Tadashi Hyōdō facts for kids

Tadashi Hyōdō (born April 6, 1899 – died April 23, 1980) was a brave and determined Japanese woman. She made history by becoming the first woman in Japan to earn a pilot's license! Her journey to the skies was full of challenges, but she never gave up on her dream.

Early Life and Big Dreams

Tadashi Hyōdō was born in a small village in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Even when she was young, people noticed how smart and capable she was. She moved from her local school to a special high school in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime.

Tadashi's father, Rintarō, had always dreamed of becoming a pilot himself. He loved to draw airplane designs as a hobby. After he passed away, Tadashi decided to follow in his footsteps. She wanted to become a pilot to make her father's dream come true.

After finishing high school, Tadashi's family hoped she would become a doctor or a teacher. But Tadashi had other plans. In January 1919, she moved to Osaka to become a pharmacist's helper, but her real goal was to fly.

Learning to Fly at Tsudanuma

With help from her older sister, Kazoe, Tadashi started flight training. She joined an aviation school in Tsudanuma, run by Otojirō Itō. Back then, it was very unusual for a woman to study at an aviation school.

Newspapers even wrote about her when she joined Itō's school. They described her as "a petite girl, round-faced and chubby, but a tomboy like a boy." Learning to fly was very expensive. It cost "two yen per minute," which was a lot when a new college graduate earned only 40 yen per month.

Tadashi worked hard to earn money for her lessons. Because of this, it took her three and a half years to finish the course. Most students finished in about six months. She was the 15th person to graduate from the Tsudanuma aviation school, and the very first woman!

Challenges and Success

During her training, Tadashi faced a lot of attention. She was often featured in newspapers and aviation magazines. She worked hard to learn how to maintain airplanes and attended classes with male students.

She also survived several accidents. Once, her plane crashed while gliding from 3,000 meters high, but she wasn't seriously hurt. Another time, she had to make an emergency landing on water. Through it all, she kept going.

In April 1921, new rules for aviation were made in Japan. A system for pilot licenses was created. Tadashi took her pilot's test and passed on her second try. On March 21, 1922, she received her third-class airplane aviator license (License no. 38). This made her the first woman pilot in Japan!

Soon after getting her license, Tadashi joined a flight competition. It was for third-class aviators and hosted by the Imperial Aeronautical Association. She finished 10th out of 15 pilots in the speed part of the competition.

Life After Flying

Being the first woman pilot in Japan brought Tadashi a lot of attention. Unfortunately, she also faced unfair criticism and rumors. Because of these difficulties, she was removed from the Imperial Aeronautical Association.

Around the same time, the Great Kanto Earthquake happened. This huge earthquake changed society and industries in Japan. After these events, Tadashi Hyōdō suddenly stopped flying. She was never seen flying again.

Tadashi had plans to open her own aviation school. She also aimed to become a lawyer later in life. Tadashi Hyōdō passed away on April 23, 1980, at the age of 81. She will always be remembered as a pioneer who broke barriers in aviation.