How It All Goes Down
- After a swim in a pond, Chiyo stumbles upon her sister, Satsu, getting her "Mount Fujis" (2.2) felt up by a village boy.
- Mr. Tanaka conveniently shows up with herbs for Chiyo's mother. He says they will ease her pain.
- He tells Chiyo that he led a hard life, but he was lucky that someone adopted him. It gave him the opportunity to make a life for himself.
- Maybe someone will adopt Chiyo, too.
- She fantasizes about Mr. Tanaka adopting her, and one day, it comes true.
- Well, maybe. Mr. Tanaka makes an arrangement with Chiyo's father to take Chiyo and her sister to his house for a day.
- But first, they stop in the town of Senzuru at the company Mr. Tanaka owns: the Japan Coastal Seafood Company.
- They're not there for seafood, though. What happens is worse than a bad night at Red Lobster.
- A weird old woman undresses the sisters, pokes them, and declares them healthy and "intact" (2.59).
- After that invasive, humiliating procedure, Satsu and Chiyo spend the night at Mr. Tanaka's fancy house.
- He has a daughter, Kuniko, and Chiyo fantasizes about having Chiyo has a sister.
- That night, Kuniko and Chiyo sneak out of the house to spy on Mr. Tanaka. He's at a teahouse! It's not a place for a cup of Earl Grey; it's where men go to be entertained by geisha.