Film Review: Perfect DaysWim Wenders discovers tranquility in Tokyo's toilets

Komorebi (pronounced kō-mō-leh-bē) is a Japanese term that combines the kanjis for tree, leak, and sun, describing the beauty of sunlight filtering through trees and the peaceful reflection these dancing shadows evoke. Komorebi was also the original title for Wim Wenders’ 2023 film Perfect Days, which follows the quiet, contemplative life of a 60-year-old Japanese toilet cleaner, Hirayama (Kōji Hashimoto).

Hirayama’s routine is meticulous. He rises at dawn in his modest home, softly lit by purple and green lamps for his tree saplings. Dressed in his navy jumpsuit, he collects his keys and buys a canned coffee (sweetened) from a vending machine. He pops one of his many cassettes into the stereo (The Best of The Animals) and cruises past Tokyo Tower until he reaches Shibuya. Hirayama’s commute feels more like a pilgrimage than a chore.

At work, he approaches each task with ritualistic care. Equipped with a pocket mirror to check the underside of the toilet bowls, he knocks before entering and steps outside if nature calls for someone. During these pauses, Hirayama gazes at swaying trees, admiring their fluidity. Lunch is a sandwich (with the crusts cut off) eaten in a public garden, while photographing trees with his Olympus point-and-shoot.

After work, Hirayama bikes to a bathhouse, then stops at an izakaya, where the barman greets him like an old friend and rewards him with a meal after a ‘hard day’s work’. Before bed, Hirayama reads under the glow of a single lamp, eventually falling asleep and dreaming of dissolving monochrome snapshots, trees and nature nestling in his mind. These dreamy, evocative visions serve as the gentle divider between each of Hirayama’s fulfilling days.

This routine is the linchpin of Perfect Days. What may seem monotonous to others is, for Hirayama, a life of quiet introspection. Wenders, with cinematographer Franz Lustig, captures Tokyo’s urban serenity through lingering, still shots, uncovering gold in the crevices of the city. A public toilet (surprisingly) transforms into an opportunity for contemplation and quiet revelation. The ambient sounds of the city, rustling leaves, and flowing park streams create a soothing backdrop for Hirayama’s hermit-like existence. The film’s soundtrack, featuring Patti Smith, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone, may be an unexciting choice, but it envelops Perfect Days in a nostalgic warmth, reflecting Hirayama’s attachment to a simpler, bygone era.

In this film, Wenders captures the essence of Komorebi, celebrating simply being. Unlike the ambition-driven narratives common in Western cinema, this film celebrates intentional living, where meaning is found in the voiceless, everyday moments. Wenders reminds viewers to embrace contentment in the present, rather than always pursuing the future. So, pause, breathe deeply, and put Perfect Days on the telly – maybe even enjoy a crustless sandwich. After all, in our pursuit of the future, we fail to embrace contentment in the present.

Words by Grace Richards
First published in Issue 3 of BOTHER magazine December 2024