Tottori (鳥取県)
-. Kiyoshi Watanabe (渡邊泠), M, 106, 1917.01 (lives in Sakaiminato) (oldest man) (per 1 September 2023)

He intered limbo after February 29, 2024 at 107 years old.

https://www.city.sakaiminato.lg.jp/index.php?view=115370

Source.

Hisako Shiroishi, 114, Reflects on a Lifetime of Healthy Living

Posted by Stefan Maglov | Aug 21, 2024 | News, Visit Reports

Higashichichibu, Saitama Prefecture — On 8 August 2024, LongeviQuest representatives visited the nursing home of Mrs. Hisako Shiroishi (白石久子), who is, at the age of 114, the third-oldest living person in Japan.

When the LongeviQuest representatives arrived in the nursing home’s lobby, Mrs. Shiroishi greeted us with a big smile and warmly welcomed us. According to her doctor, she had been eagerly anticipating our visit since the day before. Although she was concerned that she couldn’t treat us to sweets, she spoke to us warmly, her smile never fading.

Hisako Shiroishi was born in Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on 19 May 1910, as the second of seven siblings. She has two siblings who are still living: her younger sister who is 103 years old, and her youngest brother who is 95.

Hisako Shiroishi (白石久子) and LongeviQuest representative Yumi Yamamoto (山本優美).

After completing compulsory education, she helped with housework and worked on the family farm. In her late 20s, she married a slightly younger farmer from a neighboring town. They were blessed with four children—one daughter and three sons—of whom her second son (82) and third son (80) are still alive.

After losing her husband to illness, she continued farming while raising her four children on her own. In her 40s, she had a successful surgery to remove the cancer. Since then, she has remained in good health without any recurrence or metastasis. She has been health-conscious since she was young, and whenever her family and friends recommended supplements or health equipment, she tried them all without hesitation.

Hisako Shiroishi (白石久子) and LongeviQuest CEO and representative Ben Meyers.

Until her 80s, she participated in local gateball, and until her mid-90s, she enjoyed farm work and gardening. She lived with her family at home without nursing care services until she was 105. Until she was about 108 years old, she made it a point to walk 100 meters every day and worked diligently to maintain her mobility.

According to her family, the secret to her longevity may be that even in her old age, she stayed engaged with society by watching variety shows, keeping up with the news, and enjoying fashion. The doctor at her nursing home remarked that she “always expresses her gratitude.” She also shared that another secret to her longevity was “living naturally,” and added, “I owe my longevity to you,” when speaking to her doctor.

At the age of 114, she continues to scoop up her own porridge and eat it independently and has been eating it regularly since she was about 100, but now she prefers it with sakura denbu.

When the representatives presented her with a seasonal bouquet, she smiled and said, “The sunflowers are very beautiful.” She then asked the staff to place the flowers somewhere visible so everyone in the nursing home could enjoy them.

Her doctor also mentioned that every day, as soon as Mrs. Shiroishi sees her, she says, “Thank you for everything,” and shares how she is feeling. When she feels well, she lets the doctor know, and when she feels a bit unwell, she is equally honest.

Mrs. Shiroishi is a modest woman who finds joy in giving to others. She consistently expresses gratitude to her family and those around her, and she extended that same kindness and hospitality to us during our visit. At one point during the conversation, she said she wanted to treat us to a feast, but laughed and added that she herself doesn’t like shiitake mushrooms.

We thank Shiroishi-san and the hospital staff for their gracious hospitality. We wish Mrs. Shiroishi continued health and happiness in the future.

Source.

At 113, Masu Usui (臼井ます) Can Sing the British National Anthem, But “Loves Japan Most”

Posted by Stefan Maglov | Aug 19, 2024 | Visit Reports

On August 7, 2024, representatives from LongeviQuest visited the nursing home of Masu Usui (臼井ます), the 16th-oldest living person in the world. They presented her with a plaque recognizing her as the oldest resident of Shizuoka Prefecture, along with a bouquet of flowers. As of today, she is the sixth-oldest person in Japan.

