Home Sweet Home / Waga ya wa tanoshi (1951) dir. Noboru Nakamura

There’s no place like home:even with four children,the Uemura family is able to live a modest but happy life in their cramped, rented flat. The parents support the two elder daughters’ artistic ambitions to the best of their ability, using all the means at their disposal to make it possible for Tomoko to paint and Nobuko to sing in a choir. There is much rejoicing when the father is honoured for 25 years of service at his company and awarded a cash prize to boot. Yet the family must make the painful discovery that joy and sorrow are often not far apart: not only does recognition as a painter continue to elude Tomoko, the Uemuras also learn that they will have to leave their home. One of Tomoko’s paintings finally restores their lost happiness.