From poverty to greatness. ### Early life (1898–1920) "Mizoguchi was born in [Hongō, Tokyo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong%C5%8D,_Tokyo "Hongō, Tokyo"), as the second of three children, to Zentaro Miguchi, a roofing carpenter, and his wife Masa. The family's background was relatively humble until the father's failed business venture of selling raincoats to the Japanese troops during the [Russo-Japanese War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War "Russo-Japanese War"). The family was forced to move to the downtown district of [Asakusa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asakusa "Asakusa") and gave Mizoguchi's older sister Suzu up for adoption, which in effect meant selling her into the [geisha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha "Geisha")profession." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Mizoguchi [[Kenji Mizoguchi]]