Stories about people, stories about life.

Hometown Stories.

The bus is here.

A children's book called "The Bus is Here" has been making waves in Japan.

It's about a man with a visual impairment whose commute is made easier by some elementary school kids.

Within one year of publication, the book sold over 30,000 copies.

That's unusual for a story book in Japan.

It's based on actual events.

Good morning.

Local kids have been helping this man for over a decade.

Many readers have found the story to be a source of inspiration.

"It made a huge impression."

It's wonderful to know
that this is a true story.

This book inspires you to be brave.

It moved one reader to reflect on her life.

The book gave me a glimpse into
what my father may have felt.

It's like he's telling me
not to forget him.

A chain of kindness that began with one child.

Its effects have been far-reaching.

Good morning.

Yamasaki Hirotaka lives in Wakayama City.

The book's main character is based on him.

He has a visual impairment.

He began to lose his sight at the age of 35.

He was diagnosed with an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa.

I fell into a spiral after
I lost my sight.

I'd be out drinking all night.

Since I can't see, I have to rely
on my ears and cane.

It gets exhausting.

It was getting tough to work,
so I even thought about quitting.

His impairment made commuting difficult.

Then, one morning as he was waiting for the bus, something happened.

A young girl called out to him.

The bus is here.

She put her hands on his back and guided him to the door.

She was an elementary school student who traveled to school on the same bus.

She'd guide me to the bus,

and ask others to offer
their seat to me.

She treated me with so much kindness,
it warmed my heart.

After she graduated, Hirotaka thought he'd have to go back to riding the bus alone.

But then, he had another unexpected encounter.

The bus is here.

Another student who'd seen the girl helping Hirotaka carried on the custom.

This chain of kindness has been unbroken for over 10 years.

Good morning.

Spring break tomorrow.
Lucky you.

The once-arduous commute is now a precious routine.

- You've been studying?
- Yep.

But I've also been playing games.

They'd tell me about things
happening at school.

Silly stuff that would
make me laugh.

My commute isn't so tough anymore
thanks to those kids.

Because of them, I look forward
to catching the bus.

Thanks.
See you next time.

Yumimura Kiki and Matsumoto Haruno created a book inspired by these events.

Published in June 2022, it was an instant hit.

The response from readers has been enthusiastic.

We got over 130 letters.

Normally books get 20 letters at most,
so that's pretty impressive.

Most of the letters are from adults.

"It's a children's book, but it feels
like it was written for adults."

"I want to be a person like that."

Adults tend to have fixed ideas and
help others out of a sense of obligation.

They can also hesitate to help when
they see someone different from them.

But these kids' actions came
to them naturally.

That's why it's so moving.

It's something adults should do too,
but we seem to have forgotten how.

The book has had a profound effect on many readers.

One of them is Hattori Tomoki.

Her father passed away a few years ago.

He had a visual impairment.

In his younger days, Tomoki's father traveled around the world.

But in his 70s, he began to develop glaucoma.

He became reclusive.

He changed completely.

He could no longer do things
he used to do by himself.

It made him pessimistic.
He developed a negative attitude.

I'd tell him that many
visually impaired people stay active,

but it was no use.

He's say there was no point in living
and he just wanted to die.

He would just lie in bed.

Then, six months after her father passed, she came across "The Bus is Here."

The main character reminded Tomoki of her father.

"I am blind.
I lost my sight when I young."

When he was still active,
he'd go out by himself.

Looking back, I'm sure he felt
uneasy when he was on the bus.

The outings must have
been tough for him.

The book made me realize that.

I wasn't able to accompany him since
I was busy with work and kids.

Maybe if I'd gone with him,

I would've seen a different side to him.

Dad, I'll be reading your diary.

I haven't read it before,
so let me take a look.

In his later years, her father spiraled into loneliness.

The children's book pushed Tomoki to think more deeply about him.

The diary revealed a man overwhelmed by anxiety.

"I want to die.
There's no joy in living like this."

But it also showed that he was trying to regain hope.

"Can't see, can't see.
Must spend more time with Tomoki."

"A few more days with Tomoki."

The diary was filled with gratitude to his daughter.

"Tomoki, thank you for everything.
Thank you, thank you."

It's so strange that I feel his presence
although he's no longer here.

I feel it very strongly.

His words have so many
parallels with the book.

And that book is what
pushed me to read his words.

I feel like he's telling me
not to forget him.

"The Bus is Here" has undergone
several adaptations.

The bus is here.

I felt a tiny hand on my back.

Elementary school students in Wakayama
staged a musical based on the book.

