The Light Shines Only There (2014)

When Yasuko was a child, her mother left their home, so she grew up not knowing what an ordinary family is. Satoshi's mother was the girlfriend of Yasuko's late father. One day, Satoshi appears in front of Yasuko and her monotonous life begins to change.

Although Sonoda Shuichi works in the editorial department of a publishing company, he dreams of becoming a novelist. Not ready to move on from that aspiration, he begins to grow increasingly agitated as his work responsibilities build and problems and jealousy invade his love life.

In a valley, with a dense growth of trees, a baby is killed. The baby's mother Satomi Tachibana is arrested as the prime suspect. The police also learn that Satomi Tachibana is involved in a romantic relationship with her next door neighbor Shunsuke Ozaki. The neighbor's lover Kanako has informed the police of this. Meanwhile, magazine reporter Watanabe covers the story. As Watanabe investigates the case, he discovers the shocking fact that Shunsuke Ozaki was involved in a rape case 15 years ago. Even more shocking, Watanabe learns that the victim in the rape case is Shunsuke's lover, Kanako.

Shinichi debuted as a novelist at a young age, but his career has been stagnant for many years. He also has broken up with his girlfriend. His day have now become gloomy. At this time, Yuko and her son moves into Shinichi's home. Yuko is the ex-wife of Shinichi's friend. Shinichi lets them stay at his house. Shinichi writes his novel every night, while Yuko goes out at night to date men. She is conflicted with her feelings to act as a strong parent and to deal with her unspeakable loneliness. Yuko’s son, feeling the loss of his father's presence, begins to admire Shinichi. With their living arrangement, Shinichi and Yuko try keep their distance from each other. But one night..

On a rainy evening, 19-year-old university student Saeki Fumi happens to meet 9-year-old Kanai Sarasa in the park. Sarasa is soaking wet. She is separated from her parents and lives with her aunt, but she tells Fumi that she doesn't want to go back to her aunt. Fumi takes Sarasa to his apartment and they live together for the next 2 months. Fumi is then arrested for kidnapping. He is labeled as a dangerous kidnapper and Sarasa is labeled as a poor victim. 15 years later, Sarasa and Fumi happen to meet each other.

Sakuragi Shun is a salesman who works for a Sunbath Home Housing, a house manufacturing company. He enjoys a happy life at home with his wife and daughter. Due to a sudden personnel change, he was assigned to transfer to Kagoshima, a city he was familiar with from his junior high school days. There, for the first time in 17 years, he is reunited with his first love Takeda Hana. She works as a junior high school teacher, while her husband who works as first mate, spends most of the year at sea, so she usually lives alone. While reminiscing the bittersweet memories of their high school days together, a hidden Pandora's box begins to open...

Furthermore, sparks also fly with Katoyama Naoya, Shun's friend and former love rival from their junior high school days, who now works for another company in the same industry. Although Shun has a beloved wife, the flames of jealousy quietly flare up. Meanwhile, Sakuragi Shun's wife is trying to suppress her anxiety. Based on their phone calls and emails, she becomes suspicious that her husband is cheating on her, and in order to eliminate her fears, she takes a trip to visit him in Kagoshima. As the slight lies begin to pile up, the truth becomes complicated, and when the lies are exposed, how will the relationship between the four of them
change?

It's been awhile since I watched "The Light.." but as far as I can remember the atmosphere of both movies and some main points are very similar.
For one both are told from a male protagonists POV who is leading a rather aimless life either with no job or going to a vocational school. They both fall for female protagonists who work as hostesses at night and have hidden traumas. Also both movies are set in Hakodate, and the city could be seen as a main character of the movie in itself.

Both movies are based on stories written by novelist Sato Yasushi and are part of his "Hakodate Trilogy" (including another movie called 'Sketches of Kaitan city').