Tofu vendor delivers much more than healthy food to an east Tokyo neighborhood
Summary
Akiko Sugaya sells tofu door to door in an east Tokyo neighborhood, where she also keeps an eye on elderly customers living alone. Her work helps fight loneliness and sometimes leads her to discover if someone is in trouble.Key Facts
- Sugaya sells tofu from a pink cart while blowing a small brass horn to alert customers.
- She has been delivering tofu and checking on neighbors for 23 years.
- Many of her customers are elderly people living alone, a growing issue in Japan’s aging society.
- She sometimes finds signs like uncollected newspapers or laundry that suggest someone may need help.
- Sugaya has occasionally been the first to find elderly customers who passed away alone.
- Delivering tofu has helped her build confidence after experiencing bullying and job losses.
- Her work continues the tradition of neighborhood vendors in Japan amid rising delivery apps and smartphone use.
- A regular customer, Shinji Saito, praises her kindness and accepting nature.
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