I used to be anxious during
my commute, but now I enjoy it.

I hope this kindness gets passed on.

High school students hoping to work in
caring professions created a version to read aloud.

They were unable to present it
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the baton was passed.

"A little girl told me the bus was here
and guided me up the stairs."

"The kids who saw her help me
continued her kind gesture."

That group of readers related strongly to the interactions depicted in the book.

Hasegawa Haruki does as well.

Her friend Kotono lost her sight after developing eye cancer at a young age.

That man is wearing a t-shirt.

He can get away
with it in this weather.

I bet he's cold.

I wish him luck.

Haruki describes their surroundings to Kotono.

The two find joy in conversation.

They have been friends and neighbors since preschool.

Even as Kotono began losing her vision, Haruki was always there by her side.

I have a habit of
reaching out for her hand.

We just naturally gravitate
toward each other.

I'm happy that we're friends.

One aspect of the book caught their attention.

It's the way the man and the child interact as equals, regardless of his disability.

Kotono reads out some pages from the book.

"Once we got off the bus, I said to her,
'Your school is on the right. See you.'"

"'I'll walk with you to the crosswalk,'
she replied, guiding me with her little hand."

"She accompanied me to City Hall,
which was across from her school."

"'Bye then,' she said."

"'Bye. Be careful crossing the street,'
I replied."

In the scene when Mr. Yamasaki
crosses the road with the child,

he tells her to be careful.

I think this shows that they
are looking out for each other.

It's not one-sided.

It's not out of a sense of obligation,
but a kindness that comes naturally.

It's important that relationships
be on an equal footing.

That's what I realized
when I read this book.

The story reminds us of the importance of kindness.

And the circle of empathy is growing.

Hirotaka's interactions with the kids have continued for over a decade.

But last fall, he had a stroke.

It left him partially paralyzed and unable to move his limbs.

It's frustrating.

I found a new sense of fulfillment

and had new things to
look forward to thanks to this book.

Then this happened.

But what can you do?
I'm just lucky to be alive.

Nishimae Yui is in fifth grade.

Following in the footsteps of kids before her, she supported Hirotaka for three years.

She doesn't see him at the bus stop anymore.

He'd always chat with me.

I'm sad I can't talk to him.

I miss seeing him.

Hirotaka has been doing physical therapy since his stroke.

He hopes to ride the bus with the kids again.

That thought keeps him motivated.

Yui is paying him a visit.

Hello there.

Yui. Long time no see.

He's slicing veggies.

It's a part of my physical therapy.

Here you go.

Pickled veggies from my mom.

Wonderful. Thank you.

At first,
he could only lift his feet this high.

Hardly at all.

In just three months,
he's improved so much.

Look at his right leg.
He's working really hard.

Putting in a good word for you.

I'm training hard so that
we can travel together again.

Good goal.

It was the first time
I'd seen him in a while.

He's putting effort into
his physical therapy.

Maybe we can have
a fun commute again.

I'll hang in there and wait for him.

I dream about getting better
and riding the bus again.

It motivates me to work hard
on my physical therapy.

I'll give it my all.

This looks like a residential area.

This spring, Haruki started a job supporting people with visual impairments.

A bicycle just passed on the left.

This was a training day.

Haruki chose this job hoping to share joy with people who have visual impairments.

I don't want people to stay in
because they can't see.

It inspires me to see them
shine in their own way.

It gives me courage.

I wanted to find a job where
I could help people try new things.

Seeing that kind of progress can
foster joy for both of us.

The book left a deep impression on Tomoki.

She hopes to cultivate that kind of kindness in her children.

Here you are.
Let's read this.

It's called "The Bus is Here."

"I had to be alert as
I waited for the bus..."

Is this Grandpa?

Yeah, he was waiting for
the bus with his cane.

I'm sure there are people
all around us who need help.

I want my child to reach out
to them without hesitation.

If I can teach my child
to behave like that intuitively,

this book will have served its purpose.

Hirotaka is pursuing a new goal.

He hopes to spread the word about his experience.

I'm still doing physical therapy,

so I can't walk to
the bus stop by myself.

I want to get well soon,

so I can send those kids
off to school once again.

Even if you have a disability or illness,
having a goal can motivate you.

That's what's keeping me going.

I've lived both with and without sight,
and I've enjoyed both those lives.

I'm making the most of my life now.

Those kind gestures led to
so many wonderful conversations.

Those kids are my treasures.

It all started with a warmhearted school girl.

This story shows us that a small act of kindness can inspire great things.

The bus is here.