Lost in life. Found in love.|May. 31, 2013|Japan|46 Min.|TV-14
Genre: Animation;Drama;Romance
Description: The Garden of Words, released in 2013, tells the story of Takao Akizuki, a 15-year-old student with aspirations of becoming a shoemaker, and Yukari Yukino, a 27-year-old woman. At the start of Tokyo’s rainy season, Takao decides to skip his first class and sketch shoe designs in Shinjuku Gyoen’s garden. There, he meets Yukari, who is also avoiding work. The two begin to meet regularly on rainy mornings in the park, though they never formally introduce themselves. Takao eventually decides to craft a pair of shoes for her. As the rainy season ends, he stops visiting the park and focuses on his work.
When summer break concludes, Takao returns to school and discovers that Yukari is actually a literature teacher who had been avoiding work due to gossip and bullying. To escape the rumors, she sought refuge in the park, hoping to overcome her fears. Eventually, she resigns from her job and leaves the school. Later, Takao encounters Yukari in the park and recites a poem from the Man’yōshū, a Japanese poetry collection, which is the correct response to the tanka she had shared with him earlier. Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, the two retreat to Yukari’s apartment, where they spend the afternoon together. Takao confesses his feelings, but Yukari reminds him of her role as a teacher and her impending move to her hometown on Shikoku. After Takao leaves, Yukari realizes her mistake and runs after him. Though Takao angrily retracts his confession and criticizes her for her secrecy, Yukari embraces him, explaining that their time in the park had saved her.
The film’s credits reveal that Takao barely passes his final exams but continues pursuing his goals, while Yukari returns to teaching in Shikoku. In a post-credits scene, Takao revisits the park during winter, reads a letter from Yukari, places the shoes he made for her on a bench, and vows to find her once he has made progress in his career.
Cast director: Makoto Shinkai
Cast actor: Miyu Irino, Kana Hanazawa, Fumi Hirano, Takeshi Maeda, Yuka Terasaki, Takanori Hoshino, Suguru Inoue, Megumi Han, Mikako Komatsu, Yuki Hayashi
Original name: 言の葉の庭