Yeah that was great! I really liked the 部長! I mean, everyone really. I’m glad I made time to watch it before it went away.
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I’m pretty sure he’s the same one as the hair salon owner in きのう何食べた？ Okay, I looked it up, he is indeed: マキタスポーツ — The Movie Database (TMDB)
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I had the same problem! Bummer.
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Very probably your browser does either not support DRM video display, or it is switched off in its settings.
I did watch カラオケいこ！ and テルマエ・ロマエ on the website, so I didn’t think it was a browser issue?
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Watched Mondays. Also a very good movie.
Especially I liked the German title song, and not to forget: ひとつだけ覚えてください。ハトです。
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omg I didn’t notice that at all but yeah, it is!!!
You just found me a new rabbit hole to go down 
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And this month’s winner is…
ナミヤ雑貨店の奇蹟 (Miracles of the Namiya General Store)
Watch it on JFF Theater View LearnNatively page
Description via JFF
３人の幼馴染が忍び込んだ１軒の廃屋。そこは過去からの悩み相談の手紙が届く、秘密の雑貨店だった。一夜限りの奇跡は起こるのか――？
東野圭吾ベストセラーの映画化。３人の幼馴染が忍び込んだ１軒の廃屋は、悩み相談を受けることで知られた雑貨店だった。その郵便口に舞い込んできたのは、過去からの手紙。それをきっかけに、雑貨店は過去と繋がり始める。この手紙は時を越えて届いているのか？彼らは戸惑いながらも返事を書く。次第に明らかになっていく雑貨店の秘密と、彼らと相談者たちとの共通点。そして３人は、自分たち自身と店の繋がりに気づき始める。これまで多くの人を助けてきた雑貨店で、一夜限りの奇跡は起こるのか。
Three delinquents receive letters from the past seeking advice in an old general store full of secrets. Will this store now produce one more miracle?
From the novel by HIGASHINO Keigo, three delinquents break into an abandoned store where anyone could leave a letter seeking advice. Their arrival triggers the shop to connect with the past – old letters slipping through its mailbox. Are these letters crossing time to reach them? The three have no idea but write back regardless. As they do, the store’s secret is revealed, along with their connection to it, and the three, wrapped up in themselves for so long, find themselves connected to these strangers. Having already helped so many before, will the store now help produce one last miracle?
The watching period is until 2026-06-02T15:00:00Z
At the end of May we will do a brief check-in for any late-comers and catch-uppers.
Watch it anytime until then and share your thoughts; first impressions, favorite moments, language remarks, whatever stood out to you.
Also as always, feel free to watch any other movie from the current lineup instead or in addition.
Happy viewing everyone!
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Just one week to go! Just as a small reminder.
I myself haven’t watched anything yet, the weather was just too good and the weekends too busy. I think I’ll manage by this week though.
Going to post the new lineup soon (looks like just two new movies), so stay tuned.
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JFF announcement for June streaming titles
2 New Films Coming This Month!!
Starting June 3, two new films will join our lineup under the theme “The Japanese Spirit of DŌ.”
Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t (1992)
YUDO (2023)
シコふんじゃった。(Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t)
A college senior, Shuhei, is blackmailed by a professor into joining the school’s sumo team. He is aided by a group of misfits who must team together to defeat their rivals or face disgrace and the disbandment of the sumo club.
湯道 (Yudo)
Two estranged brothers inherit Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse. One sees it as an homage to their late father; the other—a struggling architect—as lucrative real estate for condos. Their eclectic collection of townsfolk customers show them the value of the bath goes way beyond a scrub and soak.
Last Chance to Watch
The following four titles currently streaming will no longer be available after 11:00 AM (JST) on Thursday, June 3rd.
- THERMAE ROMAE (2012)
- Let’s Go Karaoke! (2024)
- Confetti (2023)
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Finally got to watch ナミヤ雑貨店の奇蹟!
Summary
The beginning setting in another decade was interesting, I would like to see more of Japan in an older, yet still modern era.
I was a bit thrown off by the pace initially, the musician’s story was in the beginning not really for me and the ‘sacrificed himself to save the orphans’ felt a bit too dramatic. Then they introduced all these other sidelines, which was a bit confusing at first, but they wrapped everything up beautifully! I actually like these kind of movies a lot, where everything suddenly makes sense at the end.
The only lament I have is that telling the best career and investment options from the future felt a bit like cheating and too simple.
I will put up the poll for the next cycle shortly!
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Voting for Featured Movie of the Month - June
Again, it’s time to vote for our next Featured Movie of the Month! Vote for the title(s) you would be most interested to watch and discuss together.
Voting will remain open for one week until 2026-06-08T02:00:00Z.
Which movie(s) are you interested in watching? (Multiple answers allowed)
0
voters
(By the way I have no idea why it randomly sorts the options)
(Struggling to correctly insert the poll)
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I also watched ナミヤ and enjoyed it, but struggled to gather my thoughts about it so I never ended up posting. It felt like Higashino’s take on the reflective human drama x magical realism style of story that seems really popular lately, and I think he did a good job with it. I would definitely watch it again.
