Mineko Seki, the elderly proprietor of Hananoyu Inn, a traditional Japanese ryokan nestled in a hot springs town, possesses gray hair marked by a distinctive purple stripe. Following the tragic deaths of her daughter and son-in-law in a car accident, Mineko assumes guardianship of her granddaughter, Oriko Seki. Welcoming Oriko to the inn, Mineko guides her to the room once occupied by Oriko's mother, acknowledging the emotional weight of this transition. Mineko harbors a desire for Oriko to eventually inherit the role of innkeeper but hesitates to voice this wish, mindful of Oriko's recent trauma and grief. Her face reveals her happiness when she accidentally overhears Oriko express a wish to run the inn herself. Together with her staff, Etsuko Tajima and Kōnosuke Minoda, Mineko supports Oriko's decision to become the junior innkeeper, committing to train her and assist in learning the responsibilities. Mineko blends warmth with a practical grasp of the inn's operations and the emotional needs of others. Her past includes a connection to Makoto "Uribo" Tateuri, a ghost who was her childhood friend and neighbor, forming part of the inn's legacy she upholds. Her management style emphasizes the inn's philosophy of hospitality without rejection.