01x03 - Japan: Kinuko & Haruhei

[bunniefuu]

The clouds are flowing from right to left.

Mount Fuji's hidden behind the clouds.

You can see it faintly at the top there.

-Put that over there.

-Here, on top?

Can you tie this?

You don't need that!

Yes, I do. I have to look sharp.

Can you tie it at the back?

Just act natural.

At the back, please.

Hold this.

What's this for? Do it properly!

I would do just fine without this thing.

Does this hurt?

-You're fine, right?

-It feels good.

What should I do with this part?

-Leave it be.

-I guess that's fine.

I might mess it up. I'm not a pro.

I'm a complete amateur.

You comb it over that way?

I did it the other way.

Yeah, I comb it like this

to hide my huge forehead.

Looking good!

Come here.

Silly!

KAWASAKI, JAPAN

SPRING

HARUHEI ISHIYAMA

Good morning.

I did a big load of laundry.

-There was a mountain of laundry.

-Yeah, a mountain.

KINUKO ISHIYAMA

Okay, let's go.

Shall we?

Let's turn the lights off.

It's not straight.

You parked really crookedly.

SHOWA UNIVERSITY

NORTHERN YOKOHAMA HOSPITAL

Come on in.

Thank you for waiting. Please have a seat.

-Good afternoon.

-Yes, good afternoon.

-Your PSA, the marker for cancer, is up.

-Yes, I see.

We should keep an eye on it

for the time being.

I see.

Do you recall the time

before the prostate cancer marker spiked?

Let's run the test next time

to check the marker again.

If it is lower than before,

we don't have to worry.

I'm going to pot this for my balcony.

How pretty!

-Such a beautiful peony is amazing.

-Very impressive.

I didn't do much.

Is your husband out?

He went with me to the hospital.

-We'll go again tomorrow.

-You're going tomorrow too?

-They're taking a cast.

-He's not back yet?

No, he's back.

We came back together a little while ago.

The only time we go out is to hospitals!

-Us too.

-We're collecting patient ID cards!

-I stopped by, but he didn't answer.

-He must be sleeping.

-He was tired.

-Yeah.

Don't work so hard!

-What?

-Your wife is working too hard!

The gods will come knocking on her door!

You've grown so nicely, forgive me.

KANTO GAKUIN UNIVERSITY

Okay, everyone.

Let me have your attention once again.

Today we have a speaker who will talk

about his experience

with Hansen's disease.

Please make use of all available seats.

There are students standing in the back,

but please file in and take a seat.

We have a full house today.

Hello, everybody.

When I developed Hansen's disease

in sixth grade,

I was kicked out of school.

Back then, if you had Hansen's disease,

you were deprived of basic human rights,

including the right to study

and to have a place to learn.

I had no idea that I was sick.

My father suddenly grabbed me by my arm

and said,

"Let's jump in the pond and die together."

I was startled and asked him, "Why?"

He said, "You have an illness

that you can't tell anyone about."

So, I was in a leprosarium for 15 years.

Once I got out, I made friends

who were student activists

and had served time in jail.

They would brag about being in

for five or six or eight years

like it was a competition.

I'd say, "Five or six years is nothing.

I was in for 15 years."

"Were you in for m*rder?" they'd ask.

I told them, "The government

forced me into an institution,

and they wouldn't let me out

for 15 years."

"Until one day,

a goddess appeared and liberated me."

That's what I would tell them.

And here I am today.

That's not his car.

Maybe it wasn't him.

It's raining!

-It started on my way back.

-It's earlier than the forecast.

I was surprised. They said

it wouldn't rain till the afternoon.

Well, I'm back.

It got a bit sweaty.

It has really spread.

It's like a rash, isn't it?

I shouldn't wrap it too tightly.

-All done.

-Okay.

Anything else?

That's all. How much do I owe you?

-It's on the house today!

-On the house? Got it.

