Reiko Oi Brief Chronology

1885 Meiji 18, Age 0 October 24: Born to a farming family in Joganji Village, Kaminiikawa District, Toyama Prefecture (later Joganji, Nishi-Sango Village, now Toyama City). His real name was Nobukatsu. *See the main text for details regarding November 24 and November 7.
1891 Meiji 24, Age 6 April: Enrolled in Joganji Ordinary Elementary School.
1899 Meiji 32, Age 14 Spring: Graduated from Ota Ordinary Higher Elementary School. Advanced to Toyama Prefectural First Middle School (former Toyama Middle School).
1900 Meiji 33, Age 15 Spring: Withdrew from Toyama Prefectural First Middle School after one year and enrolled in Toyama Prefectural Agricultural School.
1903 Meiji 36, Age 18 April: Graduated from Toyama Prefectural Agricultural School. November: Moved to Tokyo to study for entrance exams.
1905 Meiji 38, Age 20 March: Completed enrollment procedures for the Waseda University Higher Preparatory Course, but abandoned further education shortly after due to family circumstances. May 16: Received an appointment as an assistant at the Toyama Prefecture Rice Inspection Office. December: Enlisted in the Army 9th Division (Kanazawa, Division Headquarters, 35th Infantry Regiment) as a one-year volunteer. *Should have joined the 35th Infantry Regiment (Toyama), but due to special circumstances following the Russo-Japanese War.

1906 Meiji 39, Age 21, August
His eldest son was born and named by Eka Inoue. Around this time, he began using the pen name Reiko. November: Discharged upon completion of service.1907 Meiji 40, Age 22

Became a reporter for the Takaoka Shinpo newspaper. July 30: Accompanied the Takaoka Shinpo Tateyama Expedition and climbed Mount Tateyama (Oyama). After descending, he wrote "Goraiko-sama".1908 Meiji 41, Age 23
January: Published the fairy tale "Monkey's New Year's Greeting" in the New Year's edition of the Takaoka Shinpo. Transferred to the Toyama Nippo newspaper in late June or early July. July 10: Compiled "Tateyama Guide," his first book publication.
1909 Meiji 42, Age 24 January: Published the fairy tale "The Golden Chicken" in the New Year's edition of the Toyama Nippo. May 23: Sazanami Iwaya and Takehiko Kurushima visited Toyama; in conjunction with this, he published the first volume of "Etchu Fairy Tales." July: Stayed for one month at the "Tateyama Reception Center," a temporary summer mountain branch office established by the Toyama Nippo at Tateyama Murodo, and serialized "Tenkai Tsushin" (Heavenly Communications) in the paper, including "From One Side of Heaven" and "Dainichidake and Shomyo Falls." September: Joined the Japanese Alpine Club, membership number 223.

1910 Meiji 43, Age 25
July 3: The "Toyama Fairy Tale Club" was launched, with a grand ceremony held at the Toyama Prefectural Assembly Hall. He became an executive and deepened his friendship with Takehiko Kurushima, the head of the "Fairy Tale Club." August 7-11: Participated in the Seto Inland Sea Children's Tour organized by the Fairy Tale Club, accompanying Sazanami Iwaya, Takehiko Kurushima, and Kijihiko Amano. December: Resigned from the Toyama Nippo and moved to Tokyo on the 24th.1911 Meiji 44, Age 26

January: Became an assistant at the Sawarabi Kindergarten managed by Kurushima. June: "Fairy Tale Club" magazine was launched, and he became the editor and publisher.

1912 Meiji 45, Age 27 June: Held the inaugural meeting for the Juvenile Literature Research Society. The June issue of "Fairy Tale Club" was its last. July: Led the Hakubunkan "Shonen Sekai (Boys' World) Japan Alps Youth Expedition," a 7-day mountain trek where four people crossed Harinoki Pass from Omachi, Nagano, climbed Mount Tateyama, and exited into Toyama.
1912 Taisho 1, Age 27

August: Launched the "Juvenile Literature Research Society," the first children's literature research group in Japan, together with Kasui Takenuki, Misao Matsu, and others. September: Joined the Jiji Shimpo newspaper and became the editorial director of "Shonen" (Boys). December: Published the first joint collection of the Juvenile Literature Research Society, "Fairy Tale Forest," and became its editor.1913 Taisho 2, Age 27
January: Launched "Shojo" (Girls). June 13: Went on an 11-night, 12-day performance tour in Shinshu and Hida with Takehiko Kurushima and Misao Matsu.
1914 Taisho 3, Age 28 January: Published the second joint collection, "Fairy Tale Boat," and became its editor. The April "Punch Issue" and July "Flight Issue" of "Shonen" became topics of conversation. August: Spoke about the "Wright Brothers" in front of three members of the Imperial family and others at a lecture held in conjunction with the Gakushuin swimming exercises. December 25: Published the ringing "Fairy Tale Kindergarten," which included 12 fairy tales and 13 original songs. This was one of the beginnings of the Taisho-era children's song movement.

1915 Taisho 4, Age 29 April 25: Held the 5th "Shonen" Readers' Convention at the (first) Kokugikan, attracting a phenomenal crowd of about 30,000 people. May 15: Returned to Toyama for the first time in five years, proposed the construction of a bronze statue of Ariyori Saeki, and formed the Ariyori Association. October: Reiko's fairy tale play "Birth of Momotaro" was performed at the Yurakuza Children's Day.
1916 Taisho 5, Age 30 January: Launched the magazine "Younen." From then on, supported it together with Kurushima. March: Invited former Army Lieutenant General and President of the National Aviation Association Gaishi Nagaoka and stunt pilot Art Smith to the "Shonen" and "Shojo" Readers' Convention.
1917 Taisho 6, Age 32 June: Traveled to Manchuria and Korea at the recommendation of Takehiko Kurushima. Departed on the 8th for a 20-day solo trip. Performed at various locations, including the Keijo Nippo Fairy Tale Convention. October: Transferred to editorial director of "Shojo" due to a magazine editorial reshuffle at Jiji Shimpo.
1918 Taisho 7, Age 33

June 16: "Shojo" Music Convention (Imperial Theatre).
1920 Taisho 9, Age 36 November 7: Reiko Fairy Tale Meeting (Hibiya Library), performed fairy tale plays such as "A Grain of Bean" and "The Flustered Owl."

1921 Taisho 10, Age 36
January 29: Welcome Fairy Tale Convention for Mr. Kurushima's return from abroad (Yurakuza), performed "Welcome Song for the Teacher," "Mandarin Orange, Kumquat" (composed by Ryutaro Hirota), and fairy tale plays such as "A Grain of Bean" and "The Flustered Owl." March 5: Died while performing at Zushi Elementary School in Kanagawa Prefecture.