The Women
Onna-tachi, Onnatachi, おんなたち, 女たち
Misaki lives in a rural town situated among lush, green mountains beneath a clear blue sky. Despite graduating from a Tokyo university, she was unable to find the job she hoped for due to a lack of opportunities that befell her generation. Everything has gone badly for her and now she is turning 40. However, she has dreams of marrying Naoki, the caregiver of her elderly handicapped mother Mitsuko who pays visits to their home. Her clandestine meetings with Naoki are one of Misaki's oases from her mother's verbal abuse. The other is the bee farm run by her childhood friend Kaori. The honey that Kaori diligently makes is sweet, mild, and soothing. But then, Misaki is betrayed by Naoki. And Kaori abruptly dies. These events drive Misaki's heart to the brink of bursting.