This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #467.
Official submission of Japan for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 51st Academy Awards in 1979.
Though a great deal is made of the two main characters' age difference in the story--Seki is supposed to be 26 years older--the actors playing them were only 6 years apart. Kazuko Yoshiyuki (Seki) was about 43, while Tatsuya Fuji (Toyoji) was about 37.