Wada Ei

Wada Ei (1857-1929) textile worker during the Meiji Era in Japan, wrote s memoir called the "Tomioka Diary" ('Tomioka Nikki') in which she chronicled her life as one of the female work force in the Tomioka Silk Mill.

She was among the daughters of Samurai who were recruited in 1873, the fifth year of the Meiji period (明治時代, Meiji-jidai), from across the nation, for practical training over a period of two to three years in the whole silk production process. They would later become trainers in techniques of silk manufacture in their own prefectures.

Upon leaving she became a trainer at the Saijo Village Silk Reeling Factory (later Rokkosha mill) in Matsushiro, Nagano prefecture.