In some ways, Kaoru Kanetaka introduced the world to Japan — and maybe a little bit of Japan to the world — when she flew around the globe in 1958.
It took her 73 hours 9 minutes and 35 seconds, a world record at the time by commercial aircraft and, as she wrote in The Japan Times upon her return, even faster than she planned.
The famed travel writer and television producer, whose show aired for 30 years, died Saturday at age 90 due to heart failure.