Perfect Days - A Beautiful and Simple Life

Perfect Days

Japanese / Drama

124 mins
Mubi (on subscription) / Rent on Prime Video

Perfect Days is a simple story which captures the dawn to dusk life of Hirayama (Koji Yakusho). He leads a minimalist existence, following the same routine every day—waking up at the same time, drinking the same coffee the same vending machine, driving his van to work as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo.

Hirayama performs his job with extreme diligence, inspecting every corner of the toilets. He uses small mirror to ensure there isn’t a single blemish. He arranges toilet paper rolls with meticulous precision, even his cleaning tools are maintained perfectly. 

Outside of work, he enjoys life’s simple pleasures: he cares for the plants in his modest apartment, eats the same sandwich in the same park while watching sunlight filter through the tall tree, capturing moments on his analog camera.

Technology has little place in his life—he owns a cellphone but rarely uses it, except for work. He listens to cassette tapes in his van, unaware of Spotify. His post-work routine is equally unchanging: a visit to the local bathhouse, dinner at the same restaurant and reading from his impressive collection of books before bedtime.

Through encounters with different characters and situations, we get glimpses into his world. A man of few words, Hirayama expresses his emotions through subtle facial gestures—his face becomes a canvas where the audience can interpret the depths of his soul.

The film is beautifully shot, with soft, natural lighting and a full-frame aspect ratio (1.37:1). Tokyo, shown mostly in daylight, appears serene, and the toilets Hirayama cleans almost take on a character of their own. The soundtrack is minimalistic, yet the songs that play throughout perfectly reflect the film’s emotional undertones.

Hirayama is the film; the other characters merely pass through, leaving us to wonder about his past and what led him to this simple, unmaterialistic way of life. Perfect Days carries a quiet philosophy—reminding us that even in today’s fast-paced world, life can be fulfilling without excess.

The movie begins with Koji Yakusho’s wrinkled yet content, smiling face and ends with him driving his van, listening to one of his cassette tapes. In those final moments, his face conveys a myriad of emotions before the credits roll— absolutely heartwarming, enough to leave a you with happy tears.

Fun Fact - 

When i researched more about the film, some tidbits from Wikipedia

• Please read more about the Tokyo Toilet Projects, 
• Director Wim Wenders was one among many celebrated film makers who were invited by the project owners to develop a documentary/advertisement for the project, which was later developed into a movie, which won at Cannes and was also nominated for Best Foreign Language feature at the Oscars!
• When asked about the Hirayama's background, Wim Wenders said he was quite deliberate to not share in the movie but revealed the Hirayama may have been an ambitious and failed businessman, an alcoholic who when contemplating suicide experiences a catharsis and decides to become a toilet cleaner

I normally don’t urge people to watch a film—preferring to offer my opinion—but for once, I humbly implore you to spend ₹99 to rent this absolute gem on Prime Video and experience the quiet beauty of Hirayama’s life.