Jessie Roberta Cowan: Profile of a naturalized Imperial Japan subject

Rita Taketsuru

Once upon a time in the early 20th century, you couldn't get whisky in Japan. They were all poor Scotch imitations, with artificial flavors and colors, designed for profit more than quality.

Japan was known as the country for 日本酒 {Nihon-shu} (saké; literally "Japanese alcohol") and if they drank something besides that, it was beer or wine.

Today, however, the Japanese make some of the finest whisky† in the world. The Japanese were excellent and earnest students of the Scotch methods, and these days even the most patriotic Scot begrudgingly admits that they are now masters at crafting the drink.

Japan's finest specimens are winning international awards and accolades from the most discerning critics and fans. Japan's whisky is unique because while the peat and environment in northern Hokkaido is similar to that of Scotland, they also sometimes use wood native to Japan for its barrels: モンゴリナラ {Mongorinara} (Japanese oak aka Mizunara oak Quercus mongolica) from which the whisky pulls some of its flavor from. This is why Japanese whisky is often comparatively aged longer than whisky from other countries; it takes more time to draw the flavor from their oak.

Today, we can enjoy everything from cheap and affordable, yet quality single malts and blends to some of the finest and most original whisky in the world.

The world can thank this woman for her part in the development and birth of Japanese whisky.

Brief Biography of her Beginning

Jessie Roberta Cowan (ジェシー・ロベルタ・カウン {Jeshī · Roberuta · KAUN}) was born the eldest daughter of a physician in 1896 in the suburbs of East Dunbartonshire (southwest Scotland) in a town called Kirkintilloch. She was followed by her siblings Lillian "Ella" and Lucy (with whom she was closest to), and the youngest child Cambell.

Suffering from health problems starting at an early age, she dropped out of ordinary schooling and was privately tutored starting at the age of fifteen (1911). She entered the University of Glasgow at the age of eighteen (1914) to study music and English literature. After graduation she would obtain a driver's license and assist her father with patient house calls.

Rita first met Masataka, who was studying organic and applied chemistry as an overseas student, through an introduction from her sister. Masataka was looking to save money on lodging, and the Cowan family needed money to help with the upkeep of their large nine room house after the loss of their bread-winning father due to heart attack, so her family let one of the rooms to him. Additionally, he educated their youngest brother in the sport of judo (柔道 {jūdō}).

She married Masataka at the age of 24 without a ceremony and moved to Japan, first settling in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City (大阪府大阪市住吉区 {Ōsaka-fu Ōsaka-shi Sumiyoshi-ku}) with him that same year (1920).

Her husband began his career at TaKaRa Beverages (宝酒造株式会社 {Takara shuzō kabushikigaisha}) while she taught English, English conversation (英会話 {eikaiwa}), and piano at the learning institute at the nearby Tezukayama Gakuin (手塚山学院 {Tezukayama Gakuin}). He would work at TaKaRa for three years until 1923 when he would be recruited/poached by the president of 株式会社寿屋 {Kabushikigaisha Kotobuki-ya} (which would become Suntory Beverages, Nikka's future main rival) for the purpose of producing real Scotch in Japan.

After changing jobs, they moved to Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県鎌倉市 {Kanagawa-ken Kamakura-shi}). During this time, Masataka was charged with managing the new whisky distillery in Yamazaki (which today, like Nikka, produces world-class, award-winning whisky). However, differences in opinion regarding consumer tastes and the business direction of whisky in Japan at the time eventually led Masataka to quit after ten years to start his own company with the help of investors he found through Rita's connections and introductions.

They would base their new company and home in the cold far north of Japan due to its proximity to coal, peat, barley, oak wood, and pure natural water — essential ingredients for good Scotch whisky. It was also close to many apple orchards, which the company would use to sell apple juice products until its first batch of whisky was ready (a minimum of three years). The company would officially change its name to ニッカウヰスキー {Nikka Uisukī} (they still use the old-fashioned Japanese syllabet, 『ウヰ』 {"U[w]i"}, instead of modern Japanese's 『ウィ』 {"Wi"}, in their official name).

Amazing Devotion and Support of Each Other

Rita & Massan, Scottish newlyweds

Rita's dedication, devotion, and loyalty to her husband, as well as her husband's love for her, in the face of incredible adversity (racism, war, family disapproval, global recession, harsh weather, poor health, and an alien rural environment) is the type of hyperbole you normally only see in fiction.

Masataka was willing to abandon his home country for her hand in marriage, telling her he would stay with her in Scotland if she so desired. In response, Rita instead insisted they to go to Japan — a country she had never been to and knew nothing of the language — during a time of deep economic uncertainty, to help him realize his dream of whisky in Japan. It was a risky business venture, as the Japanese did not have a proven taste for whisky at the time.

Both of them resisted pressure from their families and society to end their international / interracial marriage, which was considered taboo and forbidden, to many in the world of the time.

When Massan wanted to take risks to achieve his/their dream of whisky in Japan, which included quitting his regular, well-paying, stable job and moving into literally the middle of nowhere in northern snow country during a global depression, Rita not only supported him, but encouraged him.

