S06 · E32

In a Cemetery Looking Up at the Great Buddha

The 120-meter-high Daibutsu (Great Buddha) is located in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture. One of the largest cemeteries in the Kanto region spreads out at its foot. During Obon, many people come to visit the graves of their loved ones. Parents share their memories of their sons who passed away from cancer, young people visit the grave of a friend who died in an accident, and children polish the grave of their mothers who raised them alone with gratitude. The film closely observes the cemetery looking up at the Great Buddha for three days in midsummer before the fireworks display for the memorial service. We listen to the mysterious dialogue between the living and the deceased.