I first met Haruhei Ishiyama,

who was known as Bon-chan,

in 1962, so about 56, 57 years ago now.

I worked in the kitchen

at Koyama Fukusei Hospital,

where he lived.

I moved into the staff dormitory

and shared a room with another woman.

When I moved in, she said to me,

"You just came from the hospital,

didn't you?"

"You're dirty! Did you wash your hands?"

She said it so harshly.

She went on to say, "I hate lepers!"

"Sleep in that corner, away from me."

She treated me like I had leprosy myself.

But I thought about how the patients

must face much worse.

In that type of difficult environment,

he was really a unique individual.

He was handsome too.

He had a very kind face.

No matter what people said,

he never got angry,

even when the staff verbally abused him.

He really talks up a storm,

but he has the warmest heart.

I've thought so from the very beginning.

If I say much more,

I'll start to blush, so I'll stop.

One day, she said to me,

"You're cured now,

so why don't you leave the hospital?"

But how could I?

I had no skills, no education.

But moreover, it's not like anyone

would give me a job.

I expected to spend my whole life there.

We all did.

We were resolved that we'd be there

until the end of our days.

But she said,

"Alone, it would be hard for you,

but together we can manage if we try."

"Please, leave the hospital."

"You mean…" I said.

"You and me?" She nodded yes.

I could never have said,

"Please marry me."

I thought she'd never say yes.

No matter how much I liked her,

couples like us didn't exist.

It seemed like a dream, to be honest.

She was so pretty back then.

Her eyes sparkled.

She is my savior.

Because of her, I decided

I would venture back into the world.

-What a handsome man!

-Well…

This was our honeymoon.

We had one?

Yes, we did.

-You look so satisfied here.

-Don't be crude!

-That's our first--

-Enough!

We moved away from our families.

We left dear friends behind.

We went to live where

we didn't know anyone, just the two of us.

We got out there,

and the real world was tough.

It was tough,

but we had to make a living somehow.

We were bound and determined.

We worked so hard.

We had just had a child,

and we were very uncertain.

Seeing our kids grow

day by day encouraged us.

They would jump in my lap saying,

"Daddy!" when I got home.

I knew we had to keep going for them.

Families of leprosy patients across Japan

have endured

decades of harsh discrimination.

561 of those family members

have filed a lawsuit

against the Japanese government.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TOKYO

Thank you, sir.

My son is a plaintiff.

He said he'd support my efforts,

though he was hesitant at first.

I mean, his coworkers…

He was understandably worried

about how they'd react

if they knew about my disease.

So he told me

that he would never talk about me.

This is heartbreaking.

We're with you!

My son is one of the plaintiffs

and is working tirelessly.

With him on my side,

there's no way we're going to lose.

Please support us.

Yes, of course. Thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Thank you for your support.

So tiny.

"The government policy

is to wipe clean and purge."

"Splitting up families is unavoidable."

SUMMER

You should hang them here.

I know how to do it!

It won't dry like that.

It's so hot out.

Goodness, it's hot.

-Can I have more?

-You already finished?

You eat so fast.

Too fast.

All done!

I had no problem eating today.

I could swallow with ease.

Okay!

Okay!

That's enough! Stop!

Your residual urine today was 10 ml.

You're expelling it well.

Your blood test also looks very good.

Your PSA level is down to 2.19.

I see.

That's a normal level.

So I believe we can safely

rule out prostate cancer.

Really?

Well, if you stop urinating again

and are in a lot of pain,

we can consider surgery.

That'd be the end of me.

I'm not so sure. You seem very healthy.

I think you'd be fine.

-It's thanks to you that he's better.

-I've done nothing.

-All I did was recommend surgery.

-I'm just relieved he's peeing again.

If we stop peeing, we'll die.

-You really get all swollen.

-It could become serious.

If it happens again,

let's consider the options.

Thank you for coming in.

-I'm off.

-See you later.

I'm glad it's not raining.

-Want an umbrella just in case?

-I don't need one.

But it's raining a little bit.

Do you want to take a folding umbrella?

No, I'm fine.

KUMAMOTO DISTRICT COUR

-How are you?

-I'm well.

Today is a historic step toward

resolving the Hansen's disease problem.

We will fight today with pride,

hand in hand with all

who have gathered here in support.

Thank you!

CITIZENS UNITED TO RESOLVE

THE PROBLEMS OF HANSEN'S DISEASE

The verdict!

VICTORY

"What a relief."

"We had lived in hiding.

And now we won as a family, as one."

We won!

Did you see the news?

You didn't get in, did you?

No, I got a seat in the courtroom.

GOVERNMENT ORDERED TO COMPENSATE FAMILIES

FAMILIES STILL FACE DISCRIMINATION

A NEW START FOR THE FAMILIES

AUTUMN

Hello.

Bye-bye.

There's a car coming.

Oh, it's a motorcycle.

Stop! Wait here.

Okay, let's go.

Keep walking, face forward.

Pay attention to where you're going.

These trees are all grafted.

-What's that?

-Can you help me take it out?

Help me take it out.

There's a little tangerine.

It's a present for you.

Oh my!

It's for you.

Unwrap it.

Get the bottom.

Well, look at that! A kumquat plant.

Now, happy lie-about-your-age birthday.

Thank you so much!

This is really wonderful.

I've never had one of these.

Really?

I have to take good care of it.

It's grafted here.

-What?

-It's grafted.

Oh, it's grafted there.

-I see.

-Grafted trees bear more fruit.

It's grafted here.

Are you happy?

I'm glad,

especially because it bears fruit.

I can easily eat that.

Is that so?

I have to make sure I live long

until it bears lots of fruit.

Yes, you do.

-Is it ready?

-It's ready.

-Shall we eat?

-Alright.

The daikon isn't cooked through.

It's still hard.

The daikon is a little hard.

That was tasty!

Something feels odd.

We're coming out of the tunnel.

We're in the clouds!

It's rather nice, like an ink painting.

-Like the clouds of an ink painting.

-Yes, exactly.

We're in an ink painting.

Is it starting to smell…

like your hometown?

-Not just yet.

-Not yet?

MIKA NOJIMA

FRIEND

TOSENJI TEMPLE

A long time ago,

there was a big pond here.

Then, on our way back home

after I was diagnosed,

Dad grabbed my arm

at the edge of the pond, and he said,

"Let's die here together."

I asked why, and he said,

"You have a disease

you can't tell anyone about."

"We can't live here anymore,

so die here with me."

I said "No!" and ran away.

TOMOKO MURAI

FRIEND

JUN MURAI

FRIEND

When I got together with Kinuko,

he was so happy for me.

He told all the neighbors,

"My son Haruhei has a wife."

"She's a normal woman at that,

a healthy bride."

But no one believed him.

So I brought her to meet them,

and they finally believed him.

ISHIYAMA FAMILY GRAVE

It's been about 50 years

since my father passed away.

Please rest in peace,

knowing that we are doing well.

The Peace of the Lord.

-Did you just make a cross?

-Yes, I did. I do it many times.

Father, forgive us.

-He's laughing at you.

-That's fine.

Dad liked to make people laugh, too.

He'd say, "That's just like you."

Wow! There are so many birds!

Here!

This one's hungry.

Their mouths are so big!

Bigger than mine.

Yes, you do quite resemble a koi fish!

How handsome!

You should pose

with your leg up on the rock.

Yes.

You look cool.

With these short legs?

He looks cool from the front,

but his back… is full of history.

We're attached.

Like this.

Watch us both fall in the water.

I can swim,

like a fish.

It's cold, so that feels perfect.

You know, they're all

taking pictures of us!

WINTER

Shall we go?

I'm on good terms with this shrine.

Hello, it's Dr. Sawada

from Gastroenterology.

Late last night, I scheduled

an emergency CT scan for a patient.

Kinuko Ishiyama.

She has a gastroesophageal junction tumor.

It's a bit of an emergency,

so I moved her CT scan to today.

Well, I explained last time,

but let me show you where the tumor is.

Your liver is here,

and here's your esophagus and stomach.

In your diaphragm,

where the esophagus meets the stomach,

that's where the tumor is.

Today, we'll do an endoscopy,

and I rescheduled the CT scan,

so we'll do that too.

There's a strong possibility

that it is not benign.

That's what I suspect.

We'll take a look,

but you'll probably need surgery.

However, at 80, we have to

take your age into consideration.

That's all I can say for now.

Surgery is…

It's scary.

I say scary, but we just have to

be aware of the risk.

This way.

Good.

It's still raining a bit.

It's fine. It's not too much.

I worry surgery will be hard.

You have no meat on you.

They'll hit bone as soon as they cut you.

They'll be thinking, "What?"

They'll just hit bone.

I never thought

I'd be the one facing this.

But you are.

I can't believe it grew that much.

The doctor said it's pretty big.

Yes, he did.

I nurtured it.

The tumor could be cancer. I hope not.

There's no way!

SHOWA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

DOCTOR'S APPOINTMEN

That ginkgo tree is so yellow.

Oh, all the ginkgo

around here have turned yellow.

How beautiful!

So pretty.

Can you see it?

Mount Fuji?

There. You can see it.

I can see it.

Slowly, slowly.

-I'm your caregiver.

-Yeah.

-Who's taking care of who?

-Don't be silly.

The stars will be out tonight.

The air is clear, and there are no clouds.

I'm in your hands, Professor.

Go ahead and read it.

I'm embarrassed.

"Happiness and sadness

Have passed into calm"

"It is a joy to wait for my spring"

I took "spring" from your name, "Haru."

Oh my.

It means both heaven and you, old man.

Old man.

This is like a poem you'd write

if you knew you were dying.

-It's as if you had been told.

-Right.

I'll be sentenced to death today.

Is that so?

Well, I wrote it down,

but this is what we found

in your endoscopic exam.

Yes, I understand.

The tumor stretches four centimeters

to where your esophagus meets the stomach.

Okay.

It's grown that far.

-This means she has cancer?

-That's right.

-Cancer?

-Yes.

-Really? Cancer?

-No question.

-Esophageal cancer?

-I shouldn't laugh.

Not esophageal cancer.

It's stomach cancer.

-Stomach cancer?

-It's stomach cancer?

Yes.

Does that mean--

We'll remove her stomach.

-All of it?

-Yes.

They'll take this part

and attach it down here.

-Your stomach will be gone.

-Completely gone.

I'll have to be careful about what I eat.

Assuming I survive.

If only the surgery could leave

half of your stomach.

We should prepare for the worst.

There's no other choice.

But did it really get that big?

It must have since the doctor says so.

I had a bad feeling when I saw the scan.

DECEMBER 3:

WE WERE TOLD IT IS STOMACH CANCER.

NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED.

I can't read it.

Don't worry. I'm not reading it.

Is this it?

Don't step on the chrysanthemums!

Poor flowers.

Come get in the picture.

Take one of me. Take one.

Make me look good.

That's up to the lens.

Ask the lens.

I should have brought my cane. Up we go.

My smile is crooked!

Got it?

Am I passable?

Let's see.

-My face isn't great.

-That's not my fault.

Can you take a closer shot?

-That one is close enough.

-No, it's not.

Get the tangerine tree, me,

and the chrysanthemums.

Got it?

-You look like an actress.

-Let's see.

Yes, I approve!

Has Kinuko told you?

She hasn't?

Well, I'll tell you

since you'll find out soon.

She has cancer.

-Yes, that's right.

-No, don't say anything.

She doesn't like me telling people.

But you have to.

Mr. Big Mouth!

Hello?

Thank you for sending

such delicious pickles.

I was just opening the box.

It's not serious what I have.

It's not a big deal.

I saw an X-ray of it,

I mean, the endoscopy.

It's not serious. It's very early-stage.

Right.

I am not giving up hope.

I never will!

We've held onto a glimmer

of hope for so long,

and now, at last,

we're living our lives fully.

Hope is what sustains us.

That's why you need

to take good care of yourself.

Yes. Thank you. You take care, too.

I try to comfort myself

and cheer myself up.

But when I think about surgery,

it's difficult.

Honestly, I don't want to go through it.

It's starting to rain!

I'm going to get wet!

I have to accept what comes my way,

or so I believe.

There's nothing else I can do.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMEN

Down the hatch.

YAKUSHIJI TEMPLE

…COMPLETE ENLIGHTENMEN

SUTRA OFFERING NUMBER 1,000

Get it?

Any picture is fine.

Here goes.

Okay, your turn.

Take one of me.

The pagoda really is quite tall!

Okay, I got it!

Okay? Want to take another?

-That's enough.

-It's enough?

-I can't get up.

-You can't?

I'll help.

Wake up! Hey!

Get up!

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I have to listen to the bell properly.

Happy New Year, everyone!

2020!

-I must sit properly when the bell rings.

-There it is!

There it is!

That's Yakushiji temple.

The World Heritage site,

Yakushiji temple in Nara.

Many have come

to copy sutras for the New Year.

Wow!

Yeah, look at them all.

JANUARY 1, 2020

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

2020 has begun.

-It's so quiet.

-Yeah.

A restful New Year's Day for all.

Yeah. No one goes out early.

Watch your step.

You go first.

Be careful going up.

Up we go.

-Can you make it up?

-I can make it.

-Are you okay?

-I'll wait. I'm a fast climber.

We didn't bring any flowers.

Up we go.

Together.

Second bow.

Please protect us again this year.

Not just us,

everyone in our housing complex.

Especially you, Kinuko.

No, I'm fine.

It's a fine day today.

I hope our prayers are heard.

Alright then.

-Careful going down.

-I think I see Mount Fuji.

-Or maybe not.

-It's just a cloud.

My mind is stuck in a loop.

I've still got so much left to do.

But my body is heavy.

It won't move.

I think about how so many others

are living through hardship.

It's encouraging to know I'm not alone.

50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

-Look at this!

-Wow!

We were young once upon a time.

-It's from when she was in nursing school.

-She was studying to be a nurse.

Where is this? The Izu peninsula, right?

-That's where we went on our honeymoon.

-That's right.

Unfortunately,

Kinuko isn't feeling well today,

so she couldn't make it.

So, please make do

with just Mr. Ishiyama today.

She wasn't even able to swallow tea,

so I took her to the hospital.

They did an endoscopy,

and her stomach was black

where her stomach meets her esophagus.

When I look at the two of them,

I think how amazing they are.

Thinking about the role that Kinuko

has played in supporting Haruhei,

we need to step up as much as possible,

so he can be at ease and focus

on helping her to get better.

Let's provide that support system.

We'll leave her care to the doctors.

With all your support, she will recover.

I believe that.

We believe that, too.

We've been together now for 50 years.

The time flew by so quickly.

Looking back…

we've been through a lot together.

And today--

I'm sorry. I tend to sweat from my eyes

when I talk about these kinds of things.

But all of your support

has really given us the courage

and the strength to live.

We are enveloped by the warmth

of those around us.

It makes me very happy.

Thank you all so much for today.

How many years have passed?

I'm so grateful to be alive

Thank you

Surrounded by friends

Talking about life

What joy it brings

The treasure of life

From today onward

We are two, hand in hand

Come rain, wind, or snow

Walking in the steps of our forefathers

Let's live with strength

In our corner of the world

Saturday, at 10 o'clock, I drove Kinuko

to Showa University Hospital.

She is on the 7th floor,

East A Wing, Room 721.

It's a four-person room,

but with three including Kinuko,

it's a quiet room.

It's right in front of the nurse center,

which is reassuring.

Friday the 10th.

Kinuko was understandably a bit nervous.

At 9:00 a.m., she was taken

to the operating room.

We stayed in the waiting room.

The doctor came to us after noon

and said the surgery went well.

He drew a diagram and explained it to us.

He showed us what was removed.

The tumor was as big as a fist.

I can see why food

was getting caught in her esophagus.

After I got home,

I called Nemoto, Fumiyo, and Kanno.

Ikuno welcomed the news, too,

saying our prayers had been answered.

I noticed my voice was trembling.

So many people

gave our family so much love.

I was deeply moved

and am so grateful.

I was filled with a warmth beyond words.

It made me so happy.

It was she who took my hand

and helped me back into the world.

She also worked to support the family.

Even if she ends up

not being able to walk,

I want her to live.

PICK UP KINUKO FROM THE HOSPITAL

The fresh air feels great!

Because it's the air of freedom.

What floor was I on?

The 7th floor.

There are nine floors.

It's so cold! But it feels great.

It's just like

when you step outside of a greenhouse.

You took great care of me.

Thank you very much.

With all the leaves fallen,

it's like there's nothing.

-There's an old bird nest there.

-What a great doctor I had.

When Dr. Shimada smiled,

it was like the beaming sun.

It's true!

My sweet old town.

Nothing has changed.

I feel at home.

Go by the shrine, okay?

Thank you very much.

Okay.

There are tangerines growing!

Ta-da!

Oh my.

You rearranged the room.

Thank you for watching over

our home all this time.

-My long trip has come to an end.

-I'm so glad.

-You recovered quickly, just three weeks.

-The hard part starts now.

Everything I do will be slow.

Well, rest well, and take it slow.

No need to force yourself.

OUR ROOM SO SMALL

I TRY TO FIND A SPACE FOR MYSELF

I SNEAK INTO MY HUSBAND'S FUTON

LYING BY HIS SIDE

I FEEL HIS PRESENCE WITHOUT TOUCHING

I HOLD ON TIGHTLY

TO HIS INNOCENT FINGERS

-This is so beautiful.

-Yeah.

Red and white plum blossoms.

What's that pink one?

It's also a plum tree, isn't it?

It's the same type of tree

as the other one.

Shall I go back

and come pick you up in the car?

The car? Sure.

84TH BIRTHDAY

Let's eat.

What day is it today?

Today is my 84th birthday.

And?

Happy birthday.

Well then,

let's eat.

And we're celebrating your health, too.

Let's eat.

Eat lots. Is the rice hard?

You've done well to live so long,

despite your disabilities.

My village doctor insisted

I would never live past 15.

And he emphasized "never."

You've got grit.

Grit gets you long life.

Grit and patience.

Grit and--

And my wife's love!

That is important.

More than half of these 84 years

have been supported by your love.

I'm not 84 yet.

No, I'm talking about half of my 84 years.

Your love has sustained me.

-You're getting all cheesy!

-I'm getting sweaty!

Now I'm sweating.

It's hot.

-I hate when you get all cheesy.

-I know, but I'm serious.

Anyway, looking back on our time together…

Don't be cheesy.

…50 years…

Stop.

…50 years have passed.

You've become a little frail recently.

But that can't be helped.

Just hurry up and recover quickly.

We each have our own fate.

It's out of our hands.

But you can't go on and leave me behind.

HARUHEI ISHIYAMA RETURNS

TO HIS HOMETOWN

But ordinarily,

a person with a severe illness like his

could easily become

disheartened and bitter.

But he always strove to do his best.

He's an impressive man.

I really believe that.

That's all I have to say.

The end.