A masterpiece by Ozu, who has passionate fans both domestically and internationally. After reading a book by Jim Jarmusch and then one by Ichiro Yamaguchi, I immediately watched it because both authors mentioned the director and his influence. Upon watching, I couldn't help but feel that it depicted the subconscious of humans, of Japanese people. Everyone has a group consciousness, yet they don't try to get deeply involved with others. There were characters who felt fear and sadness at being afflicted by the pressure to conform, while disliking themselves for it. Growing up is a vague feeling that can be interpreted as a loss or a gradation of the heart, where we view the world with a detached eye and think we can be objective. It's not directly depicted, but there's an atmosphere that makes me feel that way, and I think that's where the director's skill lies. It's highly regarded overseas, and if people other than Japanese also feel something similar, even vaguely, perhaps I can be more empathetic in the future.