Tarō Yabe, a male entertainer and manga creator, lives on the second floor of a Tokyo two-story wooden house. He was formerly part of the comedy duo Karateka and is the son of picture book author Mitsunori Yabe. Yabe develops a warm personal relationship with his elderly landlady residing alone downstairs after divorcing young. Their daily interactions feature greetings of "Gokigenyo," celebrating birthdays with Rice Ball Coated with Sweet Bean Paste, and mutual support during everyday activities like going out to lunch on windy days.

Professionally, Yabe documents these experiences in an essay manga, marking his debut in the industry. This autobiographical work began serialization in 2016 and earned significant recognition, including the short work prize at the 22nd Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Following the real-life death of his landlady, the manga went on hiatus. Yabe expressed profound grief, wishing he could have talked and asked her more, while expressing gratitude to her family. He later resumed creation, finding the process "painful but enjoyable, and lonely but happy." He shared that their conversations made her feel connected to departed loved ones, and drawing the manga similarly allowed him to feel reunited with her.

This portrayal of an intergenerational relationship resonated widely, with over 660,000 manga copies sold. Readers in their 30s and older expressed a yearning for such connections, viewing the landlady as an ideal image of elderly life. Yabe's story became part of a broader manga trend featuring elderly protagonists, reflecting societal interest in aging themes within Japan's rapidly aging population. An animated adaptation consisting of five-minute shorts aired for five consecutive nights in March 2020.