Masu Usui (臼井ます) with her granddaughter Yukiko Nakamura (中村有紀子), other family members, and LongeviQuest representatives Yumi Yamamoto (山本優美) and Ben Meyers

The LongeviQuest representatives were eager to meet Mrs. Usui, who was known for her ability to sing the British national anthem. As they entered the reception room, they overheard her asking, “I’m not wearing any makeup, is that okay?” Moments later, she entered the room, singing the British anthem. Mrs. Usui was aware that the British monarch had recently changed from a queen to a king, and she recalled her many trips to England with her husband. Despite having traveled to the United States and several other countries, she expressed, “I love my home country, Japan, the most.”

Masu Usui( 臼井ます) pointing herself out in a photo from her wedding day.

 

When her family showed her a wedding photo with her late husband, Mrs. Usui spoke of their time together, recalling him as a very intelligent man. Skilled with her hands, she continued making kimonos and clothing for her husband, herself, and her family well into her 70s. She shared how she had always enjoyed creating things on her own, from preparing osechi dishes during the New Year holidays to developing her own unique flavors for dishes like yokan and konbumaki, all through self-taught methods. In a firm tone, she said, “I’ve always liked doing things myself,” reflecting her independent yet composed nature.

She believes that the water from her hometown, Oyama Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, where she has lived for many years (melted snow from Mt. Fuji), is very good for her health.

In her later years, Mrs. Usui pursued many hobbies. She recalled her talent for Japanese dance and playing the shamisen, as well as her morning routine of checking stock prices in the newspaper, reflecting her enduring passion for stock investment.

Masu Usui (臼井ます) and her granddaughter Yukiko Nakamura (中村有紀子).

 

When the representatives asked her what advice she would give to the younger generation, she replied, “I don’t have any.” However, she did share her belief that “it’s important to do everything yourself.” This mindset, she explained, was the key to her longevity, enabling her to live an almost independent life until about 105 and to continue enjoying life at 113.

Her enthusiasm remains strong to this day. She expressed a desire to visit Kōjimachi in Tokyo to see the monument dedicated to Rentarō Taki‘s poem, “Kōjō no Tsuki” (The Moon over the Ruined Castle), and then hummed the song.

After meeting her, LongeviQuest representatives Ben Meyers and Yumi Yamamoto (山本優美) commented, “It was an honor to meet Masu-san, who is a living emblem of vigor and independence. She is a woman with her own agenda. The memories and advice she shared sometimes surprised even her family members who know her the best. At 113, Masu-san still seems to live by the mantra of carpe diem, seizing the day.”

Masu Usui (臼井ます) at the age of 77. Courtesy of her family.

Masu Usui (臼井ます), Doyenne of Shizuoka Prefecture

Expect some SCs to have entered limbo, and also expect some surprising "alive and well" reports.

Source.

Longevity Sisters of Nagasaki: Visiting Japan’s Oldest Known Pair of Siblings

Posted by Stefan Maglov | Aug 13, 2024 | News, Visit Reports

On August 3, 2024, LongeviQuest representatives visited Japan’s oldest known sisters, Ichi Tsuchiya (108) and Mashi Kawazu (105), in Nagasaki Prefecture. During the visit, LQ presented the sisters with certificates recognizing them as Japan’s oldest known pair of siblings, and interviewed them about their lives.

Ichi Tsuchiya and Mashi Kawazu, Japan’s oldest known sisters, with their caregivers and LongeviQuest representatives

 

Ichi Tsuchiya was born in Kawatana, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, on 16 January 1916, as the eldest of three siblings. After graduating from school, she worked as a nurse at a local hospital. In 1944, she enrolled in a hospital school in Nagasaki to obtain a midwifery qualification but returned to Kawatana in July to care for her sick mother. The following month, the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and she was fortunate to escape the damage. She cared for the injured brought to Kawatana by relief train at a local temple.

After the war, she worked as a school nurse at an elementary and junior high school until her retirement. After retiring, she continued to work in childcare support and advisory roles in Kawatana until she was about 80 years old. Although she has no children, she loves the children in her town as if they were her own. Even at over 100 years old, she still writes beautifully and practices calligraphy daily as a hobby.

