The residents of Tomioka had to evacuate after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident. As people gradually return and rebuild, the elementary school asked composer Otomo Yoshihide to write a new school song. Students and alumni were invited to write the lyrics. But Otomo learned that the two groups had very different ideas about what made the place special. How could they create a piece that would offer a positive vision for a place that had undergone such drastic change?
Stories about people, stories about life.
Hometown Stories.
Otomo Yoshihide is a prolific composer.
He has created soundtracks for many iconic Japanese films.
He has been commissioned to create a song for an elementary school.
The town where it's located has faced some tough challenges in recent years.
It's a unique place,
still unsure of which
path it might take.
Tomioka, in Fukushima Prefecture.
After the nuclear power plant accident followed by the earthquake and tsunami,
all the residents had to evacuate.
Let's get closer to the camera.
In 2017, evacuation orders for most of the town were lifted.
Composing a new school song is another step toward recovery.
I have one request.
Everyone has to help come up
with the lyrics.
Yoshihide asked students and alumni to join in the process.
This town needs a fresh start.
The process of creating a school song
can help them envision what
kind of town they want it to be.
The song signifies new beginnings.
What kinds of emotions will it inspire?
About 1,900 people now live in Tomioka.
That's one-tenth of the population before the disaster.
This is the town's only elementary school.
Thirty-five students are enrolled here.
Tomioka used to have two elementary schools,
but they were combined when residents began to return.
These are our yearbooks.
The two schools once had
over 1,000 students.
Many of them would play
in the courtyard or parks after school.
Some of their parents are
originally from here, and they've returned,
while other people have moved
here to start a new life.
It's split about 50-50.
June 2021.
I'm so nervous.
The two schools have officially merged.
Now it's time for a new song.
Hello there.
I'm Otomo Yoshihide.
Nice to meet you.
We want to create something that might
be passed on to your kids and grandkids,
so let's do our best.
You can play with him.
Go ahead.
Yoshihide spent a decade of his early life in Fukushima.
After the earthquake and especially
after the power plant accident,
it became hard for us
to feel proud of our hometown.
In the past, the natural beauty of
the region had so much appeal.
But it was no longer
a source of pride.
It's almost showtime!
I'm getting carried away.
Yoshihide hoped to make some kind of contribution to his former home.
After organizing music events with the locals, he came to a realization.
I think the things you make and do
add up as accomplishments,
things to be proud of.
Creating a new school song
can lead to restoring the town's pride.
Everyone, Mr. Otomo has joined us.
Mr. Otomo, do you see the kids?
I see them.
Hey, how're you all doing?
Good.
What are some symbols of Tomioka?
Wagtails.
Are there a lot of them?
Yes, lots.
What else?
The cherry blossoms
are pretty in spring.
The cherry blossom tunnel
is a nice place for picnics.
There seems to be something on Yoshihide's mind.
None of the kids mentioned
the sea.
I wonder why it's not
a key word for them.
The school is just a kilometer from the sea.
It used to be a popular destination for the kids until disaster struck.
None of you mentioned the sea.
Don't you go there?
We don't.
I saw it as we were
driving across the bridge.
Only from the car?
The levees have gotten higher.
In the past, you'd see it from far away.
Now, it's completely obstructed.
The kids have no memories
of pre-disaster Tomioka,
so they see it very differently
from us adults.
I feel like these children are
not connected to the natural landscape.
Tominaga Rui mentioned that she didn't have a strong impression of the sea.
She moved here in April because of her father's work.
He's involved in reconstruction projects.
Rui is still unfamiliar with the town.
I never go out to play after school.
I just come home and
do homework or play games.
There don't seem to be
many fun places around.
Homework, homework.
Do your homework.
I wonder if we made
the right decision coming here.
There are not many places here
where kids want to go.
Even the convenience stores
close at 9 PM.
I feel sorry for my kids.
Alumni are also involved in the song project.
This is where the elementary school
used to be.
The entrance was to the right.
This was my class.
Here I am.
We all went to the same
elementary and middle school,
so we'd set off fireworks
and chat by the beach.
We were all very close.
Igari Koshin, I hereby appoint you as
an official of Tomioka Town.
Best of luck.
Igari Koshin graduated from a university in Tokyo.
Just 20 days after the 2011 disaster,
he began working at the Tomioka town office against his parents' wishes.
I came here to work with the community to
help revive the town.