When Rita's health deteriorated and she could no longer bear the harsh snow country of Yoichi, Masataka voluntarily moved with her to the middle of the far away main island during the summers, doing his business remotely even though he was the president of the distillery and the master blender and his on site presence was more beneficial to the company.

When Rita passed away, Masataka was so distraught he secluded himself in his room with no contact from the outside for two days straight. After her passing, he created a whisky in her honor as well as established a couple's plot (with a tombstone in her native language of English) for the both of them on a hill overlooking their home (which was inside the distillery), so they could spend an eternity together once he passed on.

Total Assimilation

「日本人以上に日本人らしい」 {Nihonjin ijō ni Nihonjin rashi}
["Appears more Japanese than Japanese."]

Rita immersed herself into the self-chosen role of being a Japanese national wife living in Japan in a way you don't often see today.

Today, there are many non-Japanese that live in Japan without actually needing to assimilate whatsoever thanks to the internet providing their economic, social, family, and entertainment in English, 24/7, inside their home or smartphone.

This is probably partially due to the fact that during the time, there was no such thing as a foreign expat lifer community in Japan (the amount of people that had done what she had done could be counted on one hand), nor was there much commercial or trade connection with the English speaking world, despite the Meiji Restoration which gave Japan a policy of adopting and adapting as many ideas and innovation from Europe‡ and America as possible.

Moving to another country was a huge undertaking that cost a small fortune and took a long time, so once you moved, it was often assumed to probably be permanent, as the investment one made to journey to the Far East was substantial. These days, college kids with just a little disposable income can whimsically plop down a credit card and hitchhike through Asia in a matter of a day or two, without needing to try to know much about the language or geography thanks to modern technology.

Rita went to Japan with the idea that her life was now Japanese and there was no turning back. She did not feel any pressure from an expat community to express or try to keep her foreign cultural identity.

She immediately changed her clothing to Japanese (kimono), her diet to Japanese (becoming an excellent cook of both Scottish cuisine and traditional Japanese cuisine), and her daily language to Japanese — even when speaking with her husband, whom she met in English-speaking Scotland. Her western Japanese (関西弁 {Kansai-ben}) she picked up in Osaka was so strong that when she moved to Yoichi her local housekeepers and staff were said to have had difficulty understanding her dialect.

Her transformation led many to remark that she was "more Japanese than Japanese" — back in an era when saying that was not cliché.

She followed Japanese social order, and raised her children to respect it, chastising them when they failed to use proper forms of language to elders/superiors. A perfectionist, she demanded to know when everybody would be ready for dinner time so that she'd have time to prepare proper full meals.

It is said that this form of total immersion into the culture was also another way Rita expressed her love and devotion to her husband.

Overcoming Hardships: War, Distrust, and Health

Rita had always had problems with her health. She suffered from severe migraines as a child, and dropped out of ordinary schooling to be privately tutored at the age of fifteen. She would continue to have problems with her lungs and liver throughout her life. Starting in 1955, she would spend three of the four Japanese seasons (四季 {shiki}) in 鎌倉 {Kamakura} (Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture) where the weather was warmer, returning home only during the summers. Her faithful husband stayed with her during her migrations, doing business remotely while in Kamakura.

Prior to her meeting "Massan", she was engaged to a British gentlemen and came from a wealthy family. Her fiancé, however, was killed during the first World War. Soon afterwards, her father, a medical doctor, died of a heart attack in 1918. Because of that, they were unable to collect on the £514 owed to them by his patients.  This was a huge sum in the early 20th century. Family resources dwindled to the point where they had to supplement their income by renting a room of their huge home (nine rooms). As fate would have it, that boarder would be Masataka, who was studying chemistry at the University of Glasgow and working as an apprentice at the local Scotch distilleries.

Signed, Masataka Taketsuru, Chemical Student (Bachelor)

Their marriage in Glasgow was done in secret with just a few close witnesses present with them at a registrar office. Although miscegenation (marriage and/or intimate relations between the races) was not illegal in Scotland or Japan as it was in many States in America, both families disapproved of the marriage, even though Masataka came from a wealthy family of saké brewers in 広島 {Hiroshima}. Rita's mother wanted the marriage annulled.

As there was no direct air travel to Japan from Britain, they had to get to Japan by going first to New York and then to Seattle. The journey took ten (10) months.

Masataka's financial stability and employment was shaky for many years due to the global depression that Japan was caught up in at the time, and Rita helped financially support both of them by teaching English and piano at 帝塚山学院 {Tezukayama Gakuin} in Osaka for over five years. Again, as fate would have it, her teaching of English led to an connection to an investor that would lead to the creation of the company that would later become Nikka Whisky.

Rita and her husband were never able to conceive a child from their own blood. She got pregnant, but would miscarry. Instead, they adopted two Japanese children: first a daughter, and then a son (Masataka's nephew), 竹鶴威 {TAKETSURU Takeshi}, who would learn to be a master blender like his father and take over the family business when he passed away.

The last time Rita visited Scotland, with Rima.

