Original subtitles

There he is.

Asa!

Kyutaro!

Don't call me Kyutaro... It's Tadatsugu.

I'm already in charge of important work.

ASA'S YOUNGER BROTHER TADATSUGU IMAI

You look so dignified.

Didn't Dad and Mom say anything?

Don't worry.

Besides, Mom went to a seven year memorial

service for someone in the Imai branch family,

so she went to Ichikawa in Shimofusa to help out.

Is Mom okay?

She's fine... She's always saying she's going to

Osaka to see you one of these days.

I'm glad to hear that.

What about Dad?

I know I don't have to worry about him.

I'm sure he's fine.

I don't mind telling you about Dad and Mom,

but ask me about what I did in America.

America was a great place.

YUKICHI FUKUZAWA

I want to hear about that the most.

Is it true that all the people in America

are all over 6 feet 6 inches tall?

Are you sure it's okay?

Coming all the way to Tokyo and not going

to see your parents?

I want to see them, but I don't know how angry

Dad will be if he hears that I left my husband and

Mother to take care of Chiyo and came to Tokyo.

You're right... He would be really angry, wouldn't he?

Wouldn't he? That's why...

Did you just say that?

Dad!

Asa ga Kita

Week 13 "Tokyo Story" Episode 76

Original Story: Chieko FURUKAWA

Screenwriter: Mika OMORI

Music by: Yuuki HAYASHI

Theme Song: "365 Nichi no Kamihikouki" Sung by: AKB48

Narrator: Keiko SUGIURA

Asa Shirooka: HARU

Tadaoki Imai: Takeshi MASU

Tomoaki Godai: Dean FUJIOKA

Ume: TOMOCHIKA

Toshimichi Okubo: Shuji KASHIWABARA

Yukichi Fukuzawa: Tetsuya TAKEDA

Tadamasa Imai: Yoichi HAYASHI

I thought Tadatsugu was acting Strange.

So since I had some business nearby,

I followed him here...

I never thought you'd be here.

It's been a while.

ASA'S FATHER TADAOKI IMAI

Don't give me that!

Why didn't you tell me?

You'll get angry.

You're already angry.

Of course I'm angry.

If my married daughter was coming out here,

she'd bring my grandchild and some gifts, and

come to visit her parents.

You didn't tell us you were coming, you

didn't bring Chiyo, and you just came here to study!

I brought gifts for you.

I brought you millet brittle from Amidaike in Horie.

This is great. I'll give this to Mom.

Who cares about gifts!

I'm sorry... But, Dad...

Unlike when I was growing up, the trend now seems to be

that it's better for women to have an education.

Did you read the book by Yukichi Fukuzawa called

"An Encouragement for Learning"?

I was deeply impressed by his words, "god did not

"create people above people," but what I was even more

surprised was the eighth part published three years ago.

He wrote, "to begin with, men and women born

"into this world are all people."

Women are people just like men.

The world should he made up of both men and women.

To begin with the only difference men and

women is physical strength.

So it's unfair for women to have to listen to everything a man

tells them just because they're women.

So it's not strange for a woman from now on

to study and to exchange opinions with men.

That's right.

Pardon me... Pardon my rudeness.

Except for the difference in the way they're built,

men and women are undoubtedly equal.

Whether you're a man or a woman, if you drink

hot tea, it's hot... If you eat confections, it's

delicious, and just as men think that they want to

play, women sometimes will want to let loose and play, too.

If men want to learn a lot so they'll be of use to

society, women want to study a lot, and

be of use to society. This is inevitable.

Men and women are the same thing.

But how is it in reality?

Even if a woman think the tea is hot, if the man says

that it's warm, a woman will agree with him,

and endure... For example, if a man says playing is a

part of his job, a woman will say that's just how

it is while she stays home doing the housework...

Just enduring it all.

Japanese women were taught to obey their parents when

they're born, their husbands when they many, and their

children when they grow old.

But if we Japanese men were told that same

thing, would we obey? Would you obey?

Would you?

Would you?

No, I wouldn't...

Aren't you the man we met in Shinbashi?

No... No matter what status a person holds, our freedom

and independence must not be hampered.

That's how I feel.

I feel the same way toward women.

