Baba-chan, formally named Mariko Kumano, is a 95-year-old Japanese grandmother. Born left-handed, she was forced to switch hands during first-grade kanji lessons, an experience she later considered unnecessary despite conforming to societal pressure at the time.

This early correction resulted in ambidexterity, though she maintained a quiet pride in her original left-handed nature. She forged a career as a shodo (Japanese calligraphy) teacher affiliated with the Royal Swedish Opera House, meticulously using only her right hand for professional work until retiring in her mid-70s.

In her daily routines, Baba-chan instinctively favors her left hand for eating ham, operating the television remote, and tackling household chores. This inherent left-handedness passed genetically to her granddaughter, whom Baba-chan actively supports by never attempting to correct or criticize her use of the left hand.

Baba-chan stands as a matriarch embodying unspoken resilience. She bridges cultural and generational divides through her quiet acceptance of individuality, leaving a legacy where her influence persists in family traditions, particularly in normalizing left-handedness within domestic and creative spheres.