Rita's first adopted Japanese daughter, リマ {Rima} née 房子 {Fusako}, would end up estranged from both her step-mother Rita and her step-father, not communicating with either (unless she was asking for money) during for most of her life because international marriage (国際結婚 {kokusai kekkon}) was rare in that day, and it was even rarer to have someone who was a foreign be your mother. In Rita's final years, however, リマ {Rima} reconciled with her mother.

Her adopted son would later marry and produce two boys of his own in 1951, putting the joy of grandchildren into the Taketsuru home during Rita's final decade.

During the war, the 特別刑事部tokubetsu keiji bu (Imperial Special Detective Division) searched their home because they saw an aerial antenna on their roof (a very unusual luxury in early 20th century Japan) and suspected she may be a spy communicating with the British or Russians. The detectives would tail her movements during her daily routine. She was even denied passage on the Seikan Ferry (青函フェリー {Seikan Ferī}), used to go from the island of 北海道Hokkaidō to the main island of 本州Honshū (函館駅Hakodate-eki⇔青森駅Aomori-eki), while en route to Tokyo with her husband.

One wire on the roof for short-wave radio

During the war, children would sometimes call her derogatory names:

「毛唐！毛唐！」 {"ketō! ketō!"}
["hairy foreigner! hairy foreigner!"]

and once threw a rock at her. She would keep a stiff upper lip and chide the children:

「私はあなた達と同じ日本人です」 {"Watashi wa anata-tachi to onaji Nihonjin desu."}
["I'm Japanese, just like you children."]

Despite the employees of the distillery and most of her family defending her character, many in the town came to distrust her as she was too similar to the enemy with respect to her skin color and where she was born and raised. It is even said that some children threw rocks at her and adults stayed away from her in public.

It was said Rita once lamented,

「この鼻がもう少し低ければ、目も髪も日本人のように黒くなれば」 {"Kono hana ga mō sukoshi hikukereba, me mo kami mo Nihonjin no yō ni kuroku nareba"}
["If my nose was just a little less prominent, if my eyes and hair were black like Japanese"]

Despite all of this humiliation, never once did she ever say "I want to return to my birthplace of Scotland."

This sort of abuse during wartime was not reserved for people like Rita; native born Japanese were also called names and told that they were not Japanese if they did anything that was perceived as negative regarding the war effort, and there were many incidents of rocks being thrown at native Japanese people or their property (ex. breaking windows) who weren't trusted or considered to be acting alien.

As fate would again have it, this distrust of all things foreign during the war also worked to her family's advantage: the Imperial Navy, men of the sea, had developed a taste for good Scotch, and wartime bans on foreign-origin goods led to Massan & Rita's company becoming the exclusive provider of whisky for the military.

Rita only visited Scotland twice (once to introduce her adopted daughter, Rima) and would never see her family again after her second visit in 1931, although she was a great and prolific letter writer and kept in touch via the post. Her sister Lucy visited her once in 1959 — thirty (30) years after Rita left Scotland for Japan. When her visiting sister asked her if she wanted to return, she dismissed the question by saying that she was now afraid of flying.

Some of the last words that "Massan" said to his grandson during a vigil was,

「国際結婚はやめておけ」 {"Kokusai kekkon ha yamete oke"}
["Don't do an international marriage."]

He said this not because he regretted his own marriage, but rather because he believed that the stress of living in Japan, especially during the Pacific War, shortened Rita's life. He wished she had lived longer.

Origin of Rita's Japanese Name

Rita's given Japanese name, リタ {Rita} comes from the first and last sounds of her middle given name: Roberta. Just as Jessie had trouble pronouncing her lover's name and gave him the nickname "Massan", I'm sure her beau appreciated having a shortened clipped (the same way too: initial & final sounds) nickname for the love of his life as well.

The fictional version of Rita followed the same name pattern:
kanji Japanese family name + katakana-ized foreign given name

While Japanese family registers (戸籍koseki) have no length limit on names, the structure only allows for exactly one given name paired with one family name, so Jessie lost her first name when she became Japanese.

She chose to have her given name be of foreign origin, and she chose to render it in カタカナ {katakana} (Japanese syllabet that is sometimes, but not always, used for foreign-origin words) instead of 当て字 {ateji} (sinograms that are mapped to foreign sounds); depending on the era, all 仮名 {kana} (Japanese syllabet) or partially 仮名 {kana} (syllabet) names were popular for Japanese women — not just foreigners.

Japanese Family Name

Japan, even today, does not allow families to have separate family names for people that are all together on one family register (戸籍 {koseki}). This was also true for the 戸籍法 {kosekihō} (family register law) under the Meiji Constitution (大日本帝国憲法 {Dai-Nihon Teikoku Kempō}).

Note that this law did not discriminate, in theory, against the sexes; a man can take a woman's name (often if the woman comes from a more powerful or prestigious lineage) just as easily as a woman can take a man's last name; even a century ago.

WWA Champion bears Rita & Massan's Surname

In Japan, while it is most common for the woman to take the man's family name, the reverse is not as uncommon as it is in the United States, where even though it's legal it's statistically rare (taking hyphenated combined names is the next most common choice after a woman taking the man's name).

