Ogino Ginko (荻野 吟子, April 4, 1851 – June 23, 1913) was the first licensed female physician practicing Western medicine in Japan.

Ogino Ginko was born in Tawarase, in Musashi Province (present-day Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture).

In 1873, she moved to Tokyo to resume and complete her basic education at the school of Yorikuni Inoue, graduating in 1879 with full honours.

[2] Afterward, she entered Tokyo Women's Normal School (present-day Ochanomizu University), which was at that time a private medical academy with an all-male student body.

Shortly thereafter, she opened the Ogino Hospital in Yushima, specialising in obstetrics and gynecology to help women in their particular struggles.

Ogino also served as staff doctor to the girls' school of Meiji Gakuin University, always professing for equality between men and women.

During her convalescence, she became acquainted with Dr. Matsumoto's daughter, who was also interested in the role and impact that women played in Japanese society of that time, becoming her mentor.

There was a Japanese tradition at the time which dictated the assignment of short names to women, for the purpose of giving them orders more easily.

She changed her original name (Gin) to Ginko, adding a character to it and taking another step forward for gender equality.

Ogino was lucky enough in 1873 to be able to enter Tokyo Joshi Shihan Gakko,[3] where she won the support of one of her teachers, who, knowing that she aspired to become a doctor, helped her enroll in a private medical school.

Usually, after having undergone medical school, only male students were allowed to sit an exam to be able to fully practice medicine.

She succeeded in this achievement partially thanks to her connections to influential male doctors, such as Iwamoto Yoshiharu and Inoue, who were the most prominent supporters of female empowerment.