88-year-old man persevered in learning to read for 6 years to write a love letter to his wife

(Dan Tri) - Nishihata was determined to learn to read and write at the age of 64 to write a letter expressing his gratitude to his wife.

Mr. Nishihata Tamotsu, born in 1936, in a poor family in a mountainous village in Wakayama province (Japan). Due to difficult circumstances, the young Nishihata had to drop out of school in his early elementary years before he could learn to read and write.

Growing up without knowing how to read or write, Nishihata always had an inferiority complex: "If I can't read, I won't be recognized as a human being."

Because he could not read or write, he had to change jobs frequently. Fortunately, a sushi restaurant in Nara city understood his situation and took him in.

Mr. Nishihata (center) interacts with the audience at the film premiere (Photo: Yahoo Japan).

At the age of 35, he met Mrs. Kyoko - the woman with whom he built a happy home. They got married and had two children.

At first, he hid the fact that he could not read or write, but when she discovered the truth, Mrs. Kyoko did not blame him but gently said: "You must have worked very hard. Let's work hard together."

With the support of his wife, Mr. Nishihata decided to go to school at the age of 64. He attended night school at Kasuga High School in Nara City - a place for people who never had the opportunity to go to school for various reasons.

Learning to read and write like a child is not easy for an old man like him, but Nishihata still perseveres every day.

Recalling that journey, he emotionally shared: "Before, every time I needed to sign at an administrative agency, my wife had to sign for me. Therefore, when I was able to write my own name for the first time, I was really happy."

On Christmas Day, at the age of 71, Mr. Nishihata wrote a letter to Mrs. Kyoko, expressing his gratitude. This was the first love letter he had written to his wife after 35 years of marriage.

"It's because of you that I am who I am today. You have helped me stand firm as a human being, which makes me extremely happy," he wrote.

As Mr. Nishihata was preparing to send the fourth letter, Ms. Kyoko suddenly passed away from a heart attack on Christmas Eve 2014.

Touched by the perseverance of Mr. Nishihata Tamotsu, Tsukamoto Renpei - a famous Japanese director - has adapted the story into a movie. The movie about a 64-year-old man who just learned to read and write to write a love letter to his wife is scheduled to be released next March.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/cu-ong-88-tuoi-kien-tri-hoc-chu-suot-6-nam-de-viet-thu-tinh-gui-vo-20250204114515870.htm