For example, the current CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation (スズキ株式会社 {Suzuki Kabushiki-gaisha}), 鈴木修 {SUZUKI Osamu}, took his wife's name — because she was a Suzuki (鈴木 {SUZUKI}), and her lineage is obviously connected to the company's name, history and legacy.

小泉八雲 {KOIZUMI Yakumo} ne Lafcadio Hearn technically didn't take his spouse's last name when he naturalized; he took his samurai father-in-law's name by being adopted into the family.

Presently, when non-Japanese marry Japanese, they are noted on their Japanese spouse's register, but not in the area that would signify them to be a Japanese national where J-nationality lineage is tracked. This allows international couples to have separate last names if they wish.

Many international couples do this because foreign last names can be hard to transliterate and difficult to pronounce and remember due to the relative lack of consonants & vowels as well as the lack of sound combinations in the Japanese language. Japanese passports, which have Latin letter names for overseas use, allow both Japanese and non-Japanese to have multiple alternate names and Westernized spellings to accommodate overseas name use.

Once a non-Japanese person naturalizes, though, they must follow Japanese law and unify their names that they kept separate, either in one direction (man→woman) or the other (man←woman).

Many foreign-origin men (including myself) that originally kept separate names so their wives could keep a practical Japanese name in Japan opt to take their Japanese wife's family name when they naturalize as this is more pragmatic for the both of them. Because a new family register is created for the naturalized male and the naturally born Japanese national spouse is moving into it, this is known as 名乗り {na nori} (assuming a new name) and not 婿入り {mukoiri} (technical adoption of an adult; usually a man into his wife's family register / 戸籍 {koseki}).

At first, Japanese people sometimes do a double-take and ask questions out of natural curiosity when they meet somebody that does not look Asian who has a Japanese name. However, they quickly appreciate it as it makes it easier and more natural for them to remember and pronounce, as the sound combinations are more natural and familiar to them, being their mother language.

How did "Rita" become legally Japanese?

Most modern day nationality laws in democratic countries usually define four primary ways to obtain nationality:

1. jus soli (being born on territory)
2. jus sanguinis (inheriting nationality from your parents, regardless of their race)
3. naturalization (applying/qualifying for nationality after one is born)
4. bestowing nationality on extraordinary individuals on a case-by-case basis

Most countries use a combination of the first three methods, with emphasis on one method over the other two. Most new world countries in North America and South America are jus soli based. The majority of the countries in the world, especially Asian countries (including Japan) and the Old World countries of Europe, emphasize jus sanguinis more.

Marriage & nationality were strongly
connected in the past.

In the early 20th century, there was a method of naturalization that was practically automatic: jus matrimonii (acquiring the citizenship of your spouse).

In those days, laws discriminated against the sexes: if a non-Japanese women married a Japanese man, she could acquire Japanese citizenship. This is how "Rita" became legally Japanese. On the other hand, if a Japanese woman married a non-Japanese man, that woman would lose Japanese nationality! Additionally, even if a woman became Japanese through marriage, she still couldn't vote. Back then, most countries did not allow women to vote or hold office. And Imperial Japan was not a democracy anyway.

If you were a foreign man during the time of Meiji-era constitution Empire of Japan and you wanted to both marry a Japanese woman and have her keep her nationality, her parents could legally "adopt" you and put you under their 戸籍 {koseki} (family unit register), taking her name, which would give the non-Japanese man Japanese nationality. This is the path that Lafcadio Hearn (小泉八雲 {KOIZUMI Yakumo}) took.

It should be noted that the Meiji-era nationality law also allowed for foreigners to becoming legally Japanese even without marrying a Japanese national: American automobile industrialist William Gorham (合波武克人 {GŌHAMU Katsundo}) became an Imperial subject, and his American wife Hazel then also became legally Japanese due to jus matrimonii — being married to a (naturalized) Japanese national.

You didn't even need to be married or be male to naturalize: Russian Елена Павлова {Yelena Pavlova} (霧島エリ子 {KIRISHIMA Eriko}) became legally Japanese without marrying either a foreign or Japanese man.

Furthermore, if you were a woman and you married a Japanese man of the time, it was possible to retain your original nationality; you did not automatically get Japanese nationality, and you did not automatically lose your nationality. Gwen Terasaki (グエン・寺崎 {Guen · TERASAKI}) née Gwendolyn Harold, who married a Japanese man in the early 20th century and was deported to the Empire of Japan after being put in the American internment camps with other Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor, demonstrated that it was possible.

Nowadays, marrying a Japanese person does not automatically give you nationality. However, if you stay married to that person for a long enough time, it does qualify you for "simplified naturalization" (簡易帰化 {kan'i kika}), which lessens the continuous residency requirement from five (5) years to either three (3) years or even just one (1) year.

Rita's Legacy

An English tombstone is unusual.

