Set in the Tokachi region of the 1950s, "The Bride on the Horse-drawn Sleigh" (Basori no Hanayome) is a short film that depicts the bond between people and horses, forged since the pioneering days, and the lives of the people of that era. Why did the film shine a spotlight on the little-known connection between "horse-drawn sleighs" and "brides"? What was the passion behind its creation? We spoke with the film's writer and director, Yoshiro Osaka.

The Spark for "The Bride on the Horse-drawn Sleigh"

Mr. Osaka hails from Makubetsu Town, Hokkaido. After studying filmmaking in the United States, he returned to Japan and has been working as a filmmaker based in Tokyo. While he has worked across various genres, he has also produced his own independent films. About five years ago, Mr. Osaka came across this photograph.

Photo by Kiyoshi Shoda, collection of the Obihiro Centennial City Museum

It was a piece taken in 1956 by Kiyoshi Shoda, a local photographer from Obihiro. The sight of a woman in a bridal gown riding a horse-drawn sleigh through a snowy landscape was something he had never seen before, and he intuitively felt it was a fitting subject for a film.

He immediately began gathering various documents and, through acquaintances, interviewed people who had actually been brides on horse-drawn sleighs. Through this research, he came to appreciate the immense presence of horses in an era when they were an integral part of life, as well as the timeless nature of family bonds, which remain unchanged even today. Mr. Osaka's imagination for the story grew, and he began filming in the fall of 2023.

Synopsis of "The Bride on the Horse-drawn Sleigh"

The year is 1955, in a farming village in Tokachi. Families and villagers work hard in the fields, sweating alongside their horses. Ichiko, the hardworking eldest daughter of her family, finds herself drawn to Yutaka, a young leader, at a gathering of the local youth association. At the village festival, Ichiko sings a song, and she and Yutaka connect, sharing a tender moment on a hill. As winter ends, Ichiko, dressed as a bride, is seen off by her family. She rides a horse-drawn sleigh, heading towards Yutaka—

The film's ending features the bride riding the horse-drawn sleigh to the wedding venue. Leading up to this moment, the film portrays the ordinary, everyday lives of a farming family and the townspeople, including scenes of the couple's first meeting and their marriage proposal. While a cinematic work, it is shot in a documentary-like style to recreate life in Tokachi during the 1950s.

The Hardship and Joy of Recreating a 1950s Farming Village

To create a work set in the Showa era, careful selection of locations was essential. Some of the costumes and props used were authentic items from the period, lending a sense of reality to the film. An old house found in Taiki Town was used for Ichiko's home. Areas that had been modernized over the years underwent a "reverse renovation" to restore them to their original appearance. The roof was replaced with old materials obtained from a demolition site. Furthermore, a new stable was built next to the house, with a local carpenter helping with the construction.

"I was struck by how amazed the crew from Tokyo was at the quality of the house. It shows what's possible even on an independent film," says Osaka.

People from all over Hokkaido, not just Tokyo, are involved in the production. The hair and makeup artist is a Tokachi resident who enjoys creating Showa-style hair arrangements as a hobby. Actors from Sapporo and an intern in their 20s have also joined the production staff. Although many staff members had no prior experience in filmmaking, their passion to create inspired Mr. Osaka, and the set was reportedly filled with a cheerful atmosphere throughout the shoot.

When a suitable location couldn't be found, they even went so far as to create a farm field from scratch. With the help of volunteers, they cleared a piece of land overgrown with weeds. He says this task, reminiscent of the pioneer days themselves, gave him a profound, firsthand appreciation for the value of horses. For Mr. Osaka, his impression of the strength of the horses, the Tokachi region, and its pioneers has deepened even further since before filming began.