Departures Film Analysis

Departures is an award-winning Japanese film about a young man who returns to his small hometown and works as an undertaker after an orchestra in Tokyo he is a member is disbanded. The Japanese name of the film is Okuribito, which means "the one who sends off" and describes Daito 's career as someone who prepares bodies before they are placed in coffins to be cremated. Daito 's job involves cleaning, clothing, and making up the person to the family 's liking before they say their goodbyes. Departures explores the themes of death, family, and the importance of making sure that the deceased and their families are respected during tragedy. The film provides insight into the handling of dead bodies in Japan, Japanese food, and bathhouses. Bathhouses are not as popular as the used to be in Japan but they are still found around the country, especially in smaller towns. Bathhouses are not found in the United States and as a result, do not hold the cultural significance that they do in Japan. In Japan, bathhouses date back to times when people did not have their own personal bathrooms, and as a result, the local community shared a place where they would all go and bathe together. Originally, bathhouses were not separated into separate male and female sections and the two genders bathed …show more content…
The film shows bathhouses as important locations in small towns that the people rely on for both the service and to interact with the people of their home community. Departures also emphasizes treating the dead and their families with respect through the way that they are ceremonially dressed and prepared before being cremated. The film in some of its lighter moments also provides insight into Japanese meals, such as the special meal that is eaten on Christmas. Overall, Departures is an emotional look into the life of a mortuary worker and portrays ideas about death and the deceased in