In her final years, her health had begun failing, so the couple would seasonally travel to 鎌倉 {Kamakura} (Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture), where the weather was slightly less harsh during the winter. Rita Taketsuru died peacefully there at a relatively young age (1961, at the age of 64), before her husband, due to cirrhosis of the liver. It is unknown if alcohol or diet was a contributing factor, her health had always been poor even before she went to Japan.

On the day of her funeral, the home in Yamada-chō, Yoichi Town (余市町山田町 {Yoichi-chō, Yamadachō}) was lined with over one hundred meters (100m) of garlands by the townspeople who loved her.

Her husband was so upset by her passing that he secluded himself into his room alone for two straight days straight to mourning, not leaving to eat or talk to anybody, and did not go to her cremation. He begged that her ashes & urn be brought to him so he could sleep with them.

The master of Japanese whisky would live almost an additional nineteen (19) years alone before he passed away. They were reunited, with an English tombstone, in a cemetery on a hill in 美園町Misonochō (Misonochō, Yoichi County) that overlooks the distillery.

井川遥 {IGAWA Haruka} recruits a new generation of whisky
drinkers with introductory easy-to-drink highballs.

Whisky consumption started to fall in the early eighties due to a new tax introduced in 1984 as well as competition from other beverages such as wine (foreign and domestic) as well as Japanese 焼酎 {shōchū} (Japanese distilled liquor). It would continue to decline until 2008. The falling demand led to the closure of one Japanese whisky production facility: Merican/Kirin's 軽井沢 {Karuizawa} distillery.

With whisky enjoying a revival in Japan thanks to the hit TV series "Massan", as well as the recent popularity of highball cocktail drinks starting in 2009, which were heavily promoted by Nikka/Asahi's rival, Suntory.

History buffs (sometimes jokingly referring to themselves as "fan clubs"), whisky aficionados, and regular tourists visit the sites where Rita left her legacy and gave birth to whisky even today.

Thanks to the tale of Massan and aggressive advertising of easy-to-drink simple whisky cocktails. "Japanese Scotch" is introducing whisky to a newer, younger, and more female generation of whisk[e]y fans, who will probably learn about not just the father of Japanese whisky, but its mother as well.

Rita House

Originally the distillery's 研究室 {kenkyūshitsu} (research lab)

Most organic chemists and brewers, distillers, and other companies that mass produce food and beverage have a laboratory and research area for the testing of new concoctions. "Massan"'s company was no different.

The land and building was was originally a home for 但馬八十次 {TAJIMA Yasoji}, in 1931. It was purchased from him and became both the first administration building and the main research lab for the distillery when purchased in 1934 by Masataka and his investors.

In the 21st century, the 195m² one story building is no longer capable of supporting the needs of Asahi-owned Nikka which nows has nationwide and international distribution, so it was renamed to "Rita House."

The Japanese government registered the building as one (of nine buildings on the premises) of the nation's important Cultural Heritage Site on February 9th, 2005. Today, the site is a permanent museum-like exhibit, part of the open or guided tours of the distillery for tourists.

Cafés and foodies inspired by Rita

A recreation of Rita's home cooking

Much has been made of Rita's cooking skills. In addition to being able to prepare many of Scotland's traditional dishes such as haggis, Rita became skilled at preparing traditional Japanese dishes as well.

It was said that her specialties were preparing traditional Japanese pickled vegetables (漬物 {tsukemono}) and イカ塩辛 {ika shiokara} (cuttlefish pickled in salt) as well as many other cured Japanese foods.

Rita was known to be a perfectionist, and would insist on punctuality when it came to dinner time so that she could properly calculate the time she would need to prepare and serve meals for the house.

"The cooking recipes of Rita,
the love of Massan's life."

Many books and newspaper articles and television bits have been done about her by third parties. Her grandson, 竹鶴孝太郎TAKETSURU Kōtarō, ended up writing several books about his family and her in particular (from which many of the third party sources based their information on), including starting a dedicated web site about Rita where one can look up exhibits and purchase memorabilia connected to her:

「マッサンの妻」竹鶴リタが大切にしたもの

"Massan's wife" / The thing Rita Taketsuru treasured the most"

ウイスキーとダンディズム 祖父・竹鶴政孝の美意識と暮らし方

Whisky and Dandy-ism: my grandfather Masataka Taketsuru's Aesthetics and Way of Life

父・マッサンの遺言

My father Massan's parting words

マッサンが愛したリタの料理レシピ

The cooking recipes of Rita, the love of Massan's life.

The book about his mother's cooking, where he transcribed all of her recipes and cooking notes and published them, was a good seller. There are about a dozen or so hotels, restaurants and cafes that make and prepare Rita's recipes, bragging about their authenticity. There is even a tourism company that offers a gourmet tour of nothing but Rita's cuisine.

All of her food goes well with whisky, of course.

Books and 漫画 {Manga} about Rita

Rita's life is the classic inspirational romantic story: against all odds, conflict in the environment (war), rags to riches, heartbreaks, passion and love for one's spouse while withholding doubt no matter how grim it appears and despite all odds.

As Japanese graphic novels are as popular or even more popular than regular books, it's no surprise that several books have been written about her and Massan, based on her story.

