Thousand Cranes

Kikuji returns home from a trip and rests in a darkened room where he is visited by Chikako. She informs him that, during his absence, both Yukiko and Fumiko got married to other men. Kikuji is shocked, although he tries to hide his reaction from Chikako. Chikako seems displeased with him for defying her matchmaking plans, and through their discussion, Kikuji gleans that she has lost interest in maintaining a connection with him. She tells him about a recent trip to Kyoto and the collector of tea ware with whom she met there. As a farewell gesture in memory of his father, she plans to sell off Kikuji’s entire inherited collection of tea ware for him before washing her hands of him. Kikuji approves of the idea and mentions that he’d like to sell his house and the tea cottage similarly.

Fumiko phones Kikuji about a personal letter that she recently sent to him that has not yet arrived. Kikuji congratulates her on her marriage, which shocks her, since she remains decidedly unmarried. She has just recently moved into a little room of her own and found a job. She agrees to come to his house to discuss the matter, and upon arriving, she says that Chikako was lying.