Same here!
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I watched ナミヤ! I was pretty much able to follow what was happening, but not necessarily why it was happening. (Like at the end when the boys think the president is the cause of the orphanage closing, but then they learn that she isn’t and/or it’s not? No idea why.) Also it was really long! Even though I took an intermission in the middle I was really losing the ability to focus on understanding words towards the end.
I might watch it again to try to see if I can understand more the second time, although if I’m choosing one to rewatch I would probably go with Let’s Go Karaoke! first. But ack, I only have like a day to watch it! And Thermae Romae!! Gah.
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Ah yes, I forgot to mention it, but I watched ナミヤ with English subtitles since I was watching it with my partner 
I suspect I would have struggled to follow the story without at least Japanese subtitles since it was so nonlinear. Another reason to go back and rewatch sometime!
Out of the three, I’d definitely pick Let’s Go Karaoke to rewatch too. Actually, last month was already a rewatch for me since I’d seen it on a plane, but this time I did watch it without subtitles! Yay!
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And the winner movie for June is…
湯道 (YUDO)
Watch it on JFF Theater View Natively page
Description via JFF
笑いと感動が詰まった「入浴文化」の物語に、どっぷり浸かってみてください。体をほぐし、心を満たしてくれます。
建築家の三浦史郎（生田斗真）は、父の死を経て帰郷し、実家の古びた銭湯を取り壊してマンションを建てようと計画する。弟が代わりに銭湯を切り盛りしていたが、ボイラー室で火災が発生し入院してしまったことで、史朗はやむなく銭湯を引き継ぐことになる。やがて、心温かいスタッフたちや長年通い続ける常連客との交流を通じて、入浴文化の大切さに気づかされ、史朗が長年胸の奥に抱えてきたわだかまりが、少しずつほぐれていく。
Soak in a wellspring of laughter and tears with a story of bathing culture — relaxing the body and recharging the soul.
An architect MIURA Shiro (IKUTA Toma) is a conflicted soul when he finally returns home after his father’s death, with plans to close the family’s antiquated bathhouse and build a condominium in its place. His younger brother has been running the business in his place, but when a boiler room fire breaks out, putting him in the hospital, Shiro has no choice but take over. Gradually, the mix of loving staff and longtime customers, reveal the importance of bathing culture, loosening the knotted feeling he has been carrying around for years.
The watching period is until 2026-07-01T15:00:00Z
In the last week of June we will do a brief check-in for any late-comers and catch-uppers.
Watch it anytime until then and share your thoughts; first impressions, favorite moments, language remarks, and whatever else stood out to you.
Also as always, feel free to watch any other movie from the current lineup instead or in addition.
Happy viewing everyone!
5 Likes
湯道
The trailer promised twee silliness with an ensemble cast, and the movie delivered. The over-the-top 湯道 parts were the highlight for me, I think. I enjoyed the combination of earnest and tongue-in-cheek.
I am often lazy when watching Japanese movies or TV, and leave the English subtitles on to catch any words I don’t know. This time I turned them off, and instead paused and looked things up. I had about two dozen lookups (and a few skipped lines, mostly from the young bath master and the old man), which I felt sheepish about at the time, but now that I think about it, that’s not bad for a two-hour movie.
I was glad when they explained the わ・ぬ sign, and when Mr. Onsen held up his business card, finally allowing me to see the piece I’d been missing from 源泉掛け流し至上主義 (it was the 至上). Satisfying!
Language questions:
I wasn’t able to figure out either of the two slightly different words the husband shouts around 1:46:02. Does anyone know what he said there?
I don’t know what they were calling the old man. It sounded like せんにん, so I assumed 専人, meaning something like 専門家, but it turns out that’s not a word…
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Tbh I still really struggle with Live Action movies, so if there are no subs, it’s really hard for me. Like missing so many details. If I have time I watch twice, once without subs and then with subs in my language (if Japanese not available). I started this club also in the hopes of getting better at not relying on subs, but I guess it’s a slowwww progress.
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It’s such a long, long road… I guess we gotta just be proud of each step we take! FWIW, I’m glad you made this topic 
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Also finished 湯道
This is now the second ensemble cast movie we’ve had in this movie club, and I’m always surprised how they make the characters stand out so that you actually remember them (I think here it’s even easier than the previous one, probably because there was less timeline confusion). Loved the water imagery in the beginning scenes, and the baptism analogy in the final parts.
When I first bathed in an onsen/sentou, my first impression was also ‘Gee that’s kinda hot’. I actually didn’t know they were that hot! My husband loves bathing, he’s using the bathtub all the time, but ironically he didn’t like the Japanese baths too much since he couldn’t stand the temperature, he prefered the sauna if there was one.
I’m interested how long you guys last in a 40C bath. I think I can do like 15-20 mins max. I think I have to rewatch the movie again and take notes for the proper way to enjoy a bath. 湯道 seems pretty similar to 茶道 in a way, or maybe that’s just the way how the teaching takes form.
Oh my god, the “Yu (are my sunshine)” word plays. Didn’t know if I should laugh or cringe (I did both in a way).
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