Noboru and Ryuji each contemplate places that are totally foreign to them but utterly familiar to the other. In this scene, they represent the complementary forces of change and stability, or motion and stillness, which people must balance in order to live well. Ryuji’s thoughts about settling down after a life at sea can be viewed as a metaphor for Japan’s struggle to transition from a regional empire with global aspirations to an insular democracy. And his thoughts about Fusako reflect how people perceive the world through the prism of their experiences. Finally, as Noboru falls asleep, he focuses on the same association between death, love, and heroism that dominates Ryuji’s life, thoughts, and destiny.