Translated title: "From Wind County to Snow Country"

It's all about the melodrama & romance

Rita's Kindergarten

The old pre-1962 building

The kindergarten was originally known as 余市幼稚園 {Yoichi yōchien} (Yoichi Kindergarten), and was part of the Christian church in the town.

Right before Rita passed away in January of 1961, a new pastor, Reverend Yoshioka (吉岡牧師 {YOSHIOKA bokushi}) had assumed the head of both the Christian church and the kindergarten in Yoichi City.

Rita's surviving husband and son approached the new pastor, asking him to perform the Christian funeral rites for Rita, as she had wanted to meet the pastor before her death, and because she was baptized and a devout Christian. The reverend accepted, and planned and arranged all the details so that she would receive a proper Christian funeral.

The outpouring of grief and attendance at Rita's funeral led the new pastor to believe that Rita's example would be a good opportunity to teach the people of the town Christianity. Christianity is a very minor religion in Japan, with <1 as="" believers="" faith.="" identifying="" of="" p="" population="" the="" themselves="">
For that reason, the pastor denied and waived all fees that the Taketsuru family attempted to pay for the funeral services.

Instead of a direct payment, the pastor's greatest need was for a rebuilt church/kindergarten combo, as the previous wooden building had sustained much damage from wear and tear due to typhoons, age, and The War.

The new school/church was erected in 黒川町 {Kurokawa-chō} (Kurokawacho, Yoichi City) at a total cost of at that time of ¥7.2 million. Of that, ¥1.2 million was donated to the church from Rita's trust.

Given that, the school/church committee decided to rename the kindergarten to リタ幼稚園 {Rita yōchien} after their benefactor and the town's most famous and loved Christian.

Sister City Relationship between Yoichi and Kirkintilloch, Scotland

Made in Scotland
Nikka-owned Scotch Whisky

The mayor of Yoichi, along with many members of the Taketsuru family, visited the town Rita grew up in, Kirkintilloch (in Gaelic: "Cair Cheann Tulaich"; affectionately called "Kirky" in English), in 1988 to sign a town twinning agreement based on the famous person the two had in common: Rita.

The next year in 1989, Nikka Whisky would purchase the Ben Nevis distillery (named after the highest mountains in Scotland, and the source of the whiskey's water) in northern Scotland. Financial difficulties along with the loss of its founders forced the distillery to close in 1986. With Nikka's investment and purchase, not only was the distillery saved, but the quality of its Scotch was said to improve significantly. The distillery, under new management, began doing so well they opened a visitor center in 1991.

Rita's kimono in "Kirky"

Kirkintilloch's museum, the Auld Kirk Museum, contains many artifacts from Japan thanks to the connection, including an old Japanese whisky bottle and one of Rita's very colorful kimonos; The B&W photos of her in kimono really don't capture how beautiful they are.

Because of this relationship, Kirky gets a relatively large amount of Japanese visitors to its town; fans of Rita and her relationship and connection with Nikka Whisky and her Japanese husband.

Rita Road

The section of National Highway #229 running from 余市駅 {Yoichi-eki} (JR Yoichi Station), which is right in front of the Nikka Whisky distillery, to 余市町役場 {Yoichi machiyakuba} (Yoichi town hall), was named after Rita as one of the first actions of the international sister city / town twinning program with Rita's birthplace in 1988.

Rita Road is a 1.5km walk, and is lined with trees and various commemorative signs and plaques explaining its namesake. It is pedestrian and bicycle friendly (weather permitting) with nice sidewalks and sights.

150 Episode NHK Public Television morning Drama Series

Scene from the NHK drama 『マッサン』 {"Massan"}

The story of Massan and Rita got a huge catapult into the minds of contemporary 21st century Japanese with public television's choice to make the story the basis for the 91st episodic morning television series running from autumn of 2014 to spring of 2015: 150 fifteen minute episodes in all.

The show, which airs in the morning and in the afternoon, is scheduled to run at 8:00am in the morning, with the same episode running again at 12:45pm. These two time slots, of course, are designed to get one key demographic: homemakers whose children and spouse have just left for work and school, and those just returning from lunch, with fifteen minutes to spare before they have to get back to their routine.

The public television 朝ドラ {Asa dora} (Morning drama) has some of the highest ratings in Japanese television, with over half of the television viewing public from the population of 127 million viewing the episodes on average. In particular, "Massan" had the third highest rating for a morning drama series in the last decade.

In addition to making the Japanese populace aware of the historical cultural contributions (Japanese whisky) of a person from overseas, the series also broke new ground by casting a foreign actress — for a primarily Japanese speaking role — as the lead heroine (the Japanese morning drama protagonist is usually a woman). Well over half of the shows viewers said that Charlotte Fox's performance as エリー {"Erī"}) (Ellie, the character based on 竹鶴リタ {TAKETSURU Rita} née Jessie COWAN) was the reason they watched the series.

Vegetarian versions do exist.

