Kichi Saito: The True Story of Tojin Okichi

In the early Showa era, the story of Tojin Okichi became a nationwide sensation in Japan.

Set in Shimoda, Izu, shortly after Japan opened its ports to the world, the tale depicts Okichi as a geisha who catches the eye of Townsend Harris, the first American Consul General to Japan.
She is separated from her fiancé and begins visiting Gyokusenji Temple, which had been converted into the consulate.
Although the villagers initially sympathize with her, their attitudes shift dramatically when they learn that she is receiving a large sum of money.
They begin to scorn her, calling her Tojin, and heartbroken, Okichi is said to have thrown herself into the Inouzawa River.
This tragic narrative has long been passed down through generations.

However, historical evidence suggests that much of this story is fictional, likely created during a time when anti-American sentiment was on the rise before World War II.

The real woman on whom the story is based, Kichi Saito, is indeed recorded to have visited Gyokusenji.
Later, she married and lived in Yokohama, and after returning to Shimoda, she worked independently as a hairdresser skilled in creating the Tojin Mage hairstyle, which was popular at the time and had originated in Yokohama, a center of new culture.
The nickname Tojin Okichi was not a term of ridicule, but rather a reference to her unique skill in this particular style.

Moreover, Kichi went on to manage a small eatery called Anchokuro, where she adopted and raised two children, living a modest yet dignified life.

The song Hinotama Ichibei no Musume Saito Kichi no Uta was written to portray the true and resilient image of Kichi Saito.

It serves as the theme song for a number of works inspired by the non-fiction book The Men Who Created Tojin Okichi, written by Takeshi Sugimoto and published by Nagakura Shoten.
These include the 2018 biographical manga Manga Anchokuro Shimatsuki, written by Sugimoto and illustrated by Hiroyuki Araki, as well as the audio drama Shin Tojin Okichi Hinotama Ichibei no Musume, currently available on YouTube, featuring the voice of Reiko Ikeda as Okichi.

The audio drama Shin Tojin Okichi Hinotama Ichibei no Musume is freely available to watch.
If you are interested in discovering the true story of Kichi Saito, we highly recommend giving it a listen.