Rita Taketsuru
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Rita Taketsuru (竹鶴リタ, Taketsuru Rita, December 14, 1896[1] – January 17, 1961[2]), born Jessie Roberta Cowan, was the wife of Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky.
Life
She was born into a doctor's family[3] in Kirkintilloch,[4] East Dumbartonshire, which is a suburb of Glasgow. Of four siblings, Rita was the oldest, followed by her sister Isabella Lillian "Ella" Cowan, the third daughter Lucy, who was 3 years younger than Ella, and finally their younger brother Campbell.[5][6]
Masataka Takersuru entered Scotland's Glasgow University in 1918[5] to study organic chemistry and applied chemistry.[3] At that time Rita's younger sister Ella, enrolled at the University's medical faculty, requested Masataka to instruct her younger brother Campbell in Judo (Jiujitsu).[7] Masataka and Rita then met at the Cowan house.[8] Having expressed his love to Rita, Masataka then revealed to her his wish to help in "making real whisky in Japan". As resistance to international marriage was strong at that time, they married in a simple ceremony at the registry office in January 1920.[3] After marrying, they moved to Japan that same year, and lived for a while in Osaka.[9]
After Masataka opened the distillery in Yoichi in 1934 in Hokkaido, Rita continued to support him devotedly.[10]
Rita's spent many of her last years in Zushi, Kanagawa, as it was both close to Tokyo where Masataka often stayed and convenient for medical care - she suffered from liver disease and tuberculosis. However, in the autumn of 1960 she returned to Yoichi, and passed away there in January, 1961.[3]
Using the inheritance she received from relatives as funds, Rita established the "Rita Nursery".[11]
In Yoichi, there is a "Rita Road".[12]
See also
- Massan an NHK morning TV drama series, in which American actress Charlotte Kate Fox portrays a character based on Rita.
- Tezukayama Gakuin University, the school where Rita worked as an English teacher[13]
External links
References
- ^ (Japanese) NIKKA WHISKY "The tale of Rita Taketsuru" Chapter 4 Part 52 Rita's Grave Asahi Beer Mobile
- ^ (Japanese) NIKKA WHISKY "The Tale of Rita Taketsuru" Chapter 4 Part 49 Rita's Death Asahi Beer Mobile
- ^ a b c d (Japanese) Masataka and Rita Taketsuru - Yoichi, Hokkaido/Takehara, Hiroshima asahi.com
- ^ Astonishing life of Scots woman who took whisky to Japan Daily Record
- ^ a b (Japanese) NIKKA WHISKY The Take of Rita Taketsuru Chapter 1 Part 1 Asahi Beer Mobile
- ^ (Japanese) NIKKA WHISKY The Tale of Rita Taketsuru Chapter 1 Part 3 Asahi Beer Mobile
- ^ (Japanese) Traveling Song: Spread in East Asia with Different Lyrics "Light of the Firefly" - asahi.com Shopping(Asahi News)
- ^ (Japanese) Mr. Taketsuru's Love p.1 Meeting Rita Nikka World｜NIKKA WHISKY
- ^ (Japanese) Tezukayama University Story - chapter 19
- ^ "Rita Road" (Japanese) Hokkaido Newspaper "Hokkaido 100 Roads"
- ^ (Japanese) Mr. Taketsuru's Love p.3 Greatest Love and Most Understanding Nikka World｜NIKKA WHISKY
- ^ (Japanese) 道番号１５：リタロード 竹鶴夫人の功績伝える(2012/05/06) Doshin web|Hokkaido Shimbun
- ^ (Japanese) Tezukayama University Story