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Japanese War in March 1904.[1] It is recorded that on August 15, 1904, Katai was hospitalized in Manchuria, with the suspicion of having contacted typhoid, and a month later he was shipped back to Tokyo.[2] Michiyo stayed with Katai's sister-in-law, while Katai was in Manchuria, and attended Tsuda Woman's College. In the meantime Michiyo fell in love with Nagashiro Shizuo, a student at Dōshisha.[3] She planned to live with Nagashiro; however, her plans came to naught when her father abruptly took her home. The noticeable influences of Michiyo on Katai's life that were later incorporated in his heroine, Yoshiko, were now terminated as far as they relate to Futon.
From the foregoing observations it can be readily seen that Katai already had a model for his heroine when he was writing Futon. This model can be identified as Michiyo Okada, whose personal background was closely related to the story of the heroine Yoshiko in Futon. However, an analysis of how much Michiyo's presence in Katai's life actually influenced his use of her as the model for his heroine in Futon cannot be conclusive as there are no substantiating documents to confirm or refute this aspect of study.
- ↑ According to the provisions of law of the Meiji Constitution Japanese subjects between the ages of 17 and 45 are eligible to serve in the Army or Navy. In March 1904, Katai, who was 32 years old, was attached to the Army as a journalist.
- ↑ This information was furnished by Senuma Shigeki in Katai's chronological personal history, op. cit., p. 471.
- ↑ In Futon, Nagashiro Shizuo's part is taken by Tanaka Hideo.
