Hometown Stories

tv show

poster for Hometown Stories

275 total episodes

-

14 seasons

First Aired February 06, 2011

Overview

Stories about people, stories about life. Intimate portraits of people from around Japan, each leading diverse lives while enriching lives of others.

tv poster

Bonding Through Soba: A Story of Four Grannies

Season 12 - Episode 11 - 0h 25m

Air Date

May 14, 2023

Overview

In a small community at the foot of the famous Mt. Gassan in the northern prefecture of Yamagata, four women in their 80s work together in a popular soba-noodle restaurant. Many people come a long way to enjoy the grannies' soba. Each has her own role - making dough, cutting it into strips, frying tempura, and making side dishes using seasonal vegetables. They enjoy working, chatting, and laughing together, and they have developed a special bond. We follow the women, from the beautiful season of buckwheat flowers blooming to the deep snows of winter.