Recognizing the lasting influence of important Japanese educators from the past can help contemporary English language teachers contextualize, and inspire their own professional lives. One particularly influential educator was Tsuda Ume (1864-1929), a samurai daughter and founder of Tsuda College (Tsuda Juku Daigaku), who led an extraordinary life during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). At the age of six, Tsuda was part of a government mission which sent five girls to the United States to study the role and education of American women. Later, as a student at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, she created an international women's network to fund overseas studies for Japanese women. Tsuda drew upon her experiences overseas and extensive study when she opened her school of higher learning for women. Today, Tsuda College, one of the leading women's universities in Japan, maintains a highly respected curriculum for English studies. By examining Tsuda's life, we can enhance our understanding of women's higher education and English language teaching in Japan.