Yoshimitsu Miura's 1996 Film 'Haru' Explores Long-Distance Love in Pre-Internet Japan

Yoshimitsu Miura's 1996 film 'Haru' (ハル) examines long-distance relationships through the story of two strangers who meet on a film forum. The film won Best Screenplay at the Yokohama Film Festival. Protagonists Noboru Hayami (pseudonym Haru) and Mitsue Fujima (pseudonym Hoshi) exchange emails, revealing Fujima's true identity as a woman from Morioka who is a victim of stalking, while Hayami is a Tokyo office worker who gave up American football. Miura uses close-ups and wide shots to contrast urban Tokyo with rural Morioka, highlighting solitude in both settings. The film's slow pace and text-on-screen sequences echo the era's nascent internet culture, predating social media and instant messaging. Released 30 years ago, 'Haru' now serves as a documentary of late-1990s Japan, prompting reflection on how technology has accelerated human connections. The article, written by Inès Chaouachi, draws parallels to Shunji Iwai's 'All About Lily-Chou Chou' (2001).