was a Japanese conductor. Person Asahina was born in Tokyo as an illegitimate child of Kaichi Watanabe. He founded the Kansai Symphonic Orchestra (today the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra) in 1947 and remained its chief conductor until his death in Kobe. Inspired by a meeting with Wilhelm Furtwängler in the 1950s, he began a lifelong attachment to the music of Anton Bruckner, recording the complete Bruckner symphonies several times. For many years, he was associated with the North German Radio Orchestra in Hamburg. In May and October 1996, he appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Awards and honors Asahi Prize Medal with Purple Ribbon Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class Person of Cultural Merit Order of Culture Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class External links Obituary Tribute to Maestro Takashi Asahina Asteroid 5230 named in his honor References 1908 births 2001 deaths 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Japanese male musicians Japanese conductors (music) Japanese male conductors (music) Kyoto University alumni Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Musicians from Tokyo Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class Recipients of the Order of Culture Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class