Nationality Scottish-Japanese Occupation Businesswoman | Name Rita Taketsuru | |
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Full Name Jessie Roberta Cowan Spouse Masataka Takersuru (m. 1920–1961) | ||
Rita Taketsuru (竹鶴リタ, Taketsuru Rita, 14 December 1896 – 17 January 1961), born Jessie Roberta Cowan, was the Scottish wife of Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky.
Life
She was born into a doctor's family in Kirkintilloch, East Dumbartonshire, a town near 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.
Masataka Takersuru entered Scotland's Glasgow University in 1918 to study organic chemistry and applied chemistry. 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). Masataka and Rita then met at the Cowan house. 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 register office in January 1920. After marrying, they moved to Japan that same year, and lived for a while in Osaka.
After Masataka opened the distillery in Yoichi in 1934 in Hokkaido, Rita continued to support him devotedly.
Rita 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 died there in January 1961. She is buried in Yoichi together with her husband who later died in 1979.
Using the inheritance she received from relatives as funds, Rita established the "Rita Nursery".
In Yoichi, there is a "Rita Road".