Sentaro Tsujii

Sentaro Tsujii is the protagonist in Sweet Bean Paste. At the outset of the narrative, he struggles to find meaning in his life and begrudgingly works at the bakery, Doraharu, making dorayaki, to pay back the debt he owes his boss. When an elderly woman asks about the help wanted sign in the window, the baker is reluctant to hire her for the job. While he posted the advertisement because he felt lonely, he is not inclined to have Tokue in the shop. However, after trying her sweet bean paste, Sentaro reconsiders and asks her to come in a few days a week to make the filling. He is shocked by the care the cooking takes and mystified by the amount of time the elderly women spends staring at the azuki beans.

As Sentaro works with Tokue, business at Doraharu increases. He contemplates expanding the business but...