Original subtitles

Asa sent off a letter to Shigenobu Okuma

in Tokyo without delay.

And...?

You're going to Tokyo?

I haven't gotten an answer to my letter, so when

I asked, I found out that after he resigned from

the government lots of people gather at his home every day.

I thought I'll try to join them.

He must be a sociable person.

Here are your tickets, Oasa.

Thank you.

I'll be going now.

Good morning, Mother.

I'm leaving now.

I'll see you later.

Hurry back.

Be careful.

I'm sure she won't be hurrying back.

I'm so sorry, Shinjiro.

But I'm worried.

About what?

Lately, there are rumors going around again.

After the coal mine and bank, the mistress is

obsessed with the idea of a women's university.

It's not always good for a woman to stand out, is it?

Asa ga Kita

Week 20 "What I Want To Talk About Now" Episode 118

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

Chiyo: Fuuka KOSHIBA

Yozaemon Yorozuya: LaSalle ISHII

Shigenobu Okuma: Hideki TAKAHASHI

Ayako Okuma: Keiko MATSUZAKA

Yono Shirooka: Jun FUBUKI

SHIGENOBU OKUMA'S RESIDENCE, TOKYO

After arriving in Tokyo...

Asa headed for the Okuma residence.

Excuse me!

There sure are a lot of visitors here.

Welcome.

Pardon me... I'm...

SHIGENOBU OKUMA'S WIFE AYAKO

I was just going to have someone straighten that up.

Thank you for cleaning it up.

This is your first time here, isn't it?

Yes... I'm pleased to meet you.

Are you someone's wife?

Of our guests who speak the Osaka dialect...

No... I came alone.

My name is Asa Shirooka. I'm in the banking business in Osaka.

You're Asa Shirooka!

Okuma was looking forward to seeing you here.

He was looking forward to it?

SHIGENOBU OKUMA

What's going on?

You! A woman having the nerve to come, and talk to Okuma Sensei?

I can see why you're nervous.

Up until now, whenever I went somewhere I've never been

before, there was always a monkey, so I was surprised.

I never imagined I'd be so kindly received...

A monkey? What are you saying Mrs. Shirooka?

You came all the way from Osaka, so if you

just stand over there, you'll never get a chance to talk.

Come in...

Dear... This is Asa Shirooka from Kano Bank in Osaka.

The one you were looking forward to seeing.

So you're the woman who succeeded in making money and opened a bank?

I'm honored to meet you.

I'm Shigenobu Okuma.

I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Shirooka.

Gentlemen... This is a great entrepreneur from Osaka

with the advanced idea that women need a university.

That's when Asa realized.

That right now, she might be the monkey in the midst of

everyone in this room.

That's right. He's right. I, Asa Shirooka, will

establish a women's university here in Japan someday, so

I came to Waseda in Tokyo to ask for Mr. Okuma's advice.

I'm pleased to meet all of you.

Such an admirable unabashed masculine... I mean feminine introduction...

Mrs. Shirooka... I'll admit that for some time now, Japan has often

had the tendency to take women lightly.

However, ever since the Meiji era began, women's education in

this country has progressed greatly.

And I believe that our country is correct in following the guide

to women's education that says "women's main occupation is

"to become a wise mother and a good wife."

Your wife, Ayako is a prime example.

You're so right.

Stop flattering me.

You're absolutely right.

It's true that our country is behind regarding women's

education compared to other countries.

But I think the present women's education is more than worthy

to teach them to become wise mothers and good wives.

Wise mothers and good wives...?

I think it's much too soon to bring a women's university

to our country when it's even difficult in the western countries.

What do you think?

I long to be a wise mother and a good wife, too.

And unlike when I was growing up, girls are able to go to

grade school now, and when I heard about higher education

and girls' schools, I was so envious.

I thought how great the times have become.

I really thought that was enough.

But...

What a fool I was!

Fool?

Fool?

To be satisfied with just that...

When there might be a jewel that I've longed for since

I was little just down the road...

I was like a child picking up a marble that had fallen to the ground and

being so happy about it.

I had been taken in by the government's thinking

that "this is enough for women."

Right now, the education for men and women are totally different.

If a man wants to learn, the path is open to him to go to middle

school, high school, and college, but at the most, a woman can

only go to a girls' school and normal school.

And their learning period is much shorter.

And looking at their textbooks, girls' school put too much

emphasis on women's morals. Compared to men, they have

a lot less practical learning that would be of use when they

go out into the world.

It's clear that from the start, the aim of education is for

men to learn and for women, it's to train to become wives.

A woman doesn't need an education...

To begin with the way of thinking that women don't

need an education, and it's enough just to give them

a place to learn is keeping women in shackles.

I have no objections to what you say about women's

ideal occupation is to become wise mothers and good wives.

But in order to that, it's necessary to learn.

Accomplishments and practical training are

important, but it's not good to have women who know

little about the world...

In order to be a wise mother and good wife, there

shouldn't be a difference in the education for men and women.

You're being rude to Okuma-Sensei.

That's right.

No! Please listen until I'm finished.

Women will become a member of society, learn how to live

life and how to help others which will lead to their

happiness and strive to do things for the sake of society.

These are the reasons why higher education is necessary for women.

You need to look ahead to a hundred years from now,

and establish policies with a broader view.

That's what's written here.

So please read it.

Here you go.

Thank you.

I'm sorry... I'm not sick. I'm very healthy.

It's just that my throat is dry...

I can tell just by looking at you.

Talking so long without even taking a breath...

Dear...

That was magnificent.

I'm surprised. That was a magnificent presentation.

This is the first time I've listened to someone talk so long without

objection since Mr. Fukuba at Tokyo Agricultural and

Forestry School talked about cultivating strawberries.

What a surprise!

Strawberries?

Gentlemen... Rather than meeting me here today,

meeting Mrs. Shirooka will surely be the source of delightful

conversations from now on.

Won't it?

Thank you all for coming today.

Let's end our morning session. It's time for me to have lunch.

All right.

Mrs. Shirooka...

You're...

...really are an amazing woman.

No... Your wife let me in saying that you were

looking forward to seeing me, but when I tried to tell you

everything I wanted to tell you, I talked too much.

I'm sorry. I got carried away, and said some rude things

about the government...

Yes, you did. But that's okay. He's no longer with the

government now... And after he read your letter,

he really was looking forward to meeting you.

Wondering what you looked like and what you sounded like.

That's right.

Besides, I was getting bored with old men coaxing me

like the arguments we had in the Diet.

Is that right?

But your speech was very amusing.

Whether old or young, man or woman, if our people

learn, our country will grow.

The government knows that.

However without the establishment of educational concepts for men,

women are being put aside...

Unfortunately, since I'm no longer a cabinet minister

or anyone of importance, I don't think I can be of any use to you.

No... I just came to you as someone who's a veteran

in establishing a school...

I'm just grateful that you let me talk and even said that was amusing.

Really?

Yes.

I had someone throw a bomb at me...

Even though I have that many visitors, I may not

even have one ally...

That might be true...

Whether it's the world of politics or business

it's a tough world where someone's waiting to

catch you off guard.

That's so true. Isn't it?

In that respect education is different, isn't it?

In the end, the only thing we can leave behind without

any ulterior motive is human resources.

That's why nurturing people is more important than anything else.

Shirooka...

Yes?

I'll help you as much as I can.

Thank you! Thank you very much!

Meanwhile, in Osaka...

Chiyo had a break and brought her good

friend, Nobu home with her.

So this is Asa-Sensei's bank.

It's magnificent, isn't it?

Dad!

Welcome home.

I see you brought someone home.