Sentaro is a cynical, emotionally detached man running a small sweet shop to pay off a debt following a stint in prison. Unfulfilled by his daily routine and harboring abandoned dreams of becoming a writer, he relies on cheap, commercial bean paste to minimize his labor. He carries deep, unaddressed guilt regarding his past criminal record and his late mother, living an isolated existence until a new employee introduces him to the mindful art of traditional cooking.

Tokue is a 76-year-old woman with a mysterious past, curled fingers, and partial facial paralysis who persistently asks for a job at Doraharu. Despite society's severe judgment of her physical differences, she approaches life with a gentle, life-affirming spirit and an intense dedication to the culinary arts. She possesses an extraordinary talent for making artisanal sweet bean paste from scratch, treating her ingredients with deep reverence and personification.

The widow of Sentaro's former boss, the Owner is a pragmatic, business-oriented woman who holds the deed to Doraharu and controls Sentaro's employment. She is driven entirely by the protection of her financial investments and social standing in the community. Her deeply ingrained biases dictate her harsh management style and her expectations for the shop's public image.

Wakana is a perceptive, quiet teenager who frequents the dorayaki shop to escape a difficult home life with her single mother. She quickly notices the improved quality of the shop's food and forms a close bond with the staff. Seeking a sanctuary from her personal troubles, she finds comfort, stability, and a makeshift family within the walls of Doraharu.

Miss Moriyama is an elderly resident of the Tenshoen National Sanatorium and a close companion to Tokue. Like her friend, she bears the lasting physical marks of leprosy but retains an impressive culinary knowledge. She utilizes her baking skills to bring joy and dignity to her fellow residents through the sanatorium's Confectionery Group.

Tanaka is the nephew of the Doraharu shop owner. He is brought into the business to be trained as the new manager when his aunt decides to convert the bakery into an okonomiyaki restaurant, acting as a physical representation of the owner's commercial priorities.

Marvy is a pet canary belonging to Wakana. Because his singing is loud and out of tune, he becomes a point of contention in Wakana's apartment, prompting her to seek alternative living arrangements to keep him safe from her frustrated mother.

Yoshiaki is Tokue's late husband, whom she met after being quarantined at the Tenshoen sanatorium. A former confectioner, he shared his passion for cooking sweets with Tokue and helped form the Confectionery Group to bring pleasure to the isolated patients.

Sentaro's late mother is a figure of unresolved grief for the shop manager. Her memory, particularly her love for sweets and her supportive visits to Sentaro during his past incarceration, frequently surfaces in his mind and deeply influences his emotional connection to his current work.

Wakana's mother is a single parent struggling with financial difficulties and domestic tension. She is highly susceptible to community gossip, reacting to differences with fear and aggressively forbidding her daughter from visiting the dorayaki shop once rumors begin to circulate.