Changes

Takamine stayed for a time in New Orleans, where he represented Japan at the [[1884]] [[New Orleans World's Fair|World's Fair]]. While there, he rented an apartment from a former Confederate officer whose daughter he would later marry, and befriended the writer [[Lafcadio Hearn]], who had yet to travel to Japan.

Takamine stayed for a time in New Orleans, where he represented Japan at the [[1884]] [[New Orleans World's Fair|World's Fair]]. While there, he rented an apartment from a former Confederate officer whose daughter he would later marry, and befriended the writer [[Lafcadio Hearn]], who had yet to travel to Japan.

After proposing to Caroline Hitch, his landlord's daughter, and promising to return to marry her once he was more financially established, he returned to Japan having developed a form of artificial fertilizer. Resigning from his government position, he entered into a business partnership with [[Kazoku|Baron]] [[Shibusawa Eiji]] and [[Masuda Takashi]], forming the Tokyo Artificial Fertilizer Company. While traveling abroad the following year in order to purchase equipment for the company, he studied American and European brewing methods, obtained patents from several Western governments for the processes of brewing saké, and married Caroline on August 10, 1887. They had two sons, Jôkichi Jr. (b. 1888), and Eben (b. 1890).

After proposing to Caroline Hitch, his landlord's daughter, and promising to return to marry her once he was more financially established, he returned to Japan having developed a form of artificial fertilizer. Resigning from his government position, he entered into a business partnership with [[Kazoku|Baron]] [[Shibusawa Eiichi]] and [[Masuda Takashi]], forming the Tokyo Artificial Fertilizer Company. While traveling abroad the following year in order to purchase equipment for the company, he studied American and European brewing methods, obtained patents from several Western governments for the processes of brewing saké, and married Caroline on August 10, 1887. They had two sons, Jôkichi Jr. (b. 1888), and Eben (b. 1890).

Takamine and his family traveled the US briefly and then moved to Japan, where Takamine could help run the Artificial Fertilizer Company. However, life in Japan did not suit Caroline, who also was disliked by Takamine's mother, and so the family returned to the US in 1890, establishing themselves for a time in Peoria and Chicago. There, he further researched and experimented with brewing methods, discovering a method of obtaining ferment from wheat bran waste. This new source of fermentation was purer and more powerful than the malt which had until then been used in the West, or the ''koji'' traditionally used in Japan. The Takamine Ferment Company was soon founded to produce and distribute this product.

Takamine and his family traveled the US briefly and then moved to Japan, where Takamine could help run the Artificial Fertilizer Company. However, life in Japan did not suit Caroline, who also was disliked by Takamine's mother, and so the family returned to the US in 1890, establishing themselves for a time in Peoria and Chicago. There, he further researched and experimented with brewing methods, discovering a method of obtaining ferment from wheat bran waste. This new source of fermentation was purer and more powerful than the malt which had until then been used in the West, or the ''koji'' traditionally used in Japan. The Takamine Ferment Company was soon founded to produce and distribute this product.