Ayako an effective Kikugawa began from the remembering their unique life back in the newest town because an early on girl
“I was produced within the Meno Dake-mura, Kamoto-firearm, Kumamoto-ken, to the an effective. Our house are on the outskirts of town. It absolutely was close enough to shop on close locations and you will benefit from the of many village factors, but really we had been distant sufficient to pick astonishing viewpoints of the slopes which have stately cypress, cedar woods, and you may bamboo groves. I nonetheless consider visiting the hill to get shiitake mushrooms and you will warabi [more youthful fern shoots]. My children lived-in a fairly comfortable farmhouse which have a straw-thatched roof surrounded by an effective silkworm ranch.” Ayako try half dozen yrs old when their own mommy all of a sudden died towards September fifteen, 1906, from the age thirty-seven. She nonetheless remembered how an excellent kindhearted relative sent their unique close up adequate to possess a last glance at their particular mom’s face at this new funeral. Once their mommy passed away, their father had dilemmas controlling the silkworm farm whilst increasing around three students. In the course of time a lady relative create to own Ayako’s father so you’re able to wed one to from her father’s nieces, Kamo Nakayama, who turned into their 2nd partner. Considering the relationships, Ayako achieved half of brothers and you will half siblings. Within the a household out of seven, she is the center youngster. “My stepmother was really yasashi [soft and type] and also the siblings all the got with each other very well. Perhaps she believed disappointed for me, shedding a mother or father on such as for example a young age,” Ayako recalled sadly.