Overview
A journey through memory reveals the beauty of simplicity and the complexity of love.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- nostalgic
- wistful
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Isao Takahata's psychologically acute, beautifully crafted meditation on memory, adulthood, and women's lives as a work of universal quality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Taeko's 1980s countryside journey is intercut with memories of her ten-year-old self in Tokyo.
Taeko's agricultural stay in the countryside is set against memories of school life and family routines in Tokyo.
Taeko's adult choices and memories prompt reflection on marriage, work, family, and the situation of women in Japanese society.
The film finds visual richness in schoolrooms, family meals, countryside labor, and seasonal landscapes rather than spectacle.
Films like Only Yesterday, and why
Whisper of the Heart
shared reflective coming-of-age drama, rural setting, and gentle meditation on adulthood and memory
The Wind Rises
shared studio ghibli craftsmanship, intimate emotional storytelling, and romance shaped by personal growth
The Tree of Life
shared nostalgic tone, childhood reminiscence, and contemplative examination of identity and life choices
Movie Details
- Director
- Isao Takahata
- Release Date
- 1991-07-20
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (1297)
Cast
- Miki Imai
- Yoko Honna
- Toshiro Yanagiba
- Yorie Yamashita
- Yuki Minowa
- Masahiro Ito
- Michie Terada
- Chie Kitagawa
- Mayumi Izuka
- Yuuki Masuda
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Only Yesterday about?
- A reflective Studio Ghibli drama follows a Tokyo office worker whose rural escape brings childhood memories into conversation with her adult choices.
- What is Only Yesterday like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Only Yesterday as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Only Yesterday violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Only Yesterday.
- What did critics think of Only Yesterday?
- Critics broadly regard Isao Takahata's psychologically acute, beautifully crafted meditation on memory, adulthood, and women's lives as a work of universal quality.
- Which films are like Only Yesterday?
- Films with a similar feel include Whisper of the Heart, The Wind Rises, and The Tree of Life.
- How long is Only Yesterday?
- Only Yesterday runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch Only Yesterday?
- In United States, Only Yesterday streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