Koshin has been involved in reconstructing Tomioka
while living as an evacuee elsewhere in the prefecture.
This reminds me to be careful
when I'm commuting.
He got married and is raising his two children in another town.
The drive to work takes him an hour and a half.
There are rows and rows of
cherry blossom trees here.
It reminds me of the times I used to
walk home or stroll with my friends.
Elderly folks would chat with us
on our way to school.
It was such a warm and friendly town.
Many shops closed down
after the disaster.
I want the song to include these elements
that kids these days can't experience.
We'll begin working on the song.
Let's start.
I want each of you to think of a color
that reminds you of the town.
It can be any color,
even your favorite.
What color would you choose, Koshin?
Light blue.
Light blue, why?
The people of Tomioka have a calm,
easygoing presence like the sky.
That's why I chose light blue.
- Rainbow colors.
- I see.
Why?
All kinds of colors in our school.
Various colors.
Thanks.
That's an interesting comment.
Rainbow colors might work.
How do you picture Tomioka
ten years from now?
In elementary school, we'd eat fried food
and go to the candy shop.
It'd be nice to have karaoke spots
and arcades like we used to.
They're not there anymore.
Rui, how do you want
the town to be in 10 years?
I hope there are more supermarkets.
I want it to be a big city.
I see.
I want things to be how they were in the past,
but the kids had a different perspective.
I felt like they were looking
toward the future.
I realized that the song doesn't have
to take one path, it can take many.
I'm trying to figure out the right way
to express that.
"Rainbow colors" was a great idea.
After hearing about the old Tomioka, Rui began to do her own research.
She looks at footage shot during the disaster.
"The ground is breaking open."
I didn't know anything about it,
so I decided to investigate.
It's scary but I want to
learn more about Tomioka.
She's also been paying visits to a local museum to learn about the town's history.
It used to have a market street.
I'm sure it was a lively place.
If the disaster hadn't happened,
it would still be here.
That makes me sad,
but I can learn a lot from this place.
I hope to come here often.
Yoshihide visits the school.
I'm so nervous.
He presents a draft of the song to the students.
It includes keywords suggested during the discussions, like wagtail and rainbow.
It also has a line that Yoshihide came up with.
The words "every color" don't
seem suitable for a song like this,
but they really resonated with me.
If I went with a certain color,
it'd disappoint people who don't like it.
I thought it would be better to talk about
a future created through diversity.
This is going to sound really rude.
Don't worry.
You can be frank with me.
Color-related words
are used too many times.
It's a bit repetitive.
- We have a suggestion.
- Great.
How about adding the word, "everyone,"
to write "everyone singing."
We want to use the word "everyone."
I see.
Yoshihide rewrites the lyrics over and over.
Koshin is visiting his family home in Tomioka, where he lived before the disaster.
I sometimes come here to clean up
the place and air it out.
He's been hoping to live here again someday.
But, Koshin has made a big decision.
I'll be starting a new job in April,
so I won't be able to come here as often.
New job?
I'm quitting my job in Tomioka and will start
working in the town where I'm living now.
I did grapple with this decision.
My oldest son is starting elementary school.
It's time to think about our future.
I'm 34.
Leaving this job makes me sad.
Koshin left Tomioka's town office
on March 31.
The new song is going to be debuted at a local event hall.
Everyone took part in
creating this song.
Let's bring the students up on stage.
Come up, everyone.
I'm so nervous.
I don't normally get nervous,
but I'm on edge today.
"Blue sky, blue sea, green fields,"
"A future with nameless stars
shining brightly"
"A verdant town where smiles glow"
"And every color
creates a new tomorrow"
"The sky, sea, and fields,
let's all connect"
"With our rainbow
Tomioka elementary school"
I'm happy that the song
has lyrics we all came up with.
Koshin is watching from another town.
It's wonderful.
I feel like the word "rainbow" connects even
those who are currently away from Tomioka.
I hope it will be sung for many years
and connect the people of Tomioka.
"A rainbow arc,
Tomioka elementary school"
"Everyone's elementary school"
Perfect. Wonderful.
The beach is awesome.
It's been a year since Rui moved here.
She has more favorite spots now.
The sea in Tomioka is so beautiful.
It's a great place to hang out.
I really like it.
I don't know how long I'll be here,
but I'd love to stay here for a long time.
So pretty.
They're cherry blossoms.