She was born the second daughter of herbal doctor Washiyama Yōsai in Tōtōmi, near present-day Kakegawa in Shizuoka. Her given family name was Washiyama Yayoi. Medical talk was everyday at home, and learning for women was relatively accepted, seeding her later path as a physician.
She went to Tokyo and entered Saisei Gakusha, a medical school linked later to Nippon Medical School. At Saisei Gakusha she took the same hard courses as men, learning anatomy and clinical basics, fighting prejudice against women studying medicine.
She passed the Interior Ministry medical licensing exam and became Japan's 27th woman doctor. Opening a practice in Tokyo, she aimed to care especially for women and children. Experience as a practitioner later motivated founding a school.
Returning again to Tokyo, while attending a private school teaching German and other subjects she met its head Yoshioka Arata and married him. Together they prepared to work in medicine and education, and plans for training women doctors took shape.
Learning that Saisei Gakusha had barred women, she opened Tokyo Women's Medical School, Japan's first institution to train women doctors. Tokyo Women's Medical School began with scarce buildings and funds, but Yayoi taught herself and kept encouraging students.
It was raised to Tokyo Women's Medical College and the curriculum was enriched. Graduates worked as doctors across the country, widening the path for women in medicine. Efforts toward official recognition continued.
It became a ministry-designated school, allowing graduates to gain medical licenses without examination. Recognition of long educational results was a landmark. Work since Tokyo Women's Medical School bore fruit in the system.
She attended the Pan-Pacific Women's Conference in Honolulu as a representative of Japan's women doctors. Exchange with women medical workers abroad also showed how far Japanese women doctors had come. After returning she used that international view in teaching.
After hardships including loss of buildings in air raids, she worked on rebuilding the school after the war. Short of supplies and staff, she strove to protect women's medical education. Even in old age she kept fulfilling her duty as founder.
She died in Tokyo at eighty-seven. She opened the path of women doctors herself, founded a school and trained many women physicians. The line begun at Tokyo Women's Medical School leads to today's Tokyo Women's Medical University.
Hirose TakeoShiga KiyoshiKunikida DoppoKōtoku ShūsuiHiguchi IchiyōShimazaki TōsonTayama KataiHata Sahachirō
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.