Hanasaku Iroha

Genre: Drama
Score: Good

Ohana’s mother runs away with a man, and she has to live her Tokyo life and not-quite-boyfriend behind to live with her grandmother who runs a traditional Japanese inn in the countryside. Ohana discovers she has to actually work for her keep now, and the hidebound ways of the inn take a lot of getting used to.

This is a nice little growing up story, with a cast of likeable characters (even if they can’t stand each other). Ohana has to find her place among the waitresses, cooks and other employees, learn how to deal with guests, and overcome various hurdles. It’s also extremely pretty. Not a great deal actually happens, but life is sometimes like that.