https://longeviquest.com/2026/06/kinue-sakamoto-turns-110/

Kinue Sakamoto, the Oldest Person in Oita City, Japan, Turns 110

Kinue Sakamoto (坂本キヌヱ), the oldest person in Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan, celebrated her 110th birthday on 4 June 2026.

A warm birthday celebration was held at the nursing home where she resides, attended by around 30 fellow residents and staff members. The decorations included several Japanese paintings by Sakamoto herself.

According to her family and the nursing home staff, Sakamoto has recently been spending more time resting between meals and snack times, while continuing to enjoy a hearty appetite and regularly finishing her meals. When her family recently brought her a dekopon orange (known as Sumo Citrus in North America), one of her favorite fruits, she reportedly ate the entire fruit with enjoyment. Her hearing also remains good, and she prefers listening to the radio rather than watching television.

Kinue Sakamoto (坂本キヌヱ) celebrates her 110th birthday with fellow residents and staff members at her nursing home on 4 June 2026. One of her peony paintings was displayed during the celebration. (Photo provided by the nursing home)

Kinue Sakamoto (坂本キヌヱ) was born in Iyo, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, on 4 June 1916. She later moved to Oita Prefecture, where she worked as a nurse.

After her marriage, Sakamoto supported her family as a homemaker while cultivating vegetables and fruit. She became particularly interested in growing produce and purchased specialized books to deepen her knowledge.

Having enjoyed working with numbers since childhood, Sakamoto developed an interest in stock investing in her early thirties. She subscribed to the Nikkei newspaper and continued investing as a hobby until the age of 103. Even after the age of 105, she enjoyed solving number puzzles published in newspapers.

Sakamoto began practicing Japanese painting after her daughter married and left home. What started as a hobby eventually led to recognition at the prefectural level, and in her sixties she received the Oita Prefectural Art Association Award. She continued painting until around the age of 100, including after moving into a nursing home. Several of her works are now displayed at the nursing home where she lives.

Among the habits Sakamoto has credited for her longevity are raw eggs and vinegar. Since her younger years, she regularly consumed raw eggs, particularly when she felt she needed to restore her strength. She has also long enjoyed vinegar, especially black vinegar from Kagoshima Prefecture, and often incorporated it into her meals. Maguro sushi has long been among her favorite foods.

During an interview conducted by her nursing home on the occasion of her 105th birthday, Sakamoto was asked about the source of her vitality. She replied that one key was not dwelling on worries, explaining that there was little point in worrying about problems that could not be solved and that it was better to forget painful things and get some sleep. She also shared that each morning she watched the sunrise and silently expressed gratitude to her late parents and husband.

Happy 110th Birthday!