Unfinished Symphony: The Life and Work of Haraguchi Tsuruko

The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them - Montaigne 1533–92

She was born Arai Tsuru, in the home of a wealthy farmer, one of three sisters, on June 18, 1886 in the city of Tomioka in rural Gunma Prefecture. She graduated from Takasaki Women's High School in 1902, two years ahead of her peers. The following year, she enrolled in the Faculty of English Literature at Japan Women's College. At that time, 4-year Japanese universities did not offer graduate degrees to women, and women’s higher education institutions lacked formal recognition. Encouraged by her mentor, psychologist Matsumoto Matataro, she moved to the United States in 1906 after completing her undergraduate studies.

During her journey to America, Haraguchi traveled alongside a foreign missionary. After twelve days, they arrived in Vancouver, Canada, where they parted ways. Haraguchi then continued to New York, arriving in midsummer. She spent the remainder of the summer working at a camp before beginning her studies at Columbia University to pursue her doctoral studies in psychology. She studied experimental psychology and psychology education. Her 1912 thesis was entitled "Mental Fatigue," and included experiments she conducted on herself, such as multiplying strings of four-digit numbers, and translating passages from the works of John Dewey into Japanese. When she received her degree on June 5, 1912, she was the first Japanese woman to receive a PhD in any field. (Okami Kyo had been awarded a Medical Doctor degree in 1884 from the Quaker-run Women's Medical College in Pennsylvania.) Tsuruko married fellow international student Haraguchi Takejiro on the same day she was awarded her doctorate and they departed on their honeymoon in England.

Upon returning to Japan, she expanded the work of her doctoral thesis, translated it into Japanese, and published it under the title "Study of Mental Work and Fatigue." She lectured at the Japan Women's College and helped to establish the school's experimental psychology department. Her husband became a professor at Waseda University and together they had a daughter and a son. She moved to Zoshigaya, a neighborhood near Ikebukuro station in Toshima ward, and worked hard as both a working mother and budding researcher.

However, she developed a cough and mild fever that did not clear up on its own. She was forced to interrupt classes and research to receive treatment at a sanitarium in Shizuoka prefecture. On September 26, 1915, at the age of 29, she died. Her final work, published after her death, was a Japanese translation of Francis Galton's "Hereditary Genius." A memoir of her time at Columbia University, entitled "TanoshikiOmohide" 楽しき思ひ出 or "Joyful Memories" was also published in 1915. The memoir documented her observations of the cultural differences between American and Japanese women based on her experiences living in the United States. The Psychological Society of Japan mourned her death with a special memorial written by her husband, published in issue 47 of the journal Psychological Research 心理研究. After her death, her research themes and thesis fell from academic attention, and her impact on the field of psychological research in Japan faded. Her academic success, however, inspired students at her alma mater, who went on to earn doctorates in psychology. Kora Tomi, the second female psychologist in Japan, had attended her funeral at Japan's Women's College in 1915, and similarly went to Columbia University where she received a Master's and PhD degree in psychology.

In reflecting on the life of Haraguchi Tsuruko, it is evident that her legacy is not merely in the years she lived but in the profound impact she made within those years. Despite her premature death, Haraguchi's pioneering spirit transcended traditional barriers, making her the first Japanese woman to earn a PhD in any field. Her intellectual pursuits and the courage to explore uncharted territories paved the way for future generations of Japanese women in academia. As Haraguchi Tsuruko's life, though brief, was immensely valuable; her scholarly work and the example she set continue to inspire and challenge us to use our days to effect meaningful change.