震災で焼け残ったゴルフバッグから生まれた実話

[From June Issue 2011]

Arigato (Directed by MANDA Kunitoshi)

This feature film is based on real events that took place following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995. The story unravels around FURUICHI Tadao, a senior professional golfer, and the strength of his family’s bonds as the city and its people tried to recover from the devastation. The educational value of the film’s subject matter was approved, and it was eventually chosen as one of the Selected Works by, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). It was first released in 2006.

On January 17 at 5:46 am, a big earthquake rocked Furuichi Cameras, one of the many shops sitting along the Nagata-ku shopping avenue in Kobe, Japan. Furuichi Tadao and his wife and two daughters were fast asleep in the residential part of his shop. Once the severe jolts stopped, Tadao and his wife quickly verified their family’s safety. Meanwhile, the arcade covering the shopping avenue had collapsed, as so too did many shops and houses around them.

The fire that broke out in the distance gradually approached the shopping avenue like sea of flames. Confusion gripped the neighborhood as people just stood there panic-stricken – some pushed others aside while they ran for their lives, while others tried to rescue those desperately in need. Tadao, a member of the local fire fighting squad, instructed his wife and daughters to evacuate while he and his squad members tried to rescue people, pulling them out from beneath the rubble.

At a mass funeral nineteen days later, Tadao proclaimed to everyone in attendance that “The earthquake was no one’s fault. Natural disasters happen. We must rebuild the city to be more disaster-proof. That is what we can do on behalf of all the people who lost their lives.” Tadao then started to help the people rebuild their city.

Two years later, the Furuichi family has resumed their lives in a new house. But rather than work, Tadao continues to help rebuild the neighborhood, while relying on his wife and daughters to support their family. Finally, his wife implores him to “start thinking about ‘restoring’ his family,” after which he shows her one of the only things to have survived the fires – a golf bag. Passionately he tells her, “God left me this for a reason. So now, I’m going to become a professional golfer.”

The professional golf certification exam is extremely competitive. Usually, only 50 out of 1,800 applicants pass, with most of those still in their 20’s. At close to 60, the odds of Tadao turning pro were extremely slim. But he didn’t give up and trained vigorously. His wife tells him that while she doesn’t agree with his decision, neither will she stand in his way. But quietly she keeps watch over him.

Eventually Tadao makes it to the final round. He tells himself to “make a miracle,” as he heads onto the green. At the final hole, a problem occurs as his ball lands in the woods, but taking his caddy’s advice Tadao hits a miraculous shot to fulfill his destiny of becoming a professional golfer. He calls his wife to tell her the good news, but she just dryly replies: “good for you, but our phone bills are expensive, so I’ll hang up now,” after which she quietly starts to cry.

[2011年6月号掲載記事]

ありがとう(万田邦敏 監督)

1995年に発生した阪神淡路大震災から生まれた実話が原作。現在もシニアプロゴルファーとしてツアーに参戦している古市忠夫を中心に、震災から立ち直る人々や街の様子、そして家族のきずななどが描かれている。教育上の価値が認められ、文部科学省選定作品に選ばれた。公開は2006年。

1月17日、午前5時46分。神戸市長田区の商店街にある「古市カメラ」を大きな揺れが襲う。住居も兼ねている店では、主人公の古市忠夫と妻、二人の娘が寝ていた。激しい縦揺れが収まると、忠夫は家族の無事を確認する。商店街のアーケードは崩れ、周りの店や家も倒れている。

遠くの方で上がった火の手が、波のように商店街に押し寄せる。呆然と立ちつくす人、他人を押しのけて逃げ出す人、そして、他人を助け出そうとする人で、商店街は混乱する。消防団員でもある忠夫は妻に娘たちと一緒に避難するよう言い、団員仲間たちと救助に向かう。忠夫たちは崩れた家の下敷きになった人を助け出す。

震災から19日後、犠牲者の合同葬儀が行われる。そこで忠夫は参加者たちに誓う。「地震は誰のせいでもない。天災は必ず起こる。起こっても、耐えられる街をつくらなくては。災害に強い街をつくる。それが、亡くなった人たちへのわしらの務めだ」と。こうして忠夫は、街の人たちと協力して、震災に耐えられる街づくりに取り組む。

やがて震災から2年が経ち、古市家も新居での生活を始めている。しかし、忠夫は仕事をせず街の復興に駆け回るばかりで、生計は妻や娘たちの稼ぎで成り立っている。妻に「この家の『復興』も考えて」と頼まれるが、忠夫は震災で唯一、焼け残ったゴルフバッグを見せる。「神様がこれを自分に残してくれた。自分はプロゴルファーになる」と意気込む。

プロテストは1,800人が受けて50人しか受からないほど難しく、合格者のほとんどが20代の若者だ。間もなく60歳になる忠夫が合格することは不可能に近い。だが、忠夫は地道にトレーニングを続ける。妻も、応援しないと言いながらも反対はせず、夫を静かに見守る。

忠夫は最終テストまで残る。「奇跡を起こせ」と自分に言い聞かせてグリーンに向かう。最終ホールでは林の間にボールが落ちるアクシデントに見舞われるが、キャディーのひと言で奇跡的なショットを放つ。そして、プロテストに合格する。妻に電話で知らせると、「良かったわね。電話代がもったいないから切るわよ」と素っ気ない。しかし、受話器をおいた妻は、静かに涙を流すのだった。

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