While yakuza gangs and Mickey Mouse may be intimidating for her colleagues, Hatsue Takai merely brushes them aside.

The life and persona of the 78-year-old curator of Asakusa Hanayashiki, the oldest amusement park in Japan, embodies the essence of the "shitamachi" neighborhood in its good old days.

Born to a family dealing in amusement park facilities, the Tokyo native grew up watching her father, Teiichi Yamada, maintain a cheerful attitude, even in the face of daunting business challenges in the postwar period.