The Enka Road Begins

Directed by

Jacky Woo

Dreams have no age limit. All it takes is the courage to believe — and that courage can change your life. Told through Japan's two beloved cultural traditions, enka (music that sings from the heart and soul of Japan) and karaoke. Yoshiko Takahashi, an ordinary housewife who runs a small dried-goods shop with her husband in a quiet shopping district, wins a regional singing competition and finds her life unexpectedly changed. A music producer on the judging panel recognizes an extraordinary talent in her voice, and Yoshiko sets out on a journey toward her ultimate dream: becoming a singer and performing at Nippon Budokan. As she draws closer to the stage, she is torn between the excitement of a long-forgotten dream and the life she has built with the people she loves — and along the way, rediscovers her love for her husband, the bonds of family, and the courage to live true to herself.