The diary of Makiko Nakano, the wife of a pharmacist living in Kyoto, provides a fascinating glimpse of married life in 1910, when the modern family structure was taking shape in Japan (Nakano, 1995). In her diary, Makiko describes the challenges of being a young wife who must learn the ways of a new household. Married for four years, she portrays herself as a novice who has yet to learn how to be a good household manager. Her well-intentioned efforts sometimes meet with criticism from her husband and mother-in-law, leaving her feeling hurt and disappointed, but she always tries to learn from her mistakes. In one passage from the diary she describes an incident in which she attempts to prepare a special dish – frozen tofu – for her husband.