Many of us dream of walking down the aisle with the one we love, envisioning a life filled with simple joys and shared experiences, exploring the world together.
But what happens when the harsh realities of life clash with our idealized notions of love? Do we stand firm in our commitment, or do we succumb to the pressures of the world around us?
This is a question that likely resonates with many. In the film “Lost Paradise,” Ichiro and Matsuko grapple with precisely this dilemma.
Ichiro and Matsuko are deeply in love. A special dish for them is duck with water dropwort. Whenever Matsuko craves it, Ichiro makes sure to prepare it for her.
They could have continued enjoying their water dropwort duck together, but fate had other plans. Their relationship was doomed from the start, as it was built on a foundation of infidelity.
A Fateful Encounter
In the film, both Ichiro and Matsuko are married to other people. Ichiro’s wife, Fumie, is a ceramic designer. They have been married for many years and have a daughter. Their life is uneventful, marked by a polite but distant relationship.
The monotony of their marriage has eroded their feelings for each other. The initial excitement has faded, leaving Ichiro feeling trapped and unfulfilled. They lack common interests, and their relationship feels more like that of acquaintances than a married couple.
Fate intervenes when Ichiro meets Matsuko, a calligraphy teacher. Matsuko is also married, and like Ichiro, she is unhappy in her marriage. Her husband, Toshio, subjects her to emotional neglect.
Their shared experiences draw Ichiro and Matsuko together, and they find solace in each other’s company. They embark on an affair that is frowned upon by society.
Some may argue that such films should not be made, as they seem to condone infidelity. However, I believe that this film delves into the complexities of human nature.
Before their paths crossed, both Ichiro and Matsuko led seemingly stable lives.
To the outside world, Ichiro appears to be a success story. He has a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and a thriving career. However, appearances can be deceiving.
Ichiro has long grown weary of his marriage. After decades with his wife, he feels numb and longs for excitement and a connection with someone who understands him.
While Ichiro may view Fumie as unremarkable, she is, in fact, a refined and well-educated woman who treats others with respect.
Since marrying, she has dedicated herself to her family, caring for her husband and raising their daughter. She is the epitome of a devoted wife in the eyes of her neighbors. Now, let’s turn our attention to Matsuko.
Matsuko, too, has been married for many years. However, unlike Ichiro, she does not have any children, largely due to her husband, Toshio.
Toshio is a respected and skilled doctor who is admired at the hospital. He gives his best to his patients, earning the praise of the entire hospital.
At home, however, he is cold and unfeeling. He ignores Matsuko’s needs and is oblivious to the joys of a loving marriage.
Matsuko is unhappy in her marriage. She yearns for love, but receives none in return. She feels unappreciated both emotionally and physically. Her life is stagnant and devoid of excitement.
A Rescuing Soul
Without Ichiro, Matsuko’s life would have continued on this path until the end. Ichiro is 12 years older than Matsuko. They meet at a calligraphy class, where Matsuko is drawn to Ichiro’s talent.
As they spend more time together, they grow closer and begin a flirtatious relationship. They go to many places together, holding hands, hugging, and kissing like young lovers.
Matsuko feels a warmth she has never experienced before. As night falls, she can no longer contain her desires. She undresses and embraces Ichiro, and they consummate their relationship.
Matsuko’s pent-up desires are finally released, and Ichiro gives her a renewed sense of hope. However, such moments are fleeting. Their affair must be conducted in secret, and their meetings are brief to avoid detection.
Sometimes they spend a night together, sometimes a day. As their feelings deepen, they decide to meet twice a week.
They often use excuses such as business trips or overtime to deceive their families. They are always cautious, fearing discovery.
As the saying goes, walls have ears. Despite their precautions, their families begin to suspect their affair.
Toshio knows about Matsuko’s affair and uses it to blackmail her. He claims to have evidence of her infidelity and threatens to expose her if she insists on a divorce.
Meanwhile, Ichiro’s marriage to Fumie is also in crisis. Ichiro is tired of their polite but distant relationship and prefers the excitement he finds with Matsuko.
He wants to be with Matsuko openly, but Toshio’s threats dash their hopes. Marriage is like a fortress: those on the outside want to get in, while those on the inside want to get out.
Every marriage begins with excitement and anticipation, but these feelings often diminish over time.
In the face of a monotonous life, marriage can devolve into petty conflicts that erode patience and cherished memories.
When all is lost, marriage loses its meaning. A loveless marriage is a tragedy that can trap us like a prison, causing us to lose our way.
If we fail to break free, we will pay the price for this mistake for the rest of our lives.
A Series of Wrong Choices
An extramarital affair is a testing ground. Some people come to their senses, while others make one wrong choice after another. Matsuko and Ichiro fall into the latter category
When love arrives, they only care about the pleasure they are experiencing. The biggest turning point in Matsuko and Ichiro’s relationship is the death of Matsuko’s father.
Matsuko and Ichiro are together when her father passes away. Neither of them expects this to happen. The next day, they say goodbye as usual, making plans for their next meeting.
When Matsuko returns home, Toshio tells her that her father has died. Matsuko kneels before her father’s altar and weeps, blaming herself for neglecting her father in pursuit of pleasure.
By this point, Matsuko’s affair is an open secret.
When she returns home from another meeting, her mother warns her to be careful. Matsuko says nothing and goes straight to her room.
The affair affects not only Matsuko’s life, but also the lives of Ichiro’s family.
Ichiro’s adult daughter brings her boyfriend home, hoping for her parents’ blessing. However, when she arrives, she finds only her mother, not her father.
Fumie says that Ichiro is busy with work, but her daughter is unconvinced, believing that her father is simply making excuses.
Both families are aware of Ichiro and Matsuko’s affair, but they avoid discussing it out of embarrassment. If they had come to their senses at that point, they might not have ended up committing suicide.
Matsuko and Ichiro do not curb their behavior. Instead, they become bolder. Ichiro rents a house where they can meet regularly.
Ichiro tells Matsuko that this is their home. This gesture gives Matsuko, who has just lost her father, a sense of security that her husband, Toshio, cannot provide.
At this house, Ichiro makes her water dropwort duck and they enjoy each other’s company. After much deliberation, they decide to end their affair and be together openly.
Ichiro immediately goes home and asks his wife for a divorce. Fumie does not try to stop him and accepts his decision. Toshio’s reaction, however, is different.
Toshio reports Matsuko and Ichiro’s affair to their employers, making them social outcasts. Ichiro is forced to resign, and Matsuko suffers another mental breakdown.
Despite the pressure, they refuse to give up on each other and return to their home, where they embrace and weep.
Unwilling to part, they take a drastic measure and commit suicide on a trip, hoping to be together in another world. Matsuko and Ichiro’s love story ends here. They lie together in the snow, never to be separated again.
Life offers many opportunities, and marriage is just one small part of it. Sacrificing one’s entire life for fleeting pleasure is, in my opinion, not worth it.
Desire is humanity’s greatest enemy. If we are controlled by our desires, we will fall into hell like Ichiro and Matsuko, with no hope of redemption.