A Distant Cry from Spring

After Tamiko Kazami's husband passes away, she works their dairy farm. People around her oppose her, but she places her cattle out to pasture which her late husband insisted. Tamiko's situation is not very good. Her father-in-law's chronic disease gets worse and she must do all the labor by herself. One night, a man comes to stay the night because of a broken bike. Tamiko asks him "Please work here."

Moriyama Kosaku is released from a Hokkaido prison on parole. After he salutes the prison officers, he approaches a car that is stopped nearby. A mysterious woman Kana is waiting in the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, Kazami Tamiko’s aunt Suzue visits her ranch in Nakashibetsu and laments about the changes in Tamiko’s only son Takeshi. Five years ago, Kosaku was arrested right in front of the boy. That episode caused Takeshi to turn into a completely introverted and eccentric youth who obsessively plays the piano. Furthermore, Abuta comes over and expresses concern about junior high school music teacher Nishikawa’s frequent visits to the Kazamis. He proceeds to inform Tamiko that Kosaku has been released from prison. Even though Tamiko had attempted to forget Kosaku who never replied to any of the letters that she sent to the prison, the news makes her heart stir all of a sudden.