Character Relationship Map: Only Yesterday

Characters

• Taeko Okajima (played by Miki Imai) — protagonist

  Central protagonist. A 27-year-old unmarried Tokyo office worker whose train journey to the countryside triggers vivid childhood memories from 1966. She reflects on her first crush, family arguments,...

• Toshio (played by Toshiro Yanagiba) — protagonist

  A former city dweller who returned to his family's farm out of passion. He picks up Taeko upon her arrival, engages her in thoughtful conversations about farming and personal struggles, and gradually...

• Taeko (played by Yoko Honna) — supporting

  The ten-year-old version of the protagonist during 1966. She navigates childhood experiences like her first crush, school struggles with fractions, family arguments over gifts, and discovering a talen...

• Father (played by Masahiro Itou) — supporting

  The patriarch of the Okajima family during the 1960s. He enforces strict household rules, notably slapping his ten-year-old daughter for walking barefoot outside, reflecting post-war economic hardship...

• Yaeko (played by Yuki Minowa) — supporting

  Taeko's elder sister who becomes involved in a childhood conflict over an old purse. Her refusal to provide a new one triggers Taeko's sulking and subsequent barefoot run outside, resulting in her fat...

• Mother (played by Michie Terada) — supporting

  The household matriarch during the 1960s. She is briefly depicted when her young cousin Naoko unsuccessfully asks her for Puma sneakers, highlighting the family's social dynamics and the era's materia...

• Nanako (played by Yorie Yamashita) — supporting

  Taeko's eldest sister, whose in-laws reside in the Yamagata countryside. Taeko visits to assist with the safflower harvest, serving as the primary motivation for Taeko's journey and the subsequent ref...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Father → Taeko Okajima (father)

  角色名包含关系词: father

• Mother → Taeko (Family Mother)

  Mother is depicted as part of the household when young cousin Naoko asks her unsuccessfully for Puma sneakers.

• Father → Taeko (Family Father)

  The plot identifies Father as the patriarch and shows him disciplining his ten-year-old daughter.

• Taeko Okajima → Toshio (Romantic Emerging Romance)

  Toshio suggests that the ill-mannered boy may have liked Taeko and implies his own feelings; Taeko realizes how easy it is to talk with him and begins...

• Taeko Okajima → Taeko (Temporal Past Self)

  Taeko Okajima's train journey triggers memories of herself as a ten-year-old schoolgirl in 1966, and her past self later appears to convince her to st...

• Taeko Okajima → Yaeko (Family Sister)

  Young Taeko asks Yaeko for an old purse, and their disagreement contributes to Taeko's sulking.

• Taeko Okajima → Nanako (Family Sister)

  Taeko travels to visit Nanako's in-laws and help with the safflower harvest.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Taeko → Toshio (Social Memory Confidant)

  Taeko tells Toshio about the ill-mannered schoolboy and discusses her childhood experiences with him during the drive.

• Yaeko → Taeko (Conflict Sibling Rivalry)

  Yaeko is asked to give Taeko an old purse, and the ensuing argument leaves Taeko sulking.

Story Analysis

An adult woman reinterprets childhood memories before choosing a future rooted in rural life and emotional connection.

Plot Progression

1. A Train Toward Memory
2. Childhood Wants and Wounds
3. The Cost of Growing Up
4. A Life Reconsidered
5. The Choice to Stay