Kameya Masashige

A confectionery shop run by the family of Founder Katsutaro Inabata, which was an official purveyor to the Imperial Household. When Katsutaro was just two years old, the shop was destroyed in the Kinmon Incident, plunging the family into severe hardship. By the time of Episode 1, set in the second year of the Meiji era (1869), seven-year-old Katsutaro was helping his family restart the wagashi shop, selling sweets door-to-door.
[Reference] Digital Gallery | IK Tales | Inabata & Co., Ltd. (inabata.co.jp) (in Japanese only)

The Kinmon Incident (Hamaguri Gate Rebellion)

This refers to the battle between the Choshu Domain against the Aizu and Satsuma Domains at Hamaguri Gate in Kyoto during the first year of the Genji era (1864). Although the battle ended in just one day with the defeat of the Choshu forces, the resulting fires continued for three days, causing extensive damage. Most of central Kyoto (stretching east to west from the Kamogawa River to Horikawa River, and north to south from Ichijo to Shichijo) was burned down. (Cited from the "Kinmon Incident" in the Encyclopedia of Japanese History.)

Ishigame (Japanese Pond Turtle)

A turtle species native to Japan, primarily distributed across Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Juveniles have a shape that resembles a zeni (coin or money), which is why they are also called zenigame.
Note: Katsutaro’s interactions with the turtle in this story are fictional.

Elementary School

In the second year of the Meiji era (1869), Japan's first 64 district-based elementary schools were established in Kyoto, driven by the belief of its residents that "building a town starts with building people." This occurred before the national school system was introduced in the fifth year of Meiji (1872) under the Education System Order. These schools were created not only by the government but also with contributions from the local townspeople. Since they were based on the units of neighborhood groupings called bangumi, which were the administrative divisions of the towns, these district schools were known as "bangumi elementary schools." Katsutaro enrolled in the Shimogyo 25th bangumi elementary school, which later became Awata Elementary School.
[Reference] Museum Overview | Kyoto City School History Museum (kyo-gakurehaku.jp), "Why Did Japan's First Elementary School Start in Kyoto?" - Q Kyoto Study Trip (Kyoto.travel)

The Origins of Kameya Masashige and Inabata Senryoten (dye shop)

After barely escaping with their lives from the Kinmon Incident in Genji Year 1 (1864), which destroyed their store at Karasuma Oike in Kyoto, the Inabata family set up a new shop at Higashiyama Sanjo and resumed business. Katsutaro grew up in this shop, got married, and when Inabata Senryoten opened in October of Meiji Year 23 (1890), it all started from there. Later that same year, the shop relocated to a new location in Nishijin, which became the first independent store of Inabata Senryoten.

Elementary School Life

After enrolling in elementary school, Katsutaro devoted himself to helping his family and his studies, achieving excellent grades. In Meiji Year 5 (1872), at the age of 10, Katsutaro read aloud from “Nihon Gaishi” in front of Emperor Meiji during his visit to Kyoto and was rewarded with a compass set. The box containing this compass set is on display in the Founder's Archives. (“Inabata 100-Year History”, page 30) Note: Nihon Gaishi is a historical text written by Rai San'yo, a prominent historian of the late Edo period. It consists of 22 volumes.

Kyoto Prefectural Normal School

The school was established in Meiji Year 9 (1876) with the aim of training elementary school teachers, and it later became the foundation for Kyoto University of Education. At the time, 14-year-old Katsutaro was selected as one of 67 top students from Kyoto's elementary schools due to his excellent performance, and he joined the school as part of the first group of students. (“Inabata Katsutaro Kunden (Biography of Katsutaro Inabata)”, p. 58)
[Reference (In Japanese only)] https://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/18/1342091_5.pdf

“To have friends come from afar, is a pleasure, is it not the mark of a true gentleman to remain untroubled when others do not recognize one's worth?”

Passage from the first chapter of the first volume of The Analects, Confucius's work spanning 10 volumes and 20 chapters. In this passage, Confucius speaks about the joy of learning, the importance of friends, and a noble mindset.

Dormitory Dean

The person responsible for guiding and supervising the daily lives of students living together in a dormitory. When Katsutaro enrolled in the Normal School, he left his family and moved into the school's dormitory.

Léon Dury

Bunsei Year 5 (1822) – Meiji Year 24 (1891)
In Bunkyu Year 2 (1862), Léon Dury was invited to Japan by Léon Roches, the French Minister to Japan, to serve as a physician for the Edo Shogunate's plan to construct a hospital in Ezochi (Hokkaido). However, the plan was canceled, and the following year, he was appointed as a consul at the French Consulate in Nagasaki. In Meiji Year 4 (1871), the Kyoto Prefectural Government hired Dury as a teacher at a French school.
Following Dury's advice, the Kyoto Prefecture decided to send students to study in France. In Meiji Year 10 (1877), Dury was entrusted with leading eight students, including Katsutaro, to France, overseeing their supervision and protection, and selecting their areas of specialization.

Eight Exchange Students

In April of Meiji Year 10 (1877), Tokutaro Kondo, Jiusaburo Utahara, Naojiro Imanishi, and Masunosuke Yokota who had previously attended the Kyoto French School where Dury taught were selected as exchange students. In June of the same year, Katsutaro Inabata, Yonesaburo Nakanishi, Shigekazu Yokota from the Normal School, along with Tomotaro Sato from the middle school, were also selected. Altogether, the eight were chosen to represent Kyoto Prefecture and study in France. There, they pursued their respective fields of specialization.

• Tokutaro Kondo: Textiles
• Jiusaburo Utahara: Mining
• Naojiro Imanishi: Papermaking, thread twisting
• Masunosuke Yokota: Hemp fiber production
• Katsutaro Inabata: Dyeing
• Yonesaburo Nakanishi: Machinery
• Shigekazu Yokota: Arts
• Tomotaro Sato: Pottery

The Two Yokotas

Out of the eight exchange students, Katsutaro's connections with the two Yokotas would deeply influence his later life.

Shigekazu Yokota：
Shigekazu, who was Katsutaro's classmate and close friend at the Normal School, also studied with him in France. While in France, Shigekazu was baptized into Christianity, but tragically, he passed away there due to illness. To honor his friend, Katsutaro also received a Christian baptism and conducted a memorial for him.

Masunosuke Yokota：
Masunosuke was the elder brother of Einosuke Yokota, to whom Katsutaro would later transfer his rights to screen films. Katsutaro obtained the rights to screen films with the cinematograph from the Lumière brothers during his time in France. However, due to various reasons, Katsutaro decided to discontinue the business and, after consulting with his fellow exchange student Masunosuke Yokota, transferred the screening rights to Masunosuke's younger brother, Einosuke. Einosuke went on to continue the film business under Yokota Shokai and, in collaboration with Yoshizawa Shoten and two other companies, eventually established Nippon Katsudo Shashin Corp. (Nikkatsu).

Voyage to France

Katsutaro and his group traveled from Kyoto to Yokohama via Kobe. On November 20, Meiji Year 10 (1877), they set sail for France. After departing, they made stops in Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Sri Lanka, and then passed through the recently opened Suez Canal before arriving in Marseille, France, on January 2, Meiji Year 11 (1878). It was a long journey spanning 44 days and approximately 16,000 km.