Sweet Bean 2016

Sentaro, a middle-aged man managing a quaint dorayaki shop on the outskirts of Tokyo, finds solace in his modest business that attracts locals and school students alike. His life takes a turn when he places a notice seeking a co-worker, drawing the attention of Tokue, a fascinating woman in her mid-seventies who expresses a lifelong dream of working in a dorayaki shop. Hesitant at first due to Tokue’s deformed hands—an apparent consequence of her past—Sentaro’s perspective shifts when he samples her homemade anko (red bean paste). He is enchanted by its exceptional taste and texture, a stark contrast to the factory-made paste he had used until now. This moment of revelation prompts him to invite Tokue to join him in making bean paste, confessing his previous discontent with his own product.

With Tokue on board, business flourishes, and soon she takes on a more active role by serving customers and preparing dorayaki. However, the tide turns when patrons recognize the deformities in Tokue’s hands as a marker of leprosy, leading to a significant decline in business. As a result, Sentaro feels compelled to let her go, resulting in feelings of guilt and regret over the prejudice faced by Tokue. It is Wakana, a schoolgirl whom Sentaro has befriended, who suggests visiting Tokue at the sanatorium—a bleak reminder of the historical stigma that leprosy patients endured until the 1996 repeal of the unjust Leprosy Prevention Law. During their visit, Tokue reassures Sentaro of her gratitude for the time spent at his shop, despite the heart-wrenching circumstances.

Tragically, a few months later, Tokue passes away from pneumonia, leaving behind not only her bean paste-making equipment but also a poignant cassette tape directed at Sentaro and Wakana. Within the tape, she imparts wisdom, emphasizing that one’s value is not tied to their job but to their very existence, and encourages them to savor the sensory experiences the world has to offer.

Throughout the film, Sentaro battles the shadows of his past, particularly a grievous incident involving a pub brawl that led to his imprisonment and a hefty reparation to the victim. Underneath it all, his ties to the dorayaki shop are shackled by the loan shark who financed the reparation, a debt he struggles to repay. Yet, as the film draws to a close, we witness a transformation in Sentaro; he stands proudly at his own stall in a local park, having learned to embrace his life and circumstances despite the burdens that once weighed heavy on his heart.