Still grieving the tragic loss of her fiancé Itsuki Fujii in a mountain climbing accident, Hiroko Watanabe sends a letter to his old childhood address in snow-covered Otaru, a home she believes no longer exists, hoping to send a message into the ether. To her shock, she receives a reply signed by "Itsuki Fujii." The respondent is not her late lover's ghost, but a female former classmate who shared his exact name. As the two women begin exchanging letters across the snowbound landscape, a tender, long buried portrait of forgotten youth, unrequited first love, and shared memory slowly unfurls.

A foundational landmark of 1990s Asian cinema, Shunji Iwai’s feature debut became a massive cultural phenomenon across East and Southeast Asia, immortalized by Miho Nakayama’s double performance. Shot with a dreamlike, soft focus palette by the late cinematographer Noboru Shinoda, this new 4K digital restoration preserves every delicate detail.

4K remastering under the supervision of Fuji Television Network, Inc., with all analog and digital processes by Imagica Entertainment Media Services, Inc. Image digitization through high-resolution 4K scanning from the original 35mm camera negative. Restoration, color correction, and final sound finishing supervised by director Shunji Iwai.

In Japanese with English subtitles.

Rated PG

Presented at Filmhouse as part of Japanese Film Festival, in partnership with the Singapore Film Society, Japan Creative Center and Japan Foundation