Local Friends Staying in Hokkaido" started in April 2021 on NHK Hokkaido. "The director will stay for a month with "Local Friends" who have deep connections in the region and discover the treasures of the region." This project is a completely different approach from the previous "reporting," delving into the charms of each region of Hokkaido.

Domingo is also interested in this project, and we would like to know what the director of the project actually saw in the regions he covered. We were able to speak with Mr. Koshimura, director of NHK Sapporo Broadcasting Station, who was in charge of the Soya episode broadcast in April! Let's start with the first part.

First of all, we would like to introduce Part I. -Mr. Koshimura, please give us a hand!

Please give me a warm welcome!

-What was your impression when you heard about the purpose of the program?

The concept of "Local Friends in Japan" was discussed among four young directors, including myself, and a director other than myself came up with the idea for the current project. I never thought I would be in charge of the first part of the project, but when I first heard about it, I honestly thought it would be interesting. It was simply a program I had never heard of anywhere else.
I had been saying since the time of its predecessor "#Local Friends Meeting Travel" that I wanted to build relationships with local communities and convey their deep attractions, and I thought it was a natural way to do that, since the best way to convey deep attractions is to stay in that area for a long time.

-What kind of communication did you have with Mr. Atsushi Ozaki, the Local Friends for the Soya version broadcast in April?

(Mr. Atsushi Ozaki)

It was late February when I first contacted Mr. Ozaki. I thought it would be a good idea to have a face-to-face meeting, so I visited him in Wakkanai at the beginning of March and had a chat with him. I heard about a few people there, and I also had the opportunity to call them directly.

-What did you feel before you did this interview?

I was very anxious before I went because the production style was completely different from the programs I had worked on in the past. Basically, I often decide on the subjects of my interviews after careful preliminary research. I was very anxious because it was the first time for me to work in an "off-the-cuff" shooting style, and there was no guarantee that I would be able to convey the story in the video. We had spent a lot of time preparing with the local people, so there was a lot of pressure to make sure that the program would not be an embarrassment to them.

-Did you do a lot of research on the area beforehand?

Actually, I did very little research. When I called the people Mr. Ozaki had told me about, I just asked them if they would be there during the month I would be there. If he was not there when I was actually there, I would not have been able to interview him.

-What was your first day in Japan like?

The first day was March 28. First, I went to Mr. Ozaki's place, and while we were having lunch, I asked him if he could introduce me to some interesting people in Wakkanai. I asked him, and he introduced me to Wataru Kimura of the snowboard store I mentioned in the program. I jumped on the bus right after lunch and went to see him. I think I had already met him and rolled the camera about two hours after I heard about him (laughs)

(Wataru Kimura)

-So that's what it was like! You probably still feel uneasy at that time, don't you?

Yes, I was. I couldn't prepare in advance, so even while Mr. Kimura was talking to me, I was anxious about what we would be able to shoot. But it wasn't just anxiety; there was also a sense of anticipation and elation. Usually, multiple people do the interviews, but this time I was going to do it all by myself. The only thing I had decided was to "look for local attractions through Local Friends" and the deadline to "get the broadcast out on Thursday. I was left in charge of how to cover the story, how to film it, and how to edit it. So I was able to focus on the content, and I was looking forward to it even before I started.

(Xunichiro Abe)

-Are there any events that were memorable for you throughout the entire project?

There were many things, but I was very much indebted to Mr. Tetsuya Takahashi of Rishiri Island. When we met up on the ferry after being introduced by Mr. Ozaki, he told me in a whispered remark as we were being driven to the car after filming on the island, "You can't do it alone if you want to make the island more lively.

(Tetsuya Takahashi)

Mr. Takahashi originally ran a store on the island as his main business, and he was busy as an "island everything shop," but he was also the head of a community development organization, producing sake and holding events. He was working hard because his own life and the future of the island were directly connected to each other.

(Tetsuya Takahashi)

There is a limit to what I can do on my own in making the whole island exciting, and in order to make it a big thing, I have to gather my friends. However, not everyone is willing to join us right away, and I could catch a glimpse of the hardships behind the struggles.

(The story continues in the second half!)