Not only did the 29 year old professional American actress not be able to speak or understand Japanese when she landed the role, but she was also a vegetarian and a teetotaler. Quite the opposite of the character she played! Despite being a (non-strict, apparently) vegetarian, she confessed to falling in love with 餃子 {gyōza} (Japanese style fried dumplings) and 鱶鰭 {fukahire} (shark fin soup) — so much so that she had to control herself to keep from gaining weight through the series.

She beat 232 actresses who auditioned for the role inside Japan, and beat 289 other candidates who auditioned from outside of the country.

The recognition that actors and actresses — not to mention the historical sites and products references — get from the morning drama is so large that it often is the springboard for a long career and increased popularity.

The actress Charlotte Kate Fox (シャーロット・ケイト・フォックス {Shārotto · Keito · FOKKUSU})'s face is seen in modeling advertisements in Japan, and she regularly appears as a guest on television talk and variety shows in Japan.

In order for Ms. Fox to act her part of a Japanese speaking naturalized Japanese woman, her script had four versions of every line: the original Japanese in 漢字／仮名 {kanji/kana} (Japanese sinograms and syllabet), the original Japanese in ローマ字 {rōmaji (Japanese transliterated into Latin letters), the line translated into natural English, and finally, the Japanese translated word-for-word in order without rearranging to make a grammatically correct English sentence. The last line was provided so that Charlotte Fox could time her acting and know how and when to react to key words spoken by other characters. Thus, a two line exchange of dialogue might look like this:

• Masaharu Kameyama:

  Japanese:

  スコットランドに残っても構わない。

  Romanized:

  Sukottorando ni nokottemo kamawanai.

  Translated:

  I won't mind if you want us to stay in Scotland.

  Word-for-Word:

  Scotland in / even if stay / do not mind

• Ellie:

  Japanese:

  私はあなたの夢を共に生き、お手伝いしたいのです。

  Romanized:

  Watashi wa anata no yume o tomo ni iki, otetsudai shitai no desu.

  Translated:

  But I want see your dreams come alive, and I want to help you do it.

  Word-for-Word:

  As for me / your dream / sharing with / humbly help / want to / you see

Her Osakan nickname? シャロやん {Sharo-yan}

Although great pains were taken to not give any commercial endorsements to existing living companies or entities, the connection between the drama was capitalized on or benefited by everybody, intentionally or unintentionally:

• Many out-of-print books about the story of Massan & Rita were re-issued. Many of these re-issues made overt indirect references to the hit show.
• Nikka's Yoichi distillery received a 36% increase in visitors during the time of the drama's run, and its Sendai-based distillery's visitors increased two fold.
• Asahi/Nikka re-tooled the marketing of many of its alcoholic beverages, with new retro classic designs modeling the styles of the show and era.
• Not only did Nikka's flagship whisky product 竹鶴 {TAKETSURU} see increased sales (+39%), rival Suntory also saw boosts in the consumption of its whisky products: 響 {Hibiki}, 白州 {Hakushū}, and 山崎 {Yamazaki}.
• Both Nikka and Suntory were having trouble keeping up with the new demand coming after predictable sales for the last ten years. In particular, Nikka's 竹鶴 {Taketsuru}, 余市 {Yoichi} and 宮城峡 {Miyagi-kyō} have become scarce or have completely sold out.

• 

  乾杯！ {kampai!} (Cheers!)

  When the Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 Year won the 2015 WWA Grand Prix in the United Kingdom for best blended malt for the second year in a row, news site sources summarized the news as "Massan's whiskey is the best in the world."
• The popularity of the drama caused Kirky, Scotland to revive activities related to its sister-city relationship with Yoichi for the first time in thirteen (13) years. Local papers in Scotland covered the popularity of the show and its effect it would have on Scotland's image in Japan as well as its foreign tourist potential.
• The actor who played the president of the fictitious company 鴨居商店 {Kamoi shōten}, 堤真一 {TSUTSUMI Shin'ichi}, which was loosely based on the early founding days of Suntory, would be hired and contracted to be the actual "whisky ambassador" spokesperson for Suntory Spirits.
• The actor who played Massan, 玉山鉄二 {TAMAYAMA Tetsuji}, would become the lead spokesperson for Nikka's commercials for its product, "BLACK [Nikka] Deep Blend".

Nikka Bar Rita

Beautiful Art Nouveau interior of the bar

A privately run bar in downtown 小樽市 {Otaru-shi} (Otaru City), which is the city next to the distillery by train and a popular tourist spot for Japanese and foreigners alike due to its good skiing and Japanese-style hot springs (温泉 {onsen}／♨), collaborates with the distillery and offers a single cask 原酒 {genshu} (unblended whisky) which can be found nowhere else in the world, not to mention bar dishes that come from locally sourced 北海道 {Hokkaidō} agriculture and seafood.

As the bar is popular with tourists, it offers multi-lingual (English, Chinese & Korean) guidance, and the master bartender can guide and educate its customers regarding the finer points of appreciating whisky.

While the distillery itself it also a working museum and bar/restaurant, this bar is open past midnight and offers a more personalized and intimate experience with Nikka's offerings.

