by What is Grandpa Tomozou’s favorite food in Chibi Maruko-chan? The answer may be familiar to longtime fans, but this fun character quiz is a perfect opportunity to test your knowledge of one of the anime’s most beloved grandfathers.
September 21, 2026, is Respect for the Aged Day (Keiro no Hi) in Japan. The national holiday is observed on the third Monday of September and is dedicated to expressing gratitude toward older people and celebrating their contributions and longevity.
To mark the occasion, Anime! Anime! has been highlighting memorable older characters from anime and games. These characters can take on very different roles: some are wise figures who guide younger characters, some have surprising strength and energy, while others bring humor and warmth to their families.
For Quiz Project Part 3, the spotlight turns to Tomozou Sakura, Maruko’s grandfather from the long-running anime Chibi Maruko-chan.
So, how well do you know Tomozou?
[Quiz] What Is Tomozou’s Favorite Food?
Tomozou is the grandfather of Maruko (Momoko Sakura) and one of the most recognizable members of the Sakura family.
He is known for his gentle personality and his deep affection for Maruko. Because he loves his granddaughter so much, he often ends up spoiling her. His kindness and somewhat absent-minded nature also make him an easy target when Maruko is looking for a little extra pocket money.
But there is much more to Tomozou than simply being Maruko’s doting grandfather.
Whenever something happens around him, Tomozou sometimes quietly creates a haiku in his head, turning everyday events into humorous or sentimental poetry. He often finishes these poems with his familiar phrase:
“Tomozou, Heart’s Haiku.”
Now here is today’s question:
What is Tomozou’s favorite food?
His favorite foods include yudofu (boiled tofu) and natto (fermented soybeans). But there is one more food that completes the list.
Can you guess it?
A. Sushi
B. Tempura
C. Sea urchin
D. Curry
The Answer Is… Sea Urchin!
The correct answer is C. Sea urchin (uni)!
According to the official Chibi Maruko-chan character profile, Tomozou’s favorite foods are yudofu, natto, and uni. So if you chose sea urchin, you got the answer right.
The combination is also a fun reflection of Tomozou’s character. Yudofu and natto are familiar Japanese foods, while uni is a particularly distinctive seafood choice. Together, they make up the official list of Tomozou’s favorite foods.
Who Is Grandpa Tomozou in Chibi Maruko-chan?
Tomozou Sakura is Maruko’s maternal grandfather and lives with the Sakura family.
He is portrayed as a kind-hearted and somewhat absent-minded elderly man who absolutely adores Maruko. His relationship with her is one of the warmest family dynamics in Chibi Maruko-chan.
Because Tomozou is so fond of Maruko, he can sometimes be easily persuaded when she wants something. Maruko occasionally tries to get pocket money from him, and Tomozou can end up being drawn into her clever explanations.
Even when he realizes that Maruko has taken advantage of his kindness, his affection for her usually wins out.
The official character profile specifically describes Tomozou as someone who may become discouraged when Maruko’s schemes lead to trouble, but ultimately continues to do things for her because of their strong bond.
That relationship is one of the reasons Tomozou remains such an important supporting character in the series.
Tomozou’s Famous “Heart’s Haiku”
One of Tomozou’s most memorable characteristics is his habit of composing haiku.
When something interesting, surprising, funny, or emotional happens, he may quietly create a poem in his mind. He then concludes it with his recognizable phrase, “Tomozou, Heart’s Haiku.”
The joke works especially well because the events of Chibi Maruko-chan are often ordinary childhood experiences: school problems, family conversations, small misunderstandings, seasonal events, and everyday neighborhood adventures.
Tomozou’s haiku gives these simple moments a humorous or sentimental ending.
His poetry also helps distinguish him from the other members of the Sakura family. Maruko is curious and sometimes lazy, Hiroshi is laid-back, and Maruko’s mother Sumire is practical and responsible. Tomozou, meanwhile, often observes the family from his own gentle and slightly dreamy perspective.
Tomozou and Maruko’s Special Grandfather-Granddaughter Bond
The relationship between Maruko and Tomozou is one of the emotional foundations of Chibi Maruko-chan.
Maruko may tease him, manipulate him into giving her pocket money, or take advantage of his kindness, but she also genuinely loves him.
Tomozou’s willingness to forgive Maruko and continue supporting her creates many of the series’ funniest and most heartwarming moments.
His affection also fits the broader theme of Chibi Maruko-chan: the series often finds humor in ordinary family life rather than relying only on dramatic adventures.
The Sakura family does not always agree with one another, but their relationships remain warm and familiar.
What Are Tomozou’s Favorite Foods?
According to the official Chibi Maruko-chan website, Tomozou’s favorite foods are:
- Yudofu (boiled tofu)
- Natto (fermented soybeans)
- Uni (sea urchin)
This information is part of the official character profile rather than simply a fan theory or trivia answer.
For comparison, the official profiles also list favorite foods for other members of the Sakura family. Maruko likes pudding and hamburg steak, while her father Hiroshi likes bonito sashimi and simmered fish. Maruko’s mother Sumire likes manju and yakisoba.
These small character details are part of what makes the Chibi Maruko-chan cast feel like a real family, with each character having their own personality and food preferences.
Why Is Tomozou Perfect for a Respect for the Aged Day Quiz?
