This beguiling little film is both charming and extremely frustrating. It’s the directorial debut of Takuya Misawa, who has worked as an assistant at the film’s production company Wa Entertainment and is, in fact, still studying at the film school Nihon Eiga Daigaku. Misawa is influenced by Eric Rohmer, as well as this film’s producer and star Kiki Sugino, who is herself fond of Rohmer. Airline colleagues Karin (Ena Koshino) and Maki (Sugino) arrive at a quaint and historic inn in Chigasaki for a little vacation and to celebrate the marriage of ex-colleague Risa (Natsuko Hori). As fate would have it, Maki’s old university is doing an archeology field trip to Chigasaki, led by a professor (Satoshi Nikaidō) she had an affair with. The new arrivals, the workers, and the university students flirt with attractions and seductions a la Rohmer, but there is a major problem. We can’t get emotionally invested in any character because all the interactions are too superficial and childish. The film is beautifully shot and lyrically told, but lacks any emotional punch whatsoever. Still, director Misawa is one to watch in the future. Showing with English subtitles. English title: Chigasaki Story. (88 min)