The Garden of Words

This short film follows Takao Akizuki, a 15 year old amateur shoe-maker who often skips classes to practice. With an unsupportive and broken family, he tends to visit the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden when it rains for the peace it provides as well as a place to make his shoes in solitude. One rainy day he comes across a mysterious 27-year-old woman named Yukino. Both looking for a friend, they wind up unconsciously wanting to meet on rainy mornings, and it soon becomes a tradition between the two. While Takao is skipping his classes to design shoes, Yukino is also avoiding work due to deep personal problems. When Takao learns Yukino's identity, the two grow closer and both learn that they have been teaching each other "how to walk". Shinaki perfectly demonstrates feelings of longing and sadness, with just a glimmer of hope in this melancholic masterpiece.