The story follows the pat formula of this series. Tora-san (Kiyoshi Atsumi) returns home from his hobo trip to Tora-ya cafe in Shibamata, to his usual line up of relatives consisting of step sister Sakura (Chieko Baisho), her husband Hiroshi (Gin Maeda), his uncle Ryuzo (Tatsuo Matsumura) who's the owner of the cafe, aunt Tsune (Tokuko Sugiyama), and president of next door printing company Tako (Hisao Dazai).
Tora confesses that he has an important announcement about a lady named Okinu later in the evening. Everyone at the house is convinced that it will be his engagement announcement, and are excited. But Tora's description of Okinu is bit vague. They get into a ruckus over Tora's attitude, but next day Sakura, Tora, and Tako goes to Shimane to meet Okinu. Okinu sees Tora and tells him that her long gone husband has suddenly returned home 3 days ago. Heartbroken, Tora takes off on a trip again. In a noodle shop on his way of the trip he meet's Utako (Sayuri Yoshinaga). She tells Tora that her husband died last year. Tora reestablishes his relation with Utako, and tells her if anything happens, visit him at Tora-ya cafe.
Tora returns home to Tora-ya again, and tells everyone he met Utako. Sakura tells everyone that Utako is a daughter of a novel writer who eloped with her boyfriend in spite of her father's disagreement. Their relationship hasn't been the best since. But few days later Utako shows up at Tora-ya. Tora is again falling in love with a girl he's been acquainted with.
Tora goes to see Utako's father to give a piece of his mind to him. He lambastes Utako's father's behavior without any knowledge of the circumstance. But his method works, and the father shows up to apologize to his daughter.Utako takes off to Ooshima island to become a child care provider, and starts her new life.
The highlight of this episode is Sayuri Yoshinaga as Tora's love interest. Yoshinaga is famous as a heart throb for post war era baby boomer generation Japanese men. She's pretty, but her acting can use some more refinement in this movie. Her delivery as usual is little wooden.
The story is ridiculous, and there's no basis in reality. Tora is a hobo who sells trinkets on streets to make a living. He takes off on a trip and returns back to his uncle's house on a whim. And he's always welcomed ! Each episode has more or less the same story only with different face for Tora's love interest. It always begins with Tora returning home, and then some love interest from parts of Japan enters Tora's life. Tora falls in love, but he never gets the girl and takes off on to another trip in the end. Tora has no means of steady income, so it's practically impossible in Japan for a man of his stature to marry a woman. But that's the story in every episode of this series.
Quality of the movie is high as Yoji Yamada puts in his usual meticulous details to taking each scenes. Fictitious life of people living in downtown Tokyo is displayed in all its glory.
Watch this series as one of cultural icon from Japan, as series' success shows, it goes deep into the hearts of the Japanese people.
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