Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow Season 1 Episode 1 16 Years Old, Spring, Still a Bud

Ohana Matsumae is a 16-year-old high school girl who lives in Tokyo with her flighty and irresponsible mother. One day, her mother runs off with her boyfriend leaving Ohana alone. Her maternal grandmother, Sui Shijima, runs an inn called Kissuiso in the countryside of Yunosagi Onsen where Ohana's mother once served as a waitress. Ohana's grandmother subsequently calls her to come live and work at Kissuiso while her mother is in Tokyo. Ohana initially sees this as an opportunity to escape her undesirable circumstances in Tokyo and start a new life, but she finds the job and tasks involved with working at an inn challenging.

Upon arriving at Kissuiso, Ohana is greeted with hostility from the other employees, especially the head waitress, Minko Tsurugi, who is cold toward her. Conversely, the other workers are cordial towards Ohana, and soon, she begins to adjust to her new surroundings. During her first day at work, she is tasked with cleaning the hot springs, where she finds a boy, Kouichi Tanemura, who had sneaked into the inn to see his grandfather. Despite this interruption, she befriends Kouichi, who gives her advice on how to adjust to the work environment.

The episode highlights how Ohana struggles to fit in with the other workers, who are close-knit and seem to have formed their own hierarchy at the inn. Despite their initial hostility towards her, though, she slowly begins to integrate into their work and social community. Midway through her first day of work, while the other workers are lounging around and taking a break, a group of rowdy guests arrives at the inn, demanding service. The workers scramble to meet their requests, but it becomes apparent that they are understaffed, and everyone has to pitch in to keep up with the guests.

Despite the chaos, Ohana's enthusiasm and work ethic quickly becomes apparent, and the other workers begin to respect her. They soon recognize her as a kind-hearted and hard-working person who wants to do the best job she can. As the episode progresses, Ohana becomes more self-assured, taking pride in her work at the inn, and showing her dedication to Kissuiso's customers and workers.

"16 Years Old, Spring, Still a Bud" reiterates the themes of the show, which focuses on the coming-of-age story of Ohana and the interactions she makes at Kissuiso. While the episode does not delve into the main plot, which revolves around Ohana's relationship with her mother, it sets the tone for what is to come in future episodes. The story highlights the enduring nature of family and the relationships we develop with those closest to us.