The year is 1987 and Japan is just reaching the peak of its economic success. Eighteen-year old Yonosuke Yokomichi arrives in Tokyo from Nagasaki. Ordinary in every way possible, he lives in a suburb far from the excitement of the big city and commutes to a university in the center of Tokyo.
Based on the semibiographical novel by Jun Miura, Oh My Buddha is the classic summer coming-of-age story that is burned to a crisp with teenage angst, youthful dreams and that warm sense of folk zeitgeist of the 70s. The narrator is a first-year student at an all-boys Buddhist school. Jaded by his dull, ordinary life, he longs for the type of creative, liberal and forward life his idol Bob Dylan leads, writing rock songs alone in his room, imitating his hero's signature croon, until one day he got invited on an island trip of sexual liberation with his fellow liberal friend.
A failed director is trying to get his next movie off the ground, while dealing with his cranky brother and his estranged wife.
Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already has a girlfriend by the name of Midori. Even so, Yuko's feelings for Yutaka continue to grow regardless of his aloofness. Before long she finds herself reluctantly cajoled into working as a hostess in a small karaoke bar. Fatalistically accepting his dalliances with flames old and new, she perseveres not so much in hope of a more substantial relationship, but rather out of fear of losing him. There are other men out there waiting for her -- kinder, more considerate and eagerly available. But for Yuko, there is only the non-committal, yet torridly magnetic Yutaka. Why him? Not even Yuko seems to know the answer.
Kenji Shiraishi is involved in the trafficking of illegal immigrants from China to Japan. One such case leaves an immigrant child to be an orphan. Instead of selling him along with others that arrived, Kenji flees with the boy to look after him and make an attempt at everyday life. The people after the boy, unexpected encounters with long-lost family members, and his vengeful nature are standing in the way of his future.
Kaoru, a wealthy woman whose youth is fading, abandons the hustle and bustle of the city to live a peaceful life in a house on the coast. There she takes care of an old deaf, dumb and blind man as if he were an insect, a child or a pet. He can’t do anything for himself, so she feeds him and accompanies him on his walks. This strong mutual dependency offers Kaoru an escape from society and allows her to free herself from restrictions imposed by common sense.
Maya is a photographer. She takes photos related to the eyeball. Kunio is a neurosurgeon and an independent documentary film director. He is interested on making a documentary about Maya. A mysterious eyeball collector watches for Maya's own eyeballs.
A trio of journalists receive a mysterious DVD from an unknown source. The young woman journalist decides to watch the DVD and disappears. Her two friends begin an investigation into her disappearance that turns up a video she shot while watching the DVD they received in the mail. Upon viewing it appears she was not alone in her apartment. Who is the mystery woman seen only in a reflection and what caused the young lady to commit suicide?
Four beautiful sisters are entrusted with taking care of Kinjiro, a giant salamander and national treasure. Rumors spread that Kinjiro is an impostor, so a genius x-ray technician is sent to run some tests.
Midori Mantani and Masao Minamisawa are both 28-years-old. They have dated for 4 years, but their relationship seems to be just going through the motions. They think about breaking up. At that time, Midori becomes pregnant. Midori and Masao decide to marry. While preparing for their wedding, they become more familiar with each other's background. Midori Mantani grew up with parents who ran an iron factory in a provincial city that didn't offer much in terms of culture. Unlike Midori, Masao Minamisawa grew up in Tokyo and his family was wealthy. His father worked as a photographer and his mother was a doctor. He now works as a web designer. The couple begin to have a better understanding of each other.
A Letter from Hiroshima explores themes of apology and remembrance. Suwa sends a letter to a Korean actress (Kim Ho-jung) he has worked with in the past requesting her assistance to write and direct a film about Hiroshima. Ho-jung arrives at her hotel and is told to explore the city and wait for Suwa. Initially confused, Ho-Jung soon finds the city mesmerizing and spends days learning about the tragic bombing and the effects that are still felt in the city today. With sparse dialogue and just a handful of characters, Suwa uses black and white images of Hiroshima to convey the scope of the tragedy. In one particularly poignant moment, the voice of a mother is heard lamenting the fact that she had scolded her daughter the day of the bombing. We next see Ho-jung crying in her hotel room, ignoring the ringing phone.
