In addition to a long working hours of over 15 hours, humidity and foul odor of the factory made working there even more difficult, and also the factory was surrounded by iron fences to prevent the female workers from escaping like a jail; however, a lot of girls including Mine endured with gritted teeth in order to help their family with their wages, believing they would see their parents again when the factory would be closed for the new year holiday.
15時間にも及ぶ長時間労働に加え蒸し暑さや悪臭などが漂う工場での労働は生半可なものではなく、工女の逃亡を防ぐため工場に鉄製の桟が張られているという監獄にも近い状態であったが、みねを含め多くの少女たちは自分の賃金で実家を助けるため、また工場が休みとなる正月に両親と再会できることを信じ、歯を食いしばって耐えたのである。