As the eldest son of a prominent doctor, Nakahara was expected to become one himself. Due to the high expectations of his father, Nakahara was given a very strict education, which also prevented him from enjoying an ordinary childhood. Worried about the public morals of the town, Kensuke forbid his son from playing outside with children from a different class to their own. Another example of these restrictions is that, unlike his younger brothers, he was not allowed to bathe in the river for fear that he would drown. As he grew up, severe punishments were inflicted upon him; a common one was being made to stand upright facing the wall. Any sudden move would cause to receive a burn in the heel with a cigarette ember. However, the biggest punishment was being confined to sleep in the barn, which Chūya received dozens of times compared to his brothers. This was intended to prepare him to follow Kensuke's footsteps and to become the head of the family.