In Issa's Japan age was counted differently than it is today. Yataro was one year old on the day of his birth. He gained a year every New Year's Day—so Yataro turned two on the next New Year's Day. In Japan he was two, but we would say that he was a baby of only seven months, a difference of 17 months!
So, if he turned "15" the year he left home and moved to Edo, how old was he really? (hint: subtract 17 months)
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