Katsuyoshi Kitazawa, the Second-Oldest Living Man in Japan, Dies at 110

https://longeviquest.com/2025/03/katsuyoshi-kitazawa-the-second-oldest-living-man-in-japan-dies-at-110/

The passing of Katsuyoshi Kitazawa, a remarkable supercentenarian and beloved figure in his hometown of Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, was recently confirmed by his family. He passed away from natural causes on January 19, 2025, at the age of 110 years and 295 days. At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest living man in Japan, following Kiyotaka Mizuno.

Born on March 30, 1914, in Shiozaki Village (now part of Nagano City), Kitazawa lost vision in his right eye at an early age, but never saw it as a limitation. At 14, he moved to Tokyo and began working at a confectionery shop in Nihonbashi. After marrying a woman from his hometown in 1940 and raising three children, Kitazawa returned to Nagano during World War II due to food shortages and began working at an airplane parts factory.

In 1955, he opened Kitazawa Shoten, a small confectionery shop in Inariyama, Chikuma City, where he sold handmade sweets such asningyo-yakifor decades. Even while running his business, he took on night shifts at a factory until the age of 80. Known for his strong work ethic, he often said, “Diligence is the mother of success,” and believed a life of effort could ward off poverty.

After his wife passed away at the age of 88, Kitazawa lived alone, with support from his second son and daughter-in-law who lived nearby. Kitazawa lived independently until the age of 100. Until that time, he remained active and social, frequently enjoying karaoke with neighbors. According to his family, speaking and singing in a loud voice — both in karaoke and everyday life — was one of his secrets to staying healthy.

At the age of 100, he suffered a fall resulting in a fracture and was hospitalized for three months before moving into a care home.

Well into his 90s, he participated in the Inariyama Gion Festival, a tradition registered as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property. He pulled the float for the “Yūjishi no Mai” lion dance during the mikoshi procession, walking through town from morning to evening. His family recalled that the festival was not just a tradition for him — it was his passion and his Ikigai, or reason for being.

In December 2024, Kitazawa contracted COVID-19. Though he recovered, his health gradually declined due to a loss of appetite.

Rest in peace.