"Curious About Grandma's Daily Life?" The Joyful Journey of a 90-Year-Old YouTuber Grandma [Japan Insight]

YouTuber Michiko Tara With 170,000 Subscribers
Gained Interest in YouTube During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Uploads Daily Life Videos Including Cooking and Knitting

Recently, there has been an increase in senior YouTubers. When I see them sharing their life wisdom and experiences, it reminds me that the expertise gained through the passage of time is truly unmatched. Just as the Korean YouTube channel featuring Park Makrae, who creates various content with her granddaughter, has gained popularity, there is also a 90-year-old grandmother YouTuber who is currently trending in Japan. She has 170,000 subscribers. Today, I would like to introduce the story of Michiko Tara, a 90-year-old who runs the YouTube channel 'Earth Obaachan Channel'.

Tara has been living alone since her husband passed away ten years ago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, since she couldn't go out, she decided to buy a smart TV. At that time, she started subscribing to various YouTube channels. This made her wonder, "Maybe I can do this too." So, she asked her grandson how she could start her own YouTube channel.

Michiko Tara. Earth Obaachan Channel YouTube.

Her grandson gladly agreed to help, offering to handle the filming and editing. The first video they uploaded together four years ago was titled "The Daily Life of an 85-Year-Old Living Alone." In the video, her son and grandson visit her home after a long time, and she prepares a homemade meal for them. The video simply shows her cooking without subtitles, and the filming was so unpolished that it was almost dizzying to watch, but the response was better than expected. Comments included, "It moved me to tears. I used to be anxious about aging alone, but my perspective has changed," and "It's amazing that you're 85. I'm 82 and I hope to learn a lot from you, senior."

Encouraged by this, she began uploading videos regularly. She started with recipe videos such as "An 85-Year-Old Grandmother Makes Okonomiyaki" and "Making Sushi," and then began sharing her hobbies, like drawing. She even uploaded a room tour video titled "Introducing the Home of an 85-Year-Old Grandmother," gradually expanding the variety of her content. Her grandson's filming and editing skills have also evolved, and now he appears in the videos as "Asukun," asking questions and adding entertainment value. Recently, she has produced ASMR videos of cooking and knitting, vlogs of going flower viewing with homemade lunchboxes, and Q&A sessions with subscribers. Her neat and calming style has gained attention as "healing content."

Tara's YouTube channel 'Earth Obaachan Channel'.

As word spread, she was interviewed by NHK. When asked why she continues to upload videos to YouTube, she explained, "It's like sending a greeting to relatives and friends who live far away, letting them know I'm doing well." She also honestly shared, "I keep uploading videos because I think it would be nice if, after I pass away, everyone could watch them together and remember me." She added, "Even when I die, I think I'll be lying in bed watching YouTube," to which her grandson responded, "If that happens, I'll film it and upload it to YouTube?that's exactly what this channel is about."

In the fourth-anniversary video of her YouTube channel, Tara said, "I never imagined that something so enjoyable would happen at this age," and added, "If there's something you want to try, you should just try it. If it doesn't suit you, you can quit then." It's a truly inspiring story. It makes you reflect on how to enjoy life at 90 and age gracefully.