But in order for a woman to live like that, I think

it'll be quite difficult when actually put into action.

I have understanding parents and a husband to give me

support, and yet it's difficult. Why is that?

In order to live freely away from your husband and

family, a woman has to achieve financial independence...

You must have the assets and hold heavy responsibilities in society.

Responsibility?

Independence and self respect.

Learn a lot, work hard and earn money.

Someday... You should become a female

president of a company.

President?

I don't mean to be rude, but are you Fukuzawa...?

Pardon me... Pardon me. It's been a pleasure...

I'll take just one of these. It brings back memories.

Pardon me. Pardon me. It was a pleasure.

He left.

So a new woman has finally come out in Japan.

Seven years later, Yukichi Fukuzawa will publish

a book about a new age of women with

the title, "On Japanese Women."

Fukuzawa's books would give Asa moral support for years to come.

You met Mr. Okubo?

Please keep it a secret

in between his busy schedule, Mr. Okubo stops by to see

Mr. Godai once in a while.

I was so moved. He had such big and warm hands...

He really was a nice man who didn't put on airs.

What's going on anyway?

What happened with your coal mine?

After getting into coal mining, I can see that it's work

that has a future, so I'm trying to do what I can

to get it back into working order.

If you look at it in the long range, right now

is the time we just have to be patient.

But it's put my plans to become a bank like

yours into the distant future.

Running a bank is pretty difficult.

The idea of leaving money you have to play with

in a bank, and having the bank lend that money to

people who need it still hasn't taken root in Japan.

Is that right?

But I'm sure it won't be long now.

Walking around this town with Mr. Godai, I realized

that this country's flower of civilization is trying to blossom.

I'm sure that the people who will come to Imai for money

to turn to gold isn't that far off.

I see...

It's a time for both of us to be patient, isn't it?

How impertinent.

Oasa...

I'm sorry.

I'll have to acknowledge it...

When I talk to Asa, I don't feel like I'm talking to a woman.

Rather than thinking of her as a man or a woman,

she's already a business woman.

Why not raise Asa as a man?

We'll say that Asa is actually a man, and let Asa take

over the Imai family.

I lost, Dad.

Is it okay?

Isn't this the treasured liquor you bought in England?

EAST KOSEIKAN

I decided from a long time ago that you're

the only one I wanted to open and drink this with.

Doesn't it suit your sweet tooth?

Do you think that I'm a half-baked politician, too?

What are you saying?

You're thinking about Japan's future more than anyone else.

If you get weak-hearted...

No... I'm going to change from now.

Up until now, I've had interference from overseas and from clan

dominated members, and couldn't do anything freely.

But from now on...

I'm going to do a lot.

That's the spirit.

That's the Okubo that I've always known.

It's been 10 years since the Meiji era began...

I think it'll take another 20 years before a new era is complete.

20 years?

Which means a total of 30 years?

That's right.

The ten years up until now was to start to make

things happen and to settle down.

Then the next 10 years will be shaping the government

and construction to bring life into public industry.

I'll need you to work even harder now.

You, too.

I'll push myself for another 10 years.

Then the next 10 years is when a new Japan

will finally be complete.

I see... I wonder what kind of country Japan will be then.

It's going to be a country as strong as any foreign country.

I won't use strong arm tactics.

The really strong don't do things like that.

War only destroys...

I've had enough of that.

Is that from a cherry?

Mr. Okubo... You forgot just one thing...

You've thought of industry, agriculture, culture and

education in detail, but you're forgetting about

building a way to nurture our women.

Now that you mention it, I did forget about that.

Maybe by doing that, there might be a way that's

hidden to make our country strong without fighting.

It's time for your first penguin to make her appearance.

I guess your love of women isn't all bad.

What are you saying?

Let's drink, and talk more about Japan.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

It was time for Asa and Ume to go back to Osaka.

Did you spend the night here again last night?

I drank too much.

I'd better get going.

It's time to see Asa off.

After that, don't forget you have a meeting with Mr. Shibusawa.

I know.

The weather doesn't look too good today.

Mr. Godai!

I have terrible news.

Secretary of Interior Okubo assassinated.

Assassinated?

It happened on May 14, 1878.