The Promise of a 10,000 Kilometers

Hida City, Gifu Prefecture. Shota, a high school student who grew up in this town rich in nature, was leading an ordinary life as the son of a farmer, helping out in the family business. He had no particular goals for the future, blurting out, “I can't spend the rest of my life in the countryside like this.

On the day of his graduation, he suddenly announced to everyone around him, “I'm going to go back to my hometown and start a business! He announced to everyone around him that he was going to return to his hometown and start his own business. His family and friends were surprised, but Shota's determination remained unshaken. First, he moved to Tokyo and started learning web design while working part-time to earn money for tuition. Then, he came up with the dream of creating a system to transmit local specialties and culture to the world.

As the next step, Shota saves up money and decides to study abroad in Malta for a long period of time. Life in a foreign country was exciting, but he was nervous about being abroad for the first time and sometimes felt down about his inability to speak as well as he would like. One day, while relaxing at a small local café, a cheerful woman named Emilia approached him. Can I sit next to you? She sat down with a carefree smile on her face. She was a local woman who liked to travel around the world.

The encounter with Emilia changed Shota's life as an exchange student. Shota, who was not very good at conversing in English, gradually gained confidence with the help of Emilia's easygoing personality. Through his conversations with her, Shota's horizons were broadened and his idea of creating a platform to deliver local products to people around the world became more concrete. During his study abroad period, he launched the website and made his first sale.

The end of their study abroad period eventually came and the day of their return to Japan was approaching. Shota and Emilia decided to have a long-distance relationship, even though they feared they would be separated. Over a distance of approximately 10,000 kilometers, they began to support each other through social networking and video calls.

After two years of long-distance relationship, Emilia decided to move to Japan, saying, “I want to build a future with you. Their new challenge begins in Hida City, Shota's hometown. Shota's website grows and local produce becomes loved by people all over the world. The story of their new life together, in which they did not give up on either their dreams or their love, will continue -- and will continue to be told.

Author: Yamamura Issa