(Source: South China Morning Post)
An 83-year-old Nachiko Tanaka and her 47-year-old daughter, Akane, live in a trash-strewn shack despite pulling in over 400,000 yen (about RM11,400) a month from rent. It sounds unreal but that is exactly what played out when a Japanese variety show called Can I Come to Your House? spotlighted them on screen.
The mother-daughter duo live in a clutter-choked, rubbish-filled home in a busy Tokyo neighbourhood. You might think that at least they have the means to live decently. Well they do, sort of. They own a block of flats made up of 7 units, and rental income from tenants brings in more than 400,000 yen per month. Besides rentals, they also have Akane’s late father’s pension. Still, their own home looks more like a hoarder’s paradise than a peaceful sanctuary.
This isn’t a story of poverty but of paradox
Stepping into their home, the entrance is blocked with stacks of unopened delivery parcels, while the living room is buried under books, shopping bags, and empty cans. In the kitchen, shelves and counters are crammed with expired groceries and untouched condiments. The bedrooms are so cluttered that the doors barely open, forcing Nachiko to admit that she and her daughter just lie down and sleep on top of the heaps of their possessions.
"We buy what we like but never use it in time, so it just keeps piling up. When we start cleaning, we get too tired and give up," Nachiko said, as reported by SCMP.
Despite scholarship in rental income they confess to feeling lost, adrift since their husband and father passed away. Back when he was alive, their days were comfortable, with a maid taking care of all the housework. But after his passing, both mother and daughter felt lost and could no longer manage their own daily lives.
"My father was very family-oriented. He cooked for us. The maid would handle the chores. We had a dog, and our family was very happy," Akane said.
These days, the pair rely on takeaway meals, bathe at a nearby public bathhouse, and do their laundry at a self-service machine down the street.
They were once a happy family enjoying holidays and fine food
Nachiko shared that she once came from a wealthy business family and married a man who worked in education. Akane fondly remembered how her father often took them abroad, and the family lived comfortably, enjoying fine food and quality goods. But when her father passed away, her brother and sister moved out, leaving only her and her mother behind. Since then, both women admitted they lost their sense of purpose.
Without guidance or support, they struggled to take care of daily life, and over time their once orderly home slipped into chaos, gradually transforming into a rubbish-filled space. Without someone guiding them on how to manage both property and life, they have fallen into this state of squalor.
They had the means to live better, yet their home had become a wasteland. It speaks volumes not about financial lack but about emotional drift, lack of support, and being overwhelmed by life when grief takes hold.
"It is not that we do not want to change, we just do not know where to begin," Akane explained.
As viewers, we might want to judge. But perhaps the real takeaway is about mental health, family dynamics, and how easily strong bricks of income can crumble when hearts are broken and wills are weakened. This story goes deep, even if it begins with rubbish.
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