Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his job as a cellist when his orchestra is disbanded. He and his wife Mika (Ryōko Hirosue) move from Tokyo to his hometown in Yamagata, where they live in his childhood … 查看更多內容

As they are the movie's "central dramatic piece", the encoffining ceremonies in Departures have received extensive commentary. Mike Scott, for instance, wrote in 查看更多內容

The taboo subject of Departures made prospective distributors wary of taking on the film. Surveys conducted at pre-release screenings placed it at the bottom of the list of films … 查看更多內容

• Adams, James (11 June 2009). "What a nice funeral – and dull too". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
• Aera staff (30 September 2013). "Jakkan 31-sai no kōchō ga 'Okuribito Akademī' ni kaketa omoi" 弱冠31歳の校長が「おくりびとアカデミー」に懸けた思い 查看更多內容

Cultural background
Japanese funerals are highly ritualized affairs which are generally—though not always—conducted in accordance with Buddhist rites. In preparation for the funeral, the body is washed and the orifices are … 查看更多內容

Several critics discussed the theme of death found in Departures. Scott highlighted the contrast between the taboo of death and the value of jobs related to it. He also noted the role of the encoffiner in showing "one last act of compassion" by presenting the … 查看更多內容

Reviews
Departures received generally positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes sampled 108 reviewers and judged an 80% approval rating, with an average score of 7.06 out of 10. The … 查看更多內容