They crossed an ocean to become doctors.
Kaku Sudo and Hana Abe traveled from Japan to Cincinnati to pursue medical education at a time when few schools welcomed women. Their journey connected two countries through a shared determination to gain knowledge, professional opportunity, and independence.
In 1885, Sudo and Abe began studying under Dr. Adeline Kelsey, an American medical missionary and educator working in Yokohama, Japan.
Kelsey helped them pursue opportunities beyond those available to them at home. In 1891, she brought both women to the United States to continue their medical training.
They enrolled at Cincinnati’s Laura Memorial Woman’s Medical College, one of the few American medical schools willing to educate women at the time.
Reaching Cincinnati was only part of the challenge. Paying for their education required persistence and resourcefulness.
Sudo and Abe participated in lecture tours introducing Japanese culture and sought donations to support their studies. Kelsey also sold Japanese artworks and objects to help cover their expenses, including two suits of armor purchased by the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Their education became a collective effort, supported by teaching, cultural exchange, and the determination to keep moving forward.
Sudo and Abe graduated in 1896 and returned to Japan in 1897. With further advocacy from Kelsey, they obtained medical licenses and worked at the Yokohama Ladies Charity Association Hospital.
There, they provided care and participated in efforts to make medicine more accessible.
Both women returned to the United States with Kelsey in 1902. Their paths demonstrate how education could create opportunities for women to pursue professional and financial independence. Cincinnati was an important chapter in that journey.
