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

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 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.

 

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. 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