Tomi also has an unexplained dizzy spell. When they return, Shige explains that she sent them to Atami because she wanted to use their bedroom for a meeting. The elderly couple have to take themselves out for the evening. Tomi goes to stay with daughterinlaw Noriko with whom she develops an emotional bond. Tomi advises Noriko to remarry. Shukichi, meanwhile, gets drunk with some old friends from Onomichi, then returns to Shiges salon. Shige is outraged her father is lapsing into the alcoholic ways that overshadowed her childhood. The couple sadly remark on how their children have changed, and they leave for home earlier than planned, intending to see their younger son Keizo when the train passes through Osaka. Though they originally had planned to see him without leaving the train, Tomi takes ill during the journey and they decide to disembark, staying until she feels better the next day. However, when they later reach Onomichi, Tomi becomes critically ill. Koichi, Shige and Noriko rush to Onomichi to see Tomi, who dies shortly afterwards. Keizo arrives late as he has been away on business. After the funeral, Koichi, Shige and Keizo leave immediately, with only Noriko not returning. After they leave, Kyoko is angry with them and voices her complaints to Noriko about her siblings by deriding them over being selfish to their family. She believes that Koichi, Shige and Keizo dont care how hard it was for their father when he lost their mother. Kyoko believes that strangers and even Noriko wouldve been more respectful towards her. Noriko responds that while she understands Kyokos disappointment with her siblings, she also explains that everyone has their own life to lead and that the drift between parents and children is inevitable. She convinces Kyoko not to be too harsh on her siblings because one day she too will understand how hard it is for them to have to take time from both their families and their own lives. After Kyoko leaves for school, Noriko informs her fatherinlaw that she must return to Tokyo that afternoon. Shukichi tells her that she has treated them best despite not being related by blood. Noriko insists on her own selfishness; Shukichi credits her protests to humility. He gives her a watch from the late Tomi as a memento. Noriko breaks down in tears and confesses her loneliness. Shukichi encourages her to remarry again as soon as possible. At the end, the train with Noriko speeds from Onomichi back to Tokyo, showing Shukichi alone preparing for the solitude he now experiences in his home in the harbor town of Onomichi.