Little Forest: Summer/Autumn
A city escapee rebuilds her sense of self through seasonal cooking, farming, and quiet communion with her mountain hometown.
Overview
A journey back to nature reveals the healing power of simplicity and self-sufficiency.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- contemplative
- gentle
- intimate
- quiet evening
- rainy day
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ichiko repeatedly gathers seasonal ingredients and turns them into carefully prepared meals that connect daily survival with memory and identity.
Ichiko leaves the city and regains energy through self-sufficient living, agriculture, and immersion in Komori's natural rhythms.
Farming, cooking, preservation, and observation of the Tohoku landscape carry the film's emotional movement.
Young Ichiko appears in flashback, while present-day recipes and village experiences evoke her earlier relationship with home and family.
Films like Little Forest: Summer/Autumn, and why
Our Little Sister
shared contemplative rural slice of life, seasonal food preparation, and intimate attention to nature
Sweet Bean
shared japanese countryside setting, gentle pacing, domestic rituals, and food-centered emotional storytelling
The Tale of Iya
shared quiet rural drama, self-sufficient living, and restorative connection with the natural world
Movie Details
- Director
- Junichi Mori
- Release Date
- 2014-08-30
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (124)
Cast
- Ai Hashimoto
- Takahiro Miura
- Mayu Matsuoka
- Yoichi Nukumizu
- Karen Kirishima
- Momone Shinokawa
Common questions
- What is Little Forest: Summer/Autumn about?
- A city escapee rebuilds her sense of self through seasonal cooking, farming, and quiet communion with her mountain hometown.
- What is Little Forest: Summer/Autumn like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Little Forest: Summer/Autumn as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Little Forest: Summer/Autumn violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Little Forest: Summer/Autumn.
- Which films are like Little Forest: Summer/Autumn?
- Films with a similar feel include Our Little Sister, Sweet Bean, and The Tale of Iya.
- How long is Little Forest: Summer/Autumn?
- Little Forest: Summer/Autumn runs 111 minutes.
