Oscar winner BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

DEPARTURES ( you can watch it at www.mysoju.com )

Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds him without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled “Departures” thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a “Nokanshi” or “encoffiner”, a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of “Nokanshi,” acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.

At first, Daigo’s wife and others refuse to accept Daigo’s disgusting profession. After they need an encoffinment service, they finally give their respect and understanding to Daigo. The job is so meaningful but not everybody have the will to do it. I do respect Daigo’s career as an encoffiner.

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Rating : 10/10


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If you had read my show reviews then you will like this show. This show portrays ( almost ) the same meaning as Shigeshoshi ( The Embalmer ) except that now we see the life of an Encoffiner but all in the same industry.

This show is very touching. Advisable to watch with your family or a girlfriend ( and watch as her tears drop ) XD.

Death is NOT a very simple topic to chat about and majority of us would prefer to shun the topic of Death itself.

This show captures the positive moments after death and...don't you want to see what happens when YOU die?

Very touching indeed with a fair share of comedy.