Ichi Tsuchiya, 108, and Mashi Kawazu, 105, Japan’s oldest known sisters

 

Mashi Kawazu was born on 30 March 1919. After graduating from compulsory school, she worked at a livestock cooperative. At the age of 23, she got married and later raised five children.

Kawazu currently lives with her youngest daughter and is able to take care of herself. She is not good at staying still, so even at the age of 100, she kept her hands and body busy all day with cooking and handicrafts. At the age of 103, she recalled how her mother had taught her to make straw sandals as a child and began weaving straw sandals using cotton. In Japan, there is a custom of wearing straw sandals and stomping on rice cakes on a baby’s first birthday. Her straw sandals became popular in the town, and she received many orders. She would sit on the floor with her legs stretched out, wrap the string around her big toe, and carefully weave each pair using both hands and feet, a process that took about two hours.

 

During the visit, LongeviQuest’s Ben Meyers asked the sisters about their memories from 100 years ago. They fondly recalled their childhood, mentioning that they had always been close and never quarreled. They spoke about their strict father, who emphasized discipline and the importance of education, as well as their experiences helping with the family’s farming activities from a young age. Despite the many hardships they faced, they both expressed that their lives were filled with happiness. Mashi, the younger sister, proudly showed off her large hands and fingers, which she attributed to years of working in agriculture.

Both sisters are known for their dexterity. Even at the age of 108, Ichi Tsuchiya is still capable of writing beautiful calligraphy. Mashi Kawazu, the younger sister, remembered how their mother used to make straw sandals by hand and took up the craft herself in her 80s, creating tiny straw sandals for babies to wear on their first birthdays. When making the sandals, she would sit on the floor with her legs stretched out, tying the straps around her toes to weave them together. Despite being 105 years old, Mashi remains remarkably flexible and can still touch her toes.

When asked about their current interests, Ichi mentioned that she is delighted when former students from her days as a school nurse and friends from her calligraphy class visit her at the care home. She is also an avid reader, having read nearly every book in the care home’s library, and she always keeps a book with her in her wheelchair to read whenever she pleases. Mashi, on the other hand, continues to cook daily for her family, even at 105 years old, with her specialty being tomato-marinated dishes.

When Meyers asked if the secret to their longevity and good health lay in maintaining an active lifestyle, they both smiled and answered affirmatively in unison.

LongeviQuest’s Ben Meyers with Mashi Kawazu, 105, younger of Japan’s oldest known sibling pair

Anonymous - Jan/Feb 1911 - lives in Sapporo, Hokkaido

Anonymous - Jan/Apr 1911 - lives in Asaka, Saitama

Anonymous - 2 July 1911 - lives in Maizuru, Kyoto

Kiyo Ito - Oct/Dec 1911 - lives in Kushiro, Hokkaido

Anonymous - Nov 1911 - lives in Yamato, Kanagawa

Anonymous - Nov 1911 - lives in Takarazuka, Hyogo

Anonymous - 2 December 1911 - lives in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka

Naka Saito - 15 March 1912 - lives in Kawagoe, Saitama

Anonymous - May 1912 - lives in Setagaya, Tokyo

I know a little more, but without any public sources I cannot help out with alive/limbo/death status. 🙂 

Anonymous - Jan/Feb 1911 - lives in Sapporo, Hokkaido

Anonymous - Jan/Apr 1911 - lives in Asaka, Saitama

Anonymous - 2 July 1911 - lives in Maizuru, Kyoto

Kiyo Ito - Oct/Dec 1911 - lives in Kushiro, Hokkaido

Anonymous - Nov 1911 - lives in Yamato, Kanagawa

Anonymous - Nov 1911 - lives in Takarazuka, Hyogo

Anonymous - 2 December 1911 - lives in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka

Naka Saito - 15 March 1912 - lives in Kawagoe, Saitama

Anonymous - May 1912 - lives in Setagaya, Tokyo

I will see which ones are still living. 

As of April 1, 2024, the 112 year old resident of Takarazuka, Hyogo is still living. 

Sapporo city statistics only give information on residents up to age 100. 

The 113 y.o. resident of Asaka is probably living, but I can't rule out that she died during the same update that two 104 year olds turned 105.