What is the legendary silent film "Reimei no Sato"? Exploring the true nature of this lost local film produced in 1925

During the Taisho era, when Japanese films were still silent, film productions were taking place all over the country, and even in regional cities, traveling screenings and educational films were actively held. One of the films produced against this backdrop is " Reimei no Sato ."

Currently, no copies of the film or script remain, and it is considered a "lost film." However, in recent years, through research by researchers and local citizens, its image is gradually coming to light

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Year of production and director: A work by Uchida Tomu in 1925

"Reimei no Sato" is a silent film made in 1925 (Taisho 14), and Uchida Tomu . Director Uchida is an important figure in Japanese film history, having been highly praised for his postwar works such as the "Miyamoto Musashi" series and "Tsuchi." This film is thought to be one of the early works in his career.

may have been produced as part of the social education film project promoted by the Ministry of Education and local governments at the time

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The setting is the Yonekawa area of ​​Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture

The story is set the Yonekawa area of ​​Towa-cho, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture , where there is a sacred spring known as the " Reimei-no-Ido" (Well of Reimei ), which has long been believed to be effective against eye diseases.

"Reimei no Sato" is said to be based on a true story passed down in the area, and the characters were modeled after a Shudo Kiyoki .

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Summary: The story of a young teacher who lived his life with faith and education

Below, we will introduce the story in detail based on local legends and descriptions in the book Kaimeizaka

A young teacher falls ill and loses his eyesight

The protagonist of the story is a young teacher, Sudo Kiyoyoshi, who works at a local elementary school. He is earnest and honest, and an ideal educator who genuinely cares about the future of children. However, one day, he falls ill and develops an eye disease, causing him to rapidly lose his eyesight

Even after receiving treatment, there was no hope of recovery, and the doctor told him that it would be difficult for him to continue working as a teacher. Losing his eyesight was a fatal situation for a teacher at the time, and there were times when those around him urged him to retire

Still, he continues to stand at the podium

However, Mr. Shuto believed that even if he lost his sight, he could still communicate with the children, and continued to teach. He memorized the entire contents of the textbook, memorized the position of the blackboard with his body, and taught classes with the help of assistance

His attitude touched not only the children, but also their parents and local adults. Mr. Shuto's actions began to raise the question of "what is true education?" for the entire community

Villager's Recommendation and "Reimei's Well"

Eventually, an elderly local person told him about a sacred spring that has been said to be good for the eyes since ancient times. This was Reimei Well

The water is a sacred spring that has long been believed to be effective in treating eye ailments, and Mr. Shuto began to visit it almost daily with his students. After visiting the spring for several days, on the day of the completion of the ritual, when he tried to take a break to smoke a cigarette, the ground in his geta slipped and he fell off a cliff

However, at this moment, a miracle happened to Professor Shuto

A miraculous recovery and a new dawn

Perhaps due to the impact of the fall, light gradually returned to his vision. At first, he saw a faint glimmer of light, then a vague outline, and after a few months, his eyesight was restored enough to read

This incident spread throughout the village and was spoken of as a "miracle." His resurrection became a symbol of hope for the children and deeply moved the entire community

This is a true story, and Mr. Shuto returned to education, devoting himself to teaching at a school for the blind, and passed away in 1991

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Current Status: Fate of a Lost Film

Unfortunately, none of the screening footage, script, cast information, or posters for "Reimei no Sato" have been found . They are not even stored in the National Film Archive of Japan, and no existing video materials have been confirmed.

Meanwhile, references to the film can be found in local newspapers and educational magazines of the time, and that the film was shown on a touring tour, . This is extremely valuable evidence that a local visual culture existed.

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Local research activities and the passing on of memories

In recent years, there has been a renewed movement to unearth lost records of the film in the Yonekawa area of ​​Tome City, where the film is set. Local residents and library staff are taking the lead in conducting interviews with elders, examining old newspapers, and interviewing school officials

Fieldwork was also conducted to visit the remains of wells and former school sites, and "Reimei no Sato" is no longer just a film from the past, but is being reevaluated as a "regional memory."

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Conclusion: Why shed light on "Reimei no Sato"?

Even if the footage of "Reimei no Sato" no longer exists, its very existence is a valuable cultural heritage. It is believed to have depicted themes such as faith, education, and community ties, and it continues to inspire us today

It is also a good example of the diversity of Japanese film history, in that it is a film produced in the provinces rather than the central government

If even a portion of the film or script were to be discovered in the future, it would be of great significance not only to film history, but also to local and educational history. "Reimei no Sato" is a work that still lives quietly in people's hearts

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Wakakusa Inari Shrine's Reimei Water <Information>

• Name: Wakakusa Inari Shrine
• Address: 3 Nishitsunagi, Yonekawa, Towa-cho, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, 987-0901
• Phone number: 0220-45-2528
• Official URL: Wakakusa Inari Shrine Official Website

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