Kyoto Story

Kyoko is a university librarian and she also helps her parents with their drycleaning company. She is involved with a childhood friend from the neighborhood, Kota. He is the son of the local tofu maker and has begun a moderately successful career as a stand-up comedian. A visiting lecturer from Tokyo falls head-over-heels in love with Kyoko and asks her to go abroad with him to Beijing, where he has to spend the next few years for his research. But Kyoko cannot decide.

Directed by Yoji Yamada, Tsutomu Abe, Kyoto Story leans on a strong ensemble — Hana Ebise, Yoshihiro Usami, Sotaro Tanaka — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2010.