Tsuda Umeko
Encyclopedia
was an Japanese educator, feminist and pioneer in education for women in Meiji period
Japan
. Originally named , with mume or ume referring to the Japanese plum
, she went by the name Ume Tsuda while studying in the United States
before changing her name to Umeko in 1902.
, a progressive agriculturist and strong proponent of the westernization and Christianization of Japan. In 1871, she was volunteered by her father as the youngest member of the Iwakura mission
at the age of six, to travel to the United States
as an exchange student. She stayed behind to study in the American education system until she was 18 years old.
Tsuda lived in Washington, D.C.
, with Charles Lanman
(the secretary of Japanese legation), and his wife Adeline. As they had no children, they welcomed her like their own child. Tsuda attended the middle-class Georgetown
Collegiate Institute, where she learned English
. After graduating, she entered the Archer Institute, which catered to the daughters of politicians and bureaucrats. She excelled in language, math, science, and music. About one year after arriving in the United States, Tsuda asked to be baptized as a Christian
. Although the Lanmans were Episcopalians, they decided she should attend the nonsectarian
Old Swedes Church.
, which caused temporary difficulties. She also experienced cultural problems
adjusting to the inferior position of women in Japanese society. Even her father, Tsuda Sen, who was radically westernized in many ways, was still traditionally patriarchal and authoritarian vis-à-vis women.
Tsuda was hired by Itō Hirobumi
to be a tutor for his children. In 1885, she then began to work in a girls' school for the daughter of the kazoku
peerage, but she was not satisfied by the restriction of educational opportunities within the peerage and nobility, and she was not satisfied with the school policy, that education was intended to polish girls as ladies and train them to be obedient wives and good mothers. She decided to return to the United States.
in Philadelphia from 1889-1892, where she majored in biology and education. She also studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford
. During her second stay in the United States, Tsuda decided that other Japanese women should have the opportunity to study overseas as well. She made numerous public speeches about Japanese women's education and raised $8,000 in funds to establish a scholarship for Japanese women.
, Tokyo
to provide equal opportunity for a liberal arts
education for all women regardless of parentage. The school faced a chronic funding shortfall, and Tsuda spent much time fundraising in order to support the school. Due to her enthusiastic efforts, the school gained official recognition in 1903.
In 1905, Tsuda became the first president of the Japanese branch of the Tokyo YWCA
.
However, Tsuda's busy life undermined her health, and she suffered a stroke. In January 1919, she retired to her summer cottage in Kamakura
, where she died after a long illness in 1929. The Joshi Eigaku Juku changed its name to Tsuda Eigaku Juku in 1933 and, after World War II
, became Tsuda College
. It remains one of the most prestigious women's institutes of higher education in Japan.
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Originally named , with mume or ume referring to the Japanese plum
Ume
Prunus mume, with the common names including Chinese plum and Japanese apricot, is an Asian tree species classified in the Armeniaca section of the genus Prunus. The flower, long a beloved subject in the traditional painting of East Asia, is usually translated as plum blossom. This distinct tree...
, she went by the name Ume Tsuda while studying in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
before changing her name to Umeko in 1902.
Early life
Tsuda Umeko was born as the second daughter of Tsuda SenTsuda Sen
was a politician, educator and writer in Meiji period Japan. He was one of the founders of Aoyama Gakuin university, and the father of noted author Tsuda Umeko.- Biography :...
, a progressive agriculturist and strong proponent of the westernization and Christianization of Japan. In 1871, she was volunteered by her father as the youngest member of the Iwakura mission
Iwakura mission
The Iwakura Mission or Iwakura Embassy was a Japanese diplomatic journey around the world, initiated in 1871 by the oligarchs of the Meiji period. Although it was not the only such "mission", it is the most well-known and possibly most important for the modernization of Japan after a long period...
at the age of six, to travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as an exchange student. She stayed behind to study in the American education system until she was 18 years old.
Tsuda lived in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, with Charles Lanman
Charles Lanman
Charles Lanman was an author, government official, artist, librarian, and explorer.-Early life and education:Charles Lanman was born at Monroe, Michigan, on June 14, 1819, the son of Charles James Lanman, and the grandson of United States Senator James Lanman...
(the secretary of Japanese legation), and his wife Adeline. As they had no children, they welcomed her like their own child. Tsuda attended the middle-class Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
Collegiate Institute, where she learned English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. After graduating, she entered the Archer Institute, which catered to the daughters of politicians and bureaucrats. She excelled in language, math, science, and music. About one year after arriving in the United States, Tsuda asked to be baptized as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. Although the Lanmans were Episcopalians, they decided she should attend the nonsectarian
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
Old Swedes Church.
Return to Japan
By the time Tsuda returned to Japan in 1882, she had almost forgotten JapaneseJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, which caused temporary difficulties. She also experienced cultural problems
Culture shock
Culture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
adjusting to the inferior position of women in Japanese society. Even her father, Tsuda Sen, who was radically westernized in many ways, was still traditionally patriarchal and authoritarian vis-à-vis women.
Tsuda was hired by Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
to be a tutor for his children. In 1885, she then began to work in a girls' school for the daughter of the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage, but she was not satisfied by the restriction of educational opportunities within the peerage and nobility, and she was not satisfied with the school policy, that education was intended to polish girls as ladies and train them to be obedient wives and good mothers. She decided to return to the United States.
Second stay in the United States
Tsuda returned to the United States and attended Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
in Philadelphia from 1889-1892, where she majored in biology and education. She also studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.The college was founded in 1893 as a hall for women, and remained an all-women's college until 2006....
. During her second stay in the United States, Tsuda decided that other Japanese women should have the opportunity to study overseas as well. She made numerous public speeches about Japanese women's education and raised $8,000 in funds to establish a scholarship for Japanese women.
Establishment of Tsuda College
After returning to Japan, she published several dissertations and made speeches about improving the status of women. The 1889 Girl's Higher Education Law, required each prefecture to establish at least one public middle school for girls. However, these schools were not able to provide girls with the same quality education as that of the boys' schools. In 1900, she founded the located in KōjimachiKojimachi
is a neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo.Prior to the arrival of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was known as . The area developed as townspeople settled along the Kōshū Kaidō. In 1878 Kōjimachi became a ward in the city of Tokyo. It was the forerunner of Chiyoda which is now a special ward.The Kōjimachi ward was...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to provide equal opportunity for a liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
education for all women regardless of parentage. The school faced a chronic funding shortfall, and Tsuda spent much time fundraising in order to support the school. Due to her enthusiastic efforts, the school gained official recognition in 1903.
In 1905, Tsuda became the first president of the Japanese branch of the Tokyo YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
.
However, Tsuda's busy life undermined her health, and she suffered a stroke. In January 1919, she retired to her summer cottage in Kamakura
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
, where she died after a long illness in 1929. The Joshi Eigaku Juku changed its name to Tsuda Eigaku Juku in 1933 and, after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, became Tsuda College
Tsuda College
is a private women's college in Kodaira, Tokyo. The college was founded in 1900 by Tsuda Umeko as Joshi Eigaku Juku. The name was later changed to Tsuda Eigaku Juku and then Tsuda Juku Senmon Gakko and finally Tsuda Juku Daigaku in 1948....
. It remains one of the most prestigious women's institutes of higher education in Japan.