Super Nikka

In the TV Drama, it was called "Super Ellie"

In honor of Rita, who passed away in 1961, her husband 政孝 {Masataka} and her son, 竹鶴威 {TAKETSURU Takeshi}, worked together on the grounds of the distillery, using the storehouse and the laboratory, to create this whisky in her honor.

At that time when it was first released in 1962, only 1,000 bottles were produced per year, leading to its nickname of "the phantom Super Nikka."

Initially priced at ¥3,000, it was enormously expensive considering the era and inflation: in 1962, the average monthly Japanese salary for a new graduate was around ¥15,000. Even the bottle was unusually extravagant for the time: made of semi-crystal and designed by a crystal designers.

It has been re-issued over the years, including a rare 1964 Olympic edition with the five rings. It has been released again in 2015 with the original 1961 formula to tie in with the television drama.

The Super Nikka is one of Nikka's few blended whiskies, with lots of malt and a scent of sherry oak and peat.

Nikka's 80th Anniversary Apple Brandy (30 years old) Rita

starting at ¥30,000 (MSRP)

To celebrate ニッカウヰスキー {Nikka Uisukī} (Nikka Whisky)'s 80th year of existence, the company released a limited edition bottled apple brandy named after their founder's wife in 2014.

As it took many years for Nikka's whisky to develop and for the industry to be accepted by Japanese, the company initially made its revenues from selling juice based products. In particular, they owned land containing apple orchards, and the apples and other fruit from the 北海道 {Hokkaidō} area are known as Japan's best.

In fact, Nikka's original name was 大日本果樹 ㈱ {ダイ ニッポン カジュ ㏍}, or "Dai-Nippon Kaju (K.K.)", which means "Great Japan [a common term for Imperial Japan] Juice (Inc.)", which shows its roots as an apple juice company before it began selling alcohol. If you take the first two 仮名 {kana} (Japanese syllabet) of ニッポン {Nippon} (Japan) and the last syllabet of カジュ {kaju} (juice), you get the amalgam 『ニッカ』 {"Nikka"}.

Nikka began distilling the local apples into brandy and selling it in the 1940s. Today, they focus on whisky spirits, but they decided to release this limited edition brandy in honor of one of their founders.

Nikka Rita Highball

Do you prefer the ♂ hero or the ♀ heroine?

Capitalizing on the success of the NHK drama, Nikka/Asahi launched a limited edition run of beverages capitalizing on the "Massan boom", which revived interest in the culture of whisky among many people who did not ordinarily drink spirits.

Convenience stores in Japan usually sell alcohol, and in addition to beer, wine, and liquor, they often sell cheap sweetened and mixed drinks in cans — often with reduced alcohol percentages (including completely non-alcohol and no calorie versions for dieters, teetotalers, and designated drivers so they can "be part of the party").

These drinks are so sweet and sometimes their packaging is so not obvious that the cans need to be labeled お酒 {さけ} (o-sake: literally "alcohol drink") in big letters on the front.

Near the end of the drama's run, Nikka/Asahi released two commemorative drinks, distributed by the thousands of convenience stores and supermarkets around Japan and drunk by millions:

• 竹鶴ハイボール {TAKETSURU haibōru} for fans of him (whisky based 7% alcohol)
• リタハイボール {Rita haibōru} for fans of her (apple flavored liqueur 7% alcohol)

Highballs are simply drinks cut with soda water and a spritz of an extra flavor. The cutting of whisky / whiskey / 焼酎 {shōchū} (a Japanese barley/sweet potato/buckwheat/rice fermented spirit) with soda, water, or ice is so popular among Japanese that whisky producers in Japan often craft their blended whiskey accordingly.

As NHK is a national public broadcaster, they can't give what may appear to be free advertising or endorsements to commercial entities — they will even go so far as to translate the trademarked "Coke®" (コーク {Kōku}) to the generic "cola" (コーラ {kōra}) when subtitling foreign movies and shows — so they changed the name of リタ {Rita} to Ellie (エリー {Erī}) in the drama and the fictional name of protagonist 竹鶴政孝 {TAKETSURU Masataka} to 亀山政春 {KAMEYAMA Masaharu}.

However, Rita's name of affection for Masataka, "Massan" (said to be shortened from Masataka-san (政孝さん {Masataka-san} when she was still learning Japanese), stayed in the based-on-a-true-story drama even though it was an amalgam of a different Japanese male given name.

Nikka capitalized on the popularity of the nationally television long-running popular drama by clearly identifying its cans with the logo 『マッサンとリタの物語』 {"Massan to Rita no monogatari"} ("The story of Massan and Rita"), without directly referencing the copyrighted fictional (based on a true) "story" whose rights are not owned by it.

Rest in peace, Rita, and thank you for your contributions to Japan. {}

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• † like Scotch, no "e" in Japanese "Whisky" — the Japanese are still working on developing their skills at bourbon whiskey with acquired American Tennessee brands like Jim Beam.
• ‡ Rita's remaining European and British habits, such as the interior and exteriors of their home, her golf clubs, and her habit of afternoon tea, were not out place for time in Japan.