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In the context of Yasujirō Ozu’s Tokyo Story (1953), mono no aware (literally "the pathos of things") refers to a deep, bittersweet awareness of the transience of all things. It is not a state of loud, tragic grief, but rather a quiet, resigned appreciation for the beauty inherent in the passing of time and the inevitable cycles of life and death.
In Ozu's work, particularly in Tokyo Story, this concept manifests in several specific ways:
The central conflict of the film—the elderly parents visiting their busy, indifferent children in Tokyo—could easily have been a melodrama about "bad" children. However, through the lens of mono no aware, Ozu treats the children’s selfishness (Koichi and Shige) not as a moral failing, but as a natural, inevitable consequence of life.
As the parents, Shūkichi and Tomi, realize they have become a burden, they do not react with anger. Instead, they accept it with a gentle, sad smile. This is best captured in Shūkichi’s famous observation: "Children are a disappointment." He says this without bitterness, acknowledging that as children grow and start their own lives, the bond with the parents must naturally fray. The sadness comes from the realization that this is "just how life is."
The character of Noriko (the widow of the parents' middle son) is the emotional anchor of mono no aware. Unlike the biological children, she treats the parents with profound kindness. Yet, she is the one who most explicitly voices the philosophy.
At the end of the film, when the youngest daughter, Kyōko, complains about her siblings' selfishness following their mother's death, Noriko gently disagrees. She explains that everyone eventually changes and drifts away from their family to focus on their own lives. When Kyōko asks, "Isn't life disappointing?" Noriko replies with a faint smile, "Yes, it is." This scene encapsulates the concept: a calm acknowledgment of life’s inherent sadness without the desire to fight against it.
Ozu’s famous "pillow shots"—still-life-like transitions of landscapes, smokestacks, drying laundry, or train tracks—are visual expressions of mono no aware.
By cutting away from the human drama to an inanimate object or a quiet landscape, Ozu reminds the viewer that the world exists independently of human suffering. These shots provide a "breath" in the narrative, placing the characters' small, personal tragedies against the backdrop of an eternal, unchanging world. They emphasize that while individuals die and families dissolve, the world continues its rhythm.
The death of the mother, Tomi, is handled with extreme restraint. There is no deathbed scene; she simply passes away. The reaction of the father, Shūkichi, is the ultimate example of the "pathos of things."
After her death, he is seen standing alone, looking at the sunrise, commenting on how beautiful the day is going to be. He is grieving, but he is also appreciative of the beauty of the morning. This juxtaposition of personal loss and the beauty of the natural world is the essence of mono no aware. He accepts that his time with his wife has ended and that his own solitary old age has begun.
Ozu’s signature low camera height (placed about three feet off the ground, the eye level of someone sitting on a tatami mat) creates a sense of "looking up" at the world with a sense of humility and calm. This perspective discourages dramatic movement and encourages the viewer to observe the quiet, small details of domestic life—the steam from a kettle, the placement of a tea cup—investing these "ordinary" things with a sense of sacredness and fleeting beauty.
In Tokyo Story, mono no aware is the realization that nothing lasts. The traditional family is dissolving, children grow apart from parents, and loved ones die. Ozu doesn’t ask the audience to cry out against these injustices; he asks us to observe them with a "sympathetic sadness." By accepting that life is transient and often disappointing, one can find a profound, quiet peace in the moments that remain.
The summary misses the significance of the watch Noriko receives from Shūkichi. It is a key symbol of time passing and the generational torch being passed, central to the film's treatment of mono no aware.
Trains are a recurring motif in the film representing the passage of time and the physical/emotional distance between family members, which is highly relevant to mono no aware.
In Tokyo Story, mono no aware (the pathos of things) is the central theme, depicted through the acceptance of life's transience and the inevitable dissolution of the family unit. Key manifestations include: 1) Acceptance of Disappointment: Shūkichi and Noriko accept that children naturally drift apart from parents (expressed in the line "One mustn't expect too much" and Noriko's agreement that life is disappointing). 2) Ellipsis of Death: The mother's death is treated with restraint; the moment of death is elided, focusing instead on the survivors' quiet grief and the indifference of the world (symbolized by Shūkichi admiring the sunrise). 3) Pillow Shots: Static shots of landscapes and objects (smokestacks, laundry) punctuate the narrative, suggesting that the world continues indifferent to human sorrow. 4) Visual Style: The low "tatami" camera angle creates a contemplative, humble perspective.