Iida Utako

• Born: 1831
• Died: 1907/10/12
• Japanese: 飯田歌子 (Iida Utako)

Iida Utako was the eldest daughter of Iida Shinshichi I, and wife of Iida Shinshichi II, the first two owner/managers of the Takashimaya textiles store. She played a significant role in running the store alongside her husband.

Their home was destroyed as a result of the Hamaguri Rebellion in 1864, but the couple restarted their business, and reopened the shop in 1870. After the death of her husband in 1878, Utako worked with her sons Iida Shinshichi III and Iida Tetsusaburô, developing the company's production of textile arts and embroidered works for export, and opening export branch shops in France and England.

She died in 1907.

References

• "Iida Utako." Digital-ban Nihon jinmei daijiten デジタル版 日本人名大辞典. Kodansha, 2009.