Sui Shijima, the 68-year-old matriarch of the Shijima family, commands Kissuisō, a Taishō-era hot spring inn, with unwavering traditionalism. Her strict, disciplined management prioritizes meticulous service and guest satisfaction over modernization, earning both fear and deep respect from staff through high standards, occasional physical corrections, and unwavering fairness.

Initially stern and emotionally distant, Sui enforces accountability equally, even toward her granddaughter Ohana Matsumae, whom she treats as a regular employee. This rigidity traces to her fractured bond with daughter Satsuki Matsumae, disowned for abandoning Kissuisō to chase independence in Tokyo. Secretly, Sui permitted Satsuki’s departure and silently approved her relationship with Ohana’s father, as revealed in logs kept by janitor Denroku Sukegawa—though reconciliation remained unspoken.

Beneath her austere exterior lies quiet compassion. Sui mentors son Enishi Shijima, gradually empowering him to inherit Kissuisō after his marriage to consultant Takako Kawajiri. She challenges employees like Nako Oshimizu to balance honesty with familial duties, acknowledging the struggle between personal and professional realms.

Flashbacks in *Home Sweet Home* expose Sui’s buried regrets and sacrifices. Denroku’s logs unveil her turmoil over Satsuki’s absence and Ohana’s upbringing, alongside her steadfast dedication to the inn despite declining health. Her eventual acceptance of Kissuisō’s closure and retirement reflects pragmatic recognition of evolving times, even as her work ethic echoes in Satsuki’s own choices.

Gray-haired and brown-eyed, Sui embodies tradition through her kimono-clad presence. Her layered identity—unyielding yet vulnerable, principled yet conflicted—reveals a woman sculpted by duty, silent resilience, and the weight of legacy.