In the beautifully chaotic opening scene, like a woodblock print come to life in contemporary times, a young family about to migrate from their island village run from neighbor to neighbor to say goodbye; shouts of “Try hard! Work hard!” follow them down to the pier. Traveling from sunny western Japan to wintry Hokkaido, where they intend to start a new life-a grueling trip for them, but mapped for us as a travelogue, with stops at Tokyo and the Osaka World Expo-this Catholic family will literally journey into death and rebirth. Chieko Baisho as the plucky wife anchors family and film alike, keeping both from swimming in tears; Ozu icon Chishu Ryu in a few minimalist strokes traces the life-route from patriarch to tag-along grandpa. Compare this family to the itinerant foursome in Oshima's Boy a year earlier, and you have the alpha and omega of the Japanese family in mid-century.