"A House Alone" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sundays 7:58 PM) is a variety show that uses satellite photos to find a remote house. The August 24th broadcast follows the life of a 79-year-old woman who lives alone in the deep mountains of Miyazaki Prefecture. The guests are actor Tsubasa Makoto and enka singer Naoki Sanada.
The search team inquired in the nearest village about the route to the house that appeared in the satellite photos. One resident who had a hut drew them a map. Using the map, the search team headed out of the village onto a road that crossed a mountain pass. After passing through an endless series of winding mountain roads and crossing another mountain pass, they finally found the house.
We were greeted by a 79-year-old woman with a bright smile who said, "Thank you for coming all the way here." The village used to have about 15 houses. She married into the area 60 years ago. At the time, "there were no young people here," the woman said, looking back on her life up to that point. She said that life in the unfamiliar mountains was a constant struggle.
Since losing her husband 15 years ago, she has been living alone, but she still mows the grass every day. While reminiscing about her kind husband, she confesses, "I prefer being alone to going down the mountain because I have more freedom. I want to protect this house while I can still move." The trailer also shows the panoramic view from the top of the mountain and some delicious preserved food.
Makoto, who was watching from the studio, seemed moved, saying, "It felt like we were given a theme about life: 'Are you living your life properly?'"
