Okaasan no Ki

In 1937, a mother of seven children faces the heart-wrenching reality of war as her three eldest sons are conscripted and sent to the front lines. Unable to protect them, she finds solace in a simple ritual: planting Paulownia tree seeds in her garden. Each seed represents a prayer, a silent plea for her sons' safe return. Day after day, she tends to the saplings, watering them with tears and hope, believing that as the trees grow, so too does the chance of seeing her boys again.

The years pass, and the war stretches on, bringing uncertainty and fear. The mother's devotion never wavers; she visits the trees daily, talking to them as if they were her sons, pouring all her love and anxiety into their care. The Paulownia trees become a living monument to her faith, standing tall against the backdrop of a world torn apart by conflict. Through the seasons of waiting, she clings to the belief that her prayers, rooted in the earth, will one day bring her family back together.