Depute Provost Colette McDiarmid attended an event at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh to celebrate the Japanese Emperor’s birthday this week. Whilst there she met with the Japanese Consul’s Deputy Head of Mission, Minori ISHII, and enjoyed talking with her about Rita Cowan Taketsuru and Nikka Whisky.
Rita Cowan who was from Kirkintilloch, was born in 1896. She married Japanese student, Masatakar Taketsuru who was studying at Glasgow University. The couple moved to Japan and set up Nikka Whisky, one of Japan’s most successful distilleries. Rita became known as the ‘Mother of Japanese Whisky’.