Tamaoki had planned this for years. Soft feathers for mattresses were in great demand both at home and abroad, and Torishima was a remote island whose only inhabitants were the thousands of albatross that arrived there regularly to breed.
Tamaoki oli kavatsenud seda teha juba aastaid, kuna nõudlus madratsitesse pandavate pehmete linnusulgede järele oli suur nii tema oma kodumaal kui ka mujal, ning kauge Tori - shima saare ainsad asukad, tuhanded albatrossid, pesitsesid seal regulaarselt.