The variety show "Potsun to Ikkenya" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sundays at 7:54 PM) searches for isolated houses in remote areas using satellite photos as clues. The April 26th episode will focus on the life of an 83-year-old man who protects the mountains in Fukuoka Prefecture by cultivating cedar saplings. The guests will be former Japanese figure skating pair representative Narumi Takahashi and actor Ryubi Miyase.
Satellite images obtained by the search team showed a house and neatly maintained fields in the mountains of Fukuoka Prefecture. When they inquired in the nearest village, they learned that the house in question was about 10 kilometers away. A local man volunteered to be their guide. The search team followed the man in his light truck. Soon, they encountered a series of steep curves and headed towards the mountaintop. Eventually, the mountains became denser and the roads more complex. Beyond the mountains, on a plot carved into the slope, they saw a magnificent, imposing Japanese house with impressive black tile roofing.
The search party was greeted by an 83-year-old man. The junior high school was about 13 kilometers away, but he said, "Back then, there were no roads for cars, so I had no choice but to walk," and it took him two hours to get there every day. After graduating from junior high school, he started working in forestry and has dedicated himself to mountain work for 68 years. Currently, he grows and ships cedar seedlings (a variety with less pollen) for reforestation.
The man currently lives alone in this area, protecting the mountains and cultivating cedar trees. Coincidentally, the day the search party visited was the seventh anniversary of his late wife's death. The man shared his memories, saying, "I just want to say 'thank you'." The preview video shows him weaving rope from straw using old farming tools and serving the search party a home-cooked meal.
Guests Takahashi and Miyase were deeply moved by the story of a man who continues to protect the mountains while never forgetting his gratitude to his family.
