Founder

Our school’s founder, Kotaka Otsuma, was born in Mikawa Village in Sera County, Hiroshima Prefecture, in 1884. (This village has grown to today’s Sera·Cho.) The old village was buried under the Mikawa River Dam, but her house was relocated to the dam’s shore to be preserved. Although Kotaka was born in a small mountainous village, she was invited by her old school to teach at the young age of 17. She later went to Tokyo to continue her studies and eventually became a primary school teacher in Kamakura. Her passion for education continued, and after she was married to Mr. Ryoma Otsuma, she opened a small home academy at the age of 24. Until her death in 1970, she dedicated her entire 85 years of life to the promotion of women’s education. For her devoted service, Mrs. Otsuma was decorated with the Medal with Blue Ribbon and the Order of the Precious Crown, Butterfly and was further decorated posthumously with the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star.
In 2002, Kozan·Cho (today’s Sera·Cho) presented the Honorable Citizen’s Award to Mrs. Kotaka Otsuma.

History