Original subtitles

Thank you.

Good day.

There are nothing but modem type girls at

these girls' school, aren't there?

I wonder if Chiyo's doing okay among girls like that.

I hate math.

Yet you were nice enough to bid her "good day."

Besides, doesn't the daughter of a

merchant family have to be proficient in math?

No! I have no intention of helping with the family business.

That's such a waste.

No! I'm just making up for my mother's regret at

her lack of culture and education.

You're so much fun.

I don't need anyone other than you as a friend.

It's only because I'm that woman's daughter, isn't it?

No, I like you.

If school is this much fun, what am I going to do after I graduate?

If only there were a university where women could go to learn more.

A university for women? I don't want that.

If you study that long, no one will marry you...

Dad!

You're her father?

I see you're fitting in.

Asa ga Kita

Week 19 "The Orange Season" Episode 114

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

Shinjiro Shirooka: Hiroshi TAMAKI

Ume: TOMOCHIKA

Eizaburo Shirooka: Akito KIRIYAMA

Chiyo Shirooka: Fuuka KOSHIBA

Izumi Narusawa: Koji SETO

Heijuro Yamazaki: Shigeo TSUJIMOTO

Yono Shirooka: Jun FUBUKI

While Shinjiro was in Kyoto...

At Kano Bank in Osaka...

Pardon me. Thank you for the tea.

Let me get right to the point.

Ms. Shirooka... Let me tell you how much I respect you.

Respect?

I first heard about this bank when

I was studying in America.

Up until now in Japan, no one would even

consider hiring women to work in a business that handled money.

But I heard about a bank in Osaka that easily

overcame that generally accepted belief, and on

top of that, it has a good reputation.

I thought they were probably using the

women to attract customers and clean up...

Thinking that, it really bothered me, so as

soon as I returned to Japan, I came to this bank...

And I was surprised!

The women were working as a member of the bank

with their own personality.

Personality...?

That's right.

Welcome!

Not only were they courteous in dealing with customers,

but their calculations were accurate.

And while they should stand out because

they brightened the atmosphere of the

bank, they didn't stand out too much.

They each performed their own duties.

I don't know how many times I came here to see that magnificence.

I want to show you the happiness I felt when I watched them.

In other words, you like to watch women secretly?

No, I don't.

I like to watch women with intelligence

being a part of society.

Women who are equal to men...

No... Depending on the field, they have more ability.

Just thinking that makes my heart dance.

Are you okay?

He's strange.

The women were properly educated on how to work.

Then I wondered who was it that taught them.

And I asked the bank clerk.

And surprisingly, it was the name of a woman.

Asa Shirooka...

It's you.

You really are wonderful.

I respect you.

You do? Thank you.

It makes me happy to know that someone

acknowledges those girls like that.

Up until now, they were hired on a trial basis,

but this spring, I'm going to have them work here

officially as female bank clerks.

Officially?

But, Mr. Narusawa...

Yes?

Who in the world are you?

I...

What are you...!

Oh, no! I did it!

Are you okay?

This is no good. He's out cold.

Is everything okay?

I heard that someone collapsed in the bank.

I had the doctor come arid on check him,

and he said he's seriously under nourished.

Under nourished?

His kimono sure is filthy, but...

Look at his face. .. He has a beautiful face.

You're right.

Isn't this what they call "seihin" (honorable poverty) that's

a big trend these days.

"Seihin"? You mean poor, but clean and beautiful...

"Seihin"?

Mistress?

I think that man could be one of the teachers who used

to teach at the girls' school I went to.

A girls' school teacher?

Yes.

When I looked into it, like Hato said, I found out that he

used to be a teacher at the Momosawa Girls' School.

I had one of the clerks take him home, and it seems he lives in poverty.

That's right According to the neighbors, he used up all his

money to pursue his dream, so his wife got disgusted with him.

But who would have thought he used to be a teacher...

I wonder why he came to see you.

I wonder...

I'm home.

Shinjiro...

Advisor...

What's everyone doing here?

Are you consulting each other?

How can you be so carefree?

Where were you?

You just disappeared again.

I went to see Yamaya and I went to feast my eyes

on Kyoto... I had a lot of things to do.

So what happened? Do you need advice from your advisor here?

No, not really.

In that case...

Shinjiro!

He's hopeless.

Meanwhile in Kyoto, Chiyo was...

Your dad is wonderful.

He's such an important man in Osaka, and yet he would

give me a gift like this.

You said he was an unreliable man who was absorbed in his hobbies.

Just as you said, I need to see it with my own eyes.

Good night.

Good night.

She was remembering what her father said when he

just dropped in to see her.

Chiyo... Like I told you before, I respect your mom.

In today's terms, respect would translate to love.

How awful! Did you quit your job just so you could come

and brag about your wife?

But it can't be helped. That's how I've always looked at Asa.

But I don't expect all women to become like Asa.

Your mother feels the same.

A part of your mother longs to take a path like her older sister, Hatsu took.

But she realized that this is the only path she can

take, so she's taking that path and looking toward the future.

Mom?

While she says she wants you to work in the

business, she's not too sure about it.

I can't believe Mom was ever unsure of herself.

She's stronger than any man...

That may be true, but in my eyes, she's not that strong.

I need to talk to the mistress.

You...?

I'm sorry about the other day.

I hadn't eaten for three days.

Is that right? How are you feeling now?

Never mind that...

I came here today to see about making my dream become a reality.

Because I have confidence in you.

But I was on my way to the Chamber of Commerce,

so I'm in a hurry. I'm sorry.

Do you have any interest in women's education?

I taught for a long time at a girls' school and

in America, I learned about women's education.

After the Restoration in Japan the status of

women has finally started to rise.

In 1870, at the Hepburn Clinic in Yokohama, they started

women's education, the next year for the first time, five

women went to study in America.

Then in Tokyo, a girls' school was opened.

In Kyoto at the Shinei School a women's school was established,

and in 1875, the National Women's Normal School was opened.

But coming here, there's something that's still not open to women.

Stall not open?

I'm thinking of establishing the first women's university in Japan.

And I want you to help me to establish it.

That's great, isn't it?

It's something that no one has ever thought of.

It's great.

Isn't it? So I...

Ideals are wonderful.

But I don't think you can do it.

Excuse me.

Even someone like you doesn't understand.

Don't you think we should give more responsibility to

women so they'll be more active in society and

increase their pleasure? Won't this free Japanese women

from the chains that bind them?

Mr. Narusawa... As you can see I'm a busy person.

So please excuse me today.

No! I won't give up.

There's no one else in Japan who understands the need

for new women's education.

This is the theory of education I wrote.

REGARDING WOMEN'S EDUCATION IZUMI NARUSAWA

I'm home.

Are you angry again today?

Today, at the Noh chanting group...

Are you crying?

What's wrong, Asa?

I'm sorry.

But no matter how many times I read this, I just can't stop crying.

I never knew there was someone in this world

who would come up with such a wonderful idea.

What a surprise!

This manuscript would guide Asa onto a new stage.