J-Film
4/24
THE ZEN DIARY | 土を喰らう十二ヵ月
November 2022
111min
Drama, Feature
In Japanese with English Subtitles
Not Rated
Directed by NAKAE Yuiji
Our next J-Film is The Zen Diary, a touching narrative on mindfulness and finding connections with nature that beautifully complements our latest exhibition Shin Ka: Inner Gardens of Reflection.
In 1978, award winning author MIZUKAMI Tsutomu wrote an autobiographical essay entitled Tsuchi o kurau hibi — waga shōjin jū ni kagetsu — (土を喰う日々―わが精進十二ヵ月―). Part cooking book, part reflection on his upbringing at Zen Temples, the essay examines how we can live in harmony through seasonal cooking. Director NAKAE Yuji has taken this essay’s message on life and harmony with the seasons and made a film that has left a lasting taste with viewers and readers alike.
This film follows former monk Tsutomu (SAWADA Kenji), as he navigates daily life in the mountains, writing essays, and tending to his crops. His simple routines are only interrupted when his editor Machiko (MATSU Takako) joins him for the occasional meal. As Tsutomu is determining the value of life while facing death, the comfort of cooking remains constant throughout the changing seasons.
Please join us for this special screening of The Zen Diary and embrace the quiet beauty that the film and exhibition have to offer.
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