The Zen Diary

Tsutomu is an essayist living a solitary life in the mountains of Nagano. He spends his days gardening, foraging for wild mushrooms and fruit, and preparing meals based on Zen principles. While he appears content with this peaceful routine, he struggles with the grief of losing his wife thirteen years prior and cannot bring himself to bury her ashes. His quiet existence is occasionally interrupted by visits from Machiko, his editor and romantic partner, with whom he shares seasonal meals.

The drama was directed and written by Yuji Nakae and produced by Office Shirous. The film features Kenji Sawada in the role of Tsutomu and Takako Matsu as Machiko, supported by a cast that includes Naomi Nishida, Toshinori Omi, Fumi Dan, and Shōhei Hino. Released on November 11, 2022, the movie has a runtime of 112 minutes. On TMDB, it holds a rating of 7.2/10 based on 13 votes.