From an impoverished life in a fishing village on an island, a modern Japanese family moves to live the life of pioneers in the far northern reaches of Japan. Even with the extensive overpopulation in the south of the country, these regions are still relatively undeveloped and underpopulated. Japan extends from the rainy tropics nearly to the Arctic Circle, and most people are not prepared to live in the harsh climate of the north. Without becoming melodramatic, this film sensitively follows their progress and hardships, including the death of a child while they are en route. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi