An island known as the Mediterranean of Japan
located in Seto Inland Sea

Population: 26,000 people
Also known as the Island of Olives

Shodoshima Olive Park, a roadside station

Greek-style windmill, the park's landmark

A piano was placed under an olive tree
for a limited period of time.

Cameras were set up to watch people play.

She came to the island to travel
with her friend.

Embraced In Softness / "Yasashisa Ni Tsutsumareta Nara"
Yumi Arai (1974)
(From the Anime film "Kiki's Delivery Service")

A live-action version of Studio Ghibli's
popular animation was filmed on this island.

They came here to take a picture,
posing as the protagonist flying on a broom.

Requested by the friend,
she played the song from memory.

"It was fun being able to play
under this beautiful blue sky."

"Oh this?"

"I jumped with it in a photo
to try to look like I was flying."

"Oops, it looks like I didn't fly much.
How embarrassing."

"Getting the timing right is quite hard."

"I'll pick a song for you
to play so hold on."

Father and Daughter
Traveling from Ibaraki Prefecture

Father, piano tuner
Daughter, works full time

Merry-Go-Round of Life
Joe Hisaishi (2004)
(From the film "Howl's Moving Castle")

They just arrived at Shodoshima,
a much-anticipated trip in 3 years.

It was the daughter's wish
to come to this park.

Stumbling upon the piano,
his daughter begged him to play.

- "Doesn't it go like this?"
- "Yes, that's right."

- "How about the song I picked for you?"
- "I couldn't play it well so I changed."

He's good at improvising.
I used to ask him to play anime songs.

He looks handsome playing if you just
look from behind.

"Can I count on him...?
Not so sure about that."

"So mean."

Neighbors living close by

Threads
Nakajima Miyuki (1992)

The lady in black only started learning
the piano 10 months ago.

The lady in blue is her tutor,
a piano teacher her kid used to go to.

In exchange for piano lessons,
she gifts homegrown vegetables.

"She grows a lot of vegetables and fruits.
I appreciate her sharing them with me."

"Like figs, loquats, oranges... quite a lot."

"They don't go to waste, thanks to her."

"I'm glad she enjoys them.
Knowing that makes me very happy."

- "This is making me want to cry."
- "Thank you."

"Thank you so much."

Local middle school students
Childhood friends

She's played piano since she was 4.
Her hobby is to write and compose music.

An original song inspired by a film
she watched during summer break.

She's been practicing this song
to perform at her school festival.

"I remember clearly, I do
your warm hands I held"

"Oh how I love you just the way you are"

"At the mercy of the skies
I pick up our memories flying away"

"Even if this love disappears again tonight"

After graduation,
they go their separate ways.

"It's a very small island so we've been together
for more than 10 years."

"Back in 6th grade,
we each had to share our dream."

"I vividly remember her saying
she wants to be a singer song writer."

- "Did I say that?"
- "You really did! I was amazed."

"That's how I learned her dream.
I was so happy when she asked me to sing together."

Setouchi International Art Festival is held
every 3 years on this island.

Tours visiting the exhibits are popular.

"This is an installation called "Zero"
by Wang Wen Chih."

"Over 4,000 bamboo trees are used
to create this art piece."

This immersive piece works in unison with nature.

Going inside...

a comforting space reminiscent of a mother's womb.

Pieces by famous artists
from around the world can be seen.

"This piece is called
'The time of the beginning.'"

Porcelain egg with intentional cracks

"If you look closely on the top,
you see budding sprouts."

"It represents a new beginning."

Nurse
Visiting her little sister from Hiroshima

The sister works at a café.

A Rainbow
Music: Nakagawa Hirotaka
Lyrics: Shinzawa Toshihiko

The sister got married 6 months ago.

They performed this song at her wedding,
together with their brother.

The youngest was always spoiled
by the other two because of a big age gap.

This was a song she used to sing as a child.

"My sister and I went to the same piano teacher as kids,
so we have played together before."

"But having both my brother and sister on my side
playing piano together was very special to me."

"It's a memory I will cherish for sure."

Film director from Saitama Prefecture
Came to see her daughter who got married here

She self-taught how to play the piano.
This song was composed for her late husband.

He was diagnosed with cancer 14 years ago.
She filmed him fight the disease in hopes of recovery.

Despite her wishes, he passed away.
Piano was what helped her get through the grief.

To express the preciousness of life,
she turned her husband's battle into a documentary film.

The film received great response,
screened in theaters more than 500 times.

"The success of this film helped
raise my four kids."

"It's as though my husband is still
supporting us but through a film."

"When I'm down, I feel the piano calling.
As I put my hands, a song would just flow."

"The point is not to play well.
I feel like the piano is there to lift me up."

Singer song writer, 44 years old
Visiting from Tokushima Prefecture

She has loved songwriting
ever since she was in middle school.

This is her original song.
It's about starting over in life.

She moved from Tokushima to Tokyo at age 18,
made her major debut at 21 years old.

Burnt out from difficult relationships,
she moved back home after 4 years.

That's when she visited this island.
The peaceful scenery helped lift her spirit.

"Wounds and mistakes hide behind my smile"

"I'm fine, I can be fine"

"I'll start over, from here"

"Somewhere in the corner of this world
Each of us is living this day"

"Hopelessly believing in someone"

"Hopelessly in love with someone"

Now back on the island,
she returns the favor through her music.