is a 1987 Japanese drama film directed by Taku Shinjō, based on the 1985 novel by Yasuhisa Shimazaki. The film is notable for the acting debut of teen singer

Chisato Moritaka (born 11 April 1969) is a Japanese pop singer who also is notable as a songwriter. She is affiliated with Up-Front Create, a subsidiary of the Up-Front Group.

. ''Aitsu ni Koishite'' was released theatrically on May 30, 1987 as part of

Pocari Sweat is a Japanese sports drink, manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical. It was launched in 1980, and is sold across Asia and the Middle East; it is also available in Australia, Mexico and the United States. Pocari Sweat is a mild-tasting, non-carbo ...

's Movie Caravan campaign.

Plot

Hidaka, Hokkaido is a town located in Hidaka Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Geography Hidaka Town is divided into two exclaves, which coincide with the former towns of Hidaka and Monbetsu. The town of Biratori lies between the two wards separating them. Hida ...

, the Etō and Matsumae ranches rival each other over their thoroughbred horses. While the ranch owners do not see eye to eye, their grandchildren Shotarō Etō and Chisato Matsumae slowly develop feelings for each other. To prove the superiority of Hokkaido horses, Kinzō Matsumae proposes a 2,600 kilometer horseback journey across Japan. However, none of his riders are willing to take the challenge. Acting on his own, Shotarō takes Chisato's horse Gonta and embarks on the journey. Both horse and rider struggle to get along with each other while traveling to the southern tip of Hokkaido. After crossing the

Tsugaru Strait The is a strait between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point 12.1 miles ...

, Shotarō nearly freezes to death on Mount Hakkōda, but Gonta manages to carry him to a nearby inn. A local journalist learns of the duo and spreads the word on their adventure. After meeting up with Chisato in Tokyo, Shotarō and Gonta continue their journey southbound, enduring different challenges in

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

. Meanwhile, Chisato learns from Shotarō's sister Komako that the rift between the Etō and Matsumae families was caused by a car accident that killed both Shotarō and Chisato's parents, with both families blaming each other for the tragedy. Shotarō and Gonta reach the

Kanmon Straits The or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki (, which contributed "Kan" () to the name of the strait) and on the Kyushu ...

and attempt to cross it by raft after being denied a ride across the

Kanmon Roadway Tunnel In Japan, the carries National Route 2 under the Kanmon Straits. At the time of its construction, it was the longest undersea highway in the world.

, but a low-flying helicopter causes them to fall into the sea and Shotarō develops pneumonia. Shotarō's grandfather Tetsunosuke meets up with him in

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...

and urges him to return to Hidaka, but he refuses. While the duo crosses the dense forests of

Shiiba, Miyazaki 270px, traditional house in Shiiba 270px, festival in Shiiba is a village located in Higashiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 2299 in 1023 households, and a population density of 4.3 pers ...

, Gonta collapses from exhaustion and Shotarō struggles to keep him warm from the heavy rain until Gonta recovers the next day. Tetsunosuke and Kinzō settle their differences after seeing Shotarō's determination to finish the journey. Shotarō and Gonta arrive in

Kagoshima , is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Etymology While the ...

, with Chisato waiting for them among the crowd.

Cast

* Shingo Kazami as Shotarō Etō *

Hitoshi Ueki was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and guitarist. He won six awards for acting.Hitosh ...

as Tetsunosuke Etō *

Chisato Moritaka (born 11 April 1969) is a Japanese pop singer who also is notable as a songwriter. She is affiliated with Up-Front Create, a subsidiary of the Up-Front Group.

as Chisato Matsumae *

Kaku Takashina was a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 9th Hochi Film Award and at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for '' Mahjong hōrōki''. Selected filmography *''Tekken no machi'' (1947) *''Arabiya monogatari'' (1951) *''Koi ...

as Kinzō Matsumae * Eisaku Shindō as Ryūji Kanamori * Chikako Yuri as Komako Etō *

Masanori Sera Masanori Sera () is a Japanese singer and actor from Fukuyama Hiroshima. He graduated from Osaka University of Arts. As a singer Sera's rock band, Sera Masanori&TWIST appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen twice (1978 and 1979). He made his solo debu ...