Respect for the Aged Day provides a natural reason to look back at older characters in Japanese pop culture.
In anime, older characters are not limited to a single role. Some act as mentors, some are comic relief, some are powerful fighters, and others represent family, tradition, and experience.
Tomozou belongs to the last group.
He is not a warrior or a mysterious master. Instead, he represents the everyday grandfather who enjoys spending time with his family, worries about his granddaughter, eats his favorite foods, and turns ordinary events into haiku.
That everyday quality is exactly what makes him memorable.
Chibi Maruko-chan Continues in 2026
Although the original manga creator Momoko Sakura passed away in 2018, Chibi Maruko-chan continues to be broadcast as a television anime.
The official website’s 2026 episode archive shows that new episodes continue to air, with stories featuring Maruko and other familiar members of the cast.
Recent 2026 stories have included episodes involving Maruko’s family, school friends, neighbors, and everyday adventures.
For example, the series has continued to use its familiar formula of two short stories in a single broadcast, allowing different characters to take the spotlight from week to week.
This ongoing production helps explain why characters such as Tomozou remain familiar to multiple generations of viewers.
Tomozou Still Appears in New Stories
Tomozou has remained an active part of the Chibi Maruko-chan world.
The official episode archive includes multiple stories centered on Maruko and her grandfather. In 2026, the series continues to use the Sakura family as the heart of its storytelling.
This is important for newcomers because Chibi Maruko-chan is not a series that requires viewers to follow one large continuous storyline.
Instead, many episodes focus on small incidents from Maruko’s everyday life. Viewers can therefore enjoy individual episodes even without knowing every detail of the characters’ history.
A Character Built Around Everyday Life
One of the most appealing things about Tomozou is that he does not need extraordinary abilities to stand out.
His humor comes from his personality.
He can be absent-minded, sentimental, generous, and surprisingly poetic. His interactions with Maruko frequently create situations where the audience can laugh at his reactions while also understanding how much he cares about her.
His love of haiku adds another layer to his character.
Rather than simply commenting on events, Tomozou turns them into miniature poems. That running joke has become one of his defining traits and is instantly associated with the character.
Chibi Maruko-chan’s Family Is Central to the Series
The Sakura family is at the center of Chibi Maruko-chan.
Maruko lives with her parents, older sister, grandparents, and other members of her family. Each character has a distinct personality, allowing ordinary household situations to become comedy.
Tomozou’s role is especially important because he represents the family’s older generation.
His interactions with Maruko also provide a different perspective from those of her parents. While Maruko’s mother may become frustrated with her daughter’s laziness or mischievous behavior, Tomozou is often much more forgiving.
That difference creates many of the series’ classic family-comedy situations.
Other Older Characters in Chibi Maruko-chan
Tomozou is not the only memorable elderly character in the franchise.
The official character database also introduces characters such as Tomozou’s friend Nakano-san, who is described as a shy older man. Nakano-san is Tomozou’s friend and has his own personality and favorite foods, including sesame, pickled cucumbers, and dried young sardines.
The series also features other older characters connected to Maruko’s neighborhood and the families around her.
This helps create the feeling of a complete community rather than a story focused only on Maruko’s immediate household.
Why Chibi Maruko-chan Remains Popular
Chibi Maruko-chan has remained popular because its stories are easy to understand and relatable.
The series follows Maruko, a third-grade elementary school girl, as she experiences everyday situations involving her family, friends, school, and neighborhood.
There are no complicated rules or extensive fantasy lore that viewers need to memorize. A story can be about homework, food, a school event, a family argument, or something as simple as wanting a treat.
That simplicity is one of the franchise’s biggest strengths.
For children, the situations can feel familiar. For adults, the series can also evoke memories of childhood and family life.
Tomozou fits naturally into this atmosphere because his role is based on something many viewers recognize: the loving grandparent who has a soft spot for a mischievous grandchild.
A Fun Quiz for Chibi Maruko-chan Fans
The Respect for the Aged Day quiz is also a reminder that character trivia can reveal small details that may otherwise be overlooked.
A viewer may remember Tomozou’s haiku, his kindness toward Maruko, or his tendency to give her pocket money without remembering his exact favorite foods.
The official character profile settles the question clearly:
Tomozou’s favorite foods are yudofu, natto, and sea urchin.
So the answer to “What is Grandpa Tomozou’s favorite food in Chibi Maruko-chan?” is:
Sea urchin (Uni)!
And now you know all three of his officially listed favorite foods: yudofu, natto, and uni.
So, did you get the quiz right?
Grandpa Tomozou’s favorite food in Chibi Maruko-chan is sea urchin (uni). His other favorite foods are yudofu and natto, according to the official character profile.
Tomozou’s gentle personality, love for Maruko, absent-minded behavior, and famous “Heart’s Haiku” make him one of the most recognizable older characters in the series.
As Chibi Maruko-chan continues its television run in 2026, Tomozou remains an important part of the Sakura family and the everyday stories that have made the franchise a long-running favorite.
For fans celebrating Respect for the Aged Day 2026, this is a fitting piece of Chibi Maruko-chan trivia to remember: whenever you think of Tomozou, remember his three favorite foods—yudofu, natto, and uni—and, of course, his unforgettable “Tomozou, Heart’s Haiku.”
