NHK Documentary

Bacchan: Granny's Table

Chikako Nakamoto, affectionately called "Bacchan" or "Granny", is known as the city's Mother Theresa. For years, she's been welcoming juvenile delinquents with home cooked meals. She believes that hunger is a trigger for acts of assault, purse snatching, shoplifting, and prostitution. A warm meal is the first step toward rehabilitation. Some of the youth Granny welcomes into her home include a boy whose family is too poor to feed him and a girl who's been abused by her parents. Under Granny's care, these young people seek and find ways to overcome despair. This documentary, filmed over a span of 8 years, shows how Granny's table has changed the lives of these juveniles.