Arigatou

In the early morning of January 17, 1995, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake struck, and Tadao Furuichi (Hidekazu Akai), who was running a camera store in Kobe City, lost his friends, his house, and his property. Tadao is busy volunteering for the reconstruction of the town, and one day he comes across his own golf bag that survived the earthquake. Feeling a miracle, Tadao decides to challenge the professional golf test before he turns 60.

Directed by Kunitoshi Manda, Arigatou leans on a strong ensemble — Hidekazu Akai, Masao Imafuku, Shuji Kashiwabara — 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 2006.