as the

Hakodate is a Cities of Japan, city and seaports of Japan, port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 239,813 with 138,807 househol ...

sailor *

Shigeru Izumiya Shigeru Izumiya (泉谷しげる ''Izumiya Shigeru'', born May 11, 1948, in Aomori, raised in Meguro, Tokyo) is a Japanese poet, folk singer, actor, tarento. He established the record company For Life Records with Takuro Yoshida, Yosui Inoue, a ...

as the middle-aged

Aomori , officially Aomori City (, ), is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 264,945 in 136,781 households, and a population density of 321 people per squa ...

man *

Jun Hamamura was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1938 and 1995. Selected filmography * ''Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and Nor ...

as the Mount Hakkōda innkeeper * Kappei Ina as the Mount Hakkōda journalist *

Mitsuko Baisho is a Japanese actress whose most internationally known work has been for director Shohei Imamura, from 1979 up to the director's final film in 2010. Baisho has also appeared in films directed by Akira Kurosawa. She won awards for best actress at ...

as the

Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,098,335 in 539,698 households, making it the List of cities in Japan, twelfth most populated city in Japan. ...

wife *

Yoshio Harada was a Japanese actor and singer, known for his portrayals of rugged and complex antiheros. He received a variety of accolades, including a Japan Academy Film Prize, two Blue Ribbon Awards, two Hochi Film Awards, and five Kinema Junpo Award ...

as the Sendai husband * Kenji Sagara as the

Kōriyama is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 321,938 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 425 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city and ...

boy *

Tetsuya Takeda Tetsuya Takeda (), born April 11, 1949, is a Japanese folk singer and actor. Takeda is perhaps most known in Japan for his starring role in the Tokyo Broadcasting System's (TBS) long-running, highly rated television drama '' Sannen B Gumi Kinpa ...

as the Gasoline station man * Yūko Watanabe as the Cashier * Tokue Hanasawa as the Kishimen shop owner *

Yōko Ishino Yōko Ishino (いしのようこ, Ishino Youko, born February 20, 1968) is a List of Japanese actresses, Japanese actress and tarento. She debuted in 1985 as a pop singer, and first appeared on television in 1986 and also appeared as a comedian ...

as the

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

girl *

Hiroshi Katsuno is a Japanese actor. He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University. Katsuno's debut was as a detective Texas in the television series Taiyō ni Hoero! in 1974 and he won great popularity through the role. The episode his character Texas was killed r ...

as the Police officer *

Masakane Yonekura Masakane Yonekura (; 7 October 1934 – 26 August 2014) was a Japanese stage director, actor, author and illustrator who was one of the central members of the Gekidan Mingei theatre company. Death On 26 August 2014, Yonekura died of an abdominal ...

as the

Kokura is an ancient Jōkamachi, castle town and the center of modern Kitakyushu, Japan. Kokura is also the name of the Kokura Station, penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR West. Ferries connect Kokura ...

veterinarian *

Shinya Owada is a Japanese actor, Voice acting in Japan, voice actor and narrator. He is represented with Horipro, Horipro Booking Agency. He Rustication (academia), rusticated from Waseda University First Literature Department. Biography In 1968, Owada jo ...

as the

reporter

Music

Ending: * " New Season" by Chisato Moritaka :* Lyrics:

HIRO Hiro may refer to: People * Hiro (given name), includes lists of people with the given name * Hiro (photographer) (1930–2021), Japanese-born American photographer * Hiro (singer) (born 1991), French singer * Hiroko Shimabukuro (born 1984), Japa ...

:* Music/Arrangement: Hideo Saitō

References

External links

*
''Aitsu ni Koishite'' at AllCinema

''Aitsu ni Koishite'' at Kinenote
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aitsu ni Koishite 1987 films 1987 drama films 1980s Japanese-language films Films about horses Films scored by Yuji Ohno Films set in Aomori Prefecture Films set in Fukushima Prefecture Films set in Hokkaido Films set in Kagoshima Films set in Kitakyushu Films set in Kyoto Films set in Miyagi Prefecture Films set in Tokyo Films shot in Fukuoka Prefecture Films shot in Fukushima Prefecture Films shot in Japan Films shot in Kyoto Films shot in Tokyo Toho films