Hiratsuka Haruko (1886-1971), pioneering Japanese feminist. Hiratsuka took the pen name Raicho (meaning snow grouse ) when she founded the women\u27s literary magazine Seito (Bluestocking) in 1911. Her manifesto-like poem in Seito- In the beginning, Woman was the Sun -symbolizes Japan\u27s self-affirming feminism of the 1910s and 1920s, the era of the New Woman. Feminists in the 1970s claimed Hiratsuka as a foremother for this inspirational manifesto. At the center of feminist activities for a decade, Hiratsuka withdrew from leadership roles in 1921 but nevertheless contributed to the consumer, birth-control, and women\u27s arts movements before World War II. After 1945 she devoted herself to peace organizations. Other feminists are better known for specific causes-Ichikawa Fusae for women\u27s suffrage, Oku Mumeo for consumerism, Yamakawa Kikue for workers\u27 rights, and Kato Shidzue for reproductive rights-but Hiratsuka, involved in each of these movements, inspired other women\u27s activism
