Beijing Watermelon (北京的西瓜)

Featuring

Bengal, Masako Motai

Yasufumi Hayashi Haruhiko Saito, Takashi Sasano, Hana Kino, Akira Emoto

Ryo Amamiya, Kazue Tsunogae, Takako Kitamura, Satomi Kobayashi, Wakaba lrie

Toru Minegishi, Mitsu yo Asaka

Lei Han, Li Juan, Yang Mao Dan, Zhuang Pei Yuan, Fan Oing Ling, Wu Yue

And the Chinese students in Japan

A Nobuhiko Obayashi Movie

Come on up! A Nobuhiko Obayashi Movie

Come on up! Beijing Watermelon

Beijing Watermelon

Come get your produce here! Beijing Watermelon

May, 1989, Japan

We were filming a movie in Funabashi, Chiba,

with a group of young actors and students from China.

This film is based on the true story about

a Japanese grocer and a group of Chinese students.

Shut up. I already know.

How many years do you think I've been doing this?

Well, then...

Around the time the sun rises

The boss comes home

Ah, what a carefree life

With the tracks so wet,

I don't think Dairinyo's gonna win the race.

It has a good last push so you never know.

Today I'm buying consecutives from number 5.

- What do you think of 5-6? - 7-8 all the way.

- No, 5-6 is my mother's birthday. - Stop clowning around.

- Hey, there's a great daikon radish here. - Cut it out.

It's so confusing!

With so much rain, the daikons are pretty thin.

Yes, Horikoshi residence.

My sweet honey works so hard...

That's expensive!

This is good!

30 yen!

Oh shoot, I'm late!

I'm gonna get another earful from the boss.

- Good morning. - Morning! Welcome back!

Boss, we're here.

You must be tired.

Welcome back!

What's going on? How can you read manga in the morning?

- Yumi, you hurry too! - Okay!

But it's really interesting.

Oh, what a great orange!

Shut up!

How things have changed.

The kids used to get so excited when I got home.

Nowadays, they don't even care.

Look like it'll be a hot day.

Hey, Yasuo! Hurry up and get more boxes!

I heard that people

who read too much manga don't make it in life.

I don't care about making it big.

Oh no, today's sunny? That means there's gym!

This sucks.

- Honey, how much is the daikon today? - 100 yen.

Dad! Should I make it in life?

What are you saying? It's all about how you look at things.

Okay, here's your newspaper!

Don't hit my head!

Have a good day!

Boss, are you calling it quits?

I stick to my budget. Horse races are good, clean fun.

Plus, it's around the time the shop gets busy.

- We've only lost today. - Idiot!

We'll win next time. Hope is key when betting on races.

Hope, huh?

- Bye, bye! - See you again.

- Ma'am. - Welcome!

Cucumbers and tomatoes!

Welcome!

Which tomatoes?

Ma'am, you can just get everything at the supermarket.

I only buy meat there!

Well said. Take a look at our fruits and vegetables.

The freshness and prices are much better here!

Ma'am, you're too kind!

Fresh - Cheap - Best Service See? Yaoharu's vegetables are number one.

Thank you so much.

Hey, 100 yen for a cabbage? Can't you do something?

I can't compete with you. Alright, I'll make it 10 yen more!

- 110 yen? - Stop fooling around!

That's why I like you!

Thank you very much.

Here.

- What about tomatoes? - Oh, I don't need any...

Oh, hi! What are you doing here?

Thanks again!

Thank you!

I'll be back tomorrow.

Welcome!

Thank you!

He's still here.

- What could he want? - Public health inspector?

Don't be stupid. Why would they come here?

It's just that... he's been doing that for so long.

Think he's making fun of us?

Maybe he's a spy.

A spy?

You know, from the supermarket...

- they're inspecting. - I'm off again!

Are you joking? Why would they need to spy on an open store like ours?

We do pretty well here. I bet they came to check out the prices.

No way.

Yumi, I told you not to use the store entrance.

It's fine. There aren't any customers.

Yes, there is...

Hey, go sprinkle some cleansing salt.

YAOHARU GROCERS

Hey, honey, he's here again!

That strange guy from yesterday.

- Oops! - I'm home!

Welcome home! You must be wet!

Honey, stay calm and peaceful, okay?

It's 50 yen for one?

That's expensive.

Expensive.

Hey, are you trying to haggle with me?

Hey, careful. Can you close your umbrella inside the store?

I want some of these but they're all expensive.

I can't buy them.

Well, then don't buy them.

I can't do without vegetables.

Do you know what you're saying?

Our vegetables aren't the same as the ones you find elsewhere.

Look at the gloss on this... never mind.

If you're not buying you're in the way, so please leave.

I can't stand it. He's trying to haggle.

- Gotta be joking. - I think he's foreign.

- Are you Chinese? - Yes! I'm a student from China!

- Oh, I see! - We're not expensive!

Well, it's not that we're expensive,

but it appears expensive to a person from China, right?

- Yes, it's not that you're expensive. - In China, this is 5 yen.

5 Yen?

It's a different country! What can I do?

- Give him a discount! - No way.

He's been coming here like this since yesterday!

No way. You gotta be kidding me.

Come on! If you skip the race tracks for a day, we can recover the loss!

- What are you saying? - The races are about hope, right?

Be quiet!

What do you mean, "hope"?

Fine, so how much would you buy it for?

10 yen!

What a joke!

That's 50 yen!

I'd be losing money. No way.

Why don't you decide by playing a game?

You know, janken.

If you win, he gives up and goes home.

Cucumbers, please!

But if he wins, he gets it for 10 yen.

What's janken?

Hold on, please...

It's a game -there's scissors, rock and paper.

Oh, I know it! We have it in China too!

Great, this will be quick. They do it in China too!

- What? - Janken!

Alright, let's compete for it.

Hey, he's all ready to go!

Fine. Just one try, okay?

Ready?

Wait... If you lose, you have to go home, okay?

Oh, I've already lost to your intensity.

Ready... Janken, PON!

I won! Yes! I won.

Great, just take them all!

- Well then, this... and this... - 10 yen. All 10 yen.

- This too. - Hey, just the bok choy!

Hey, we didn't say eggplant and tomatoes!

- Just take them all. - Honey, you lost!

50 yen, please!

- We're home. - Welcome home.

I bumped into Toru, so we came back together.

Oh, together, huh?

Hey, I told you, not through the store.

He says we can't go in this way.

Hello! Thanks again for yesterday, ma'am.

Oh, welcome...

He's here, honey.

Oh, you again!

No, no. Not today!

You'll lose again. No confidence.

- What the hell did you say? - Honey!

You see, we can't play janken everyday...

We have to sell, otherwise we'll go out of business.

Yes, yes, it's true.

- So give up and go home. - Sorry, dear!

Honey...

Hey.

- This is it, okay? - "It"?

I'm saying this is the final time.

The rules can be the same as yesterday.

- Mom... - What is it?

- This is the last time, okay? - Stop wearing my jacket!

You have others!