On this September’s Respect for the Aged Day (Keirō no Hi) in Japan, 110-year-old Fumi Seino was recognized as the oldest living resident of Akita Prefecture.
Seino-san was born in Ōdate, Akita Prefecture, Japan, on 2 February 1914, as the fifth of nine children. After graduating from elementary school, she trained as a maid, performing housework and babysitting at a mansion in Ōdate. When she was around 22 years old, she married a sculptor who specialized in Buddhist statues and similar works, and the couple raised four daughters. While raising her children, Seino worked as a chick seller at her sister’s poultry farm. Until she was around 94 years old, she lived alone, dedicating herself to her fields and gardening.
Fumi Seino as a child, with her family.
Due to having to forgo her education during her school years, Mrs. Seino continued studying kanji well into her later years, mastering many complex characters that are not widely known. Even after turning 100, she read the newspaper cover to cover every morning to stay informed about current events.
Her interest in society remains strong. She often shares her thoughts based on what she sees on television. On January 2, 2024, after watching the news about the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, she pointed to the lighting fixture in her room and told her family, “It’s dangerous, so please secure this lighting equipment and prepare for an earthquake.”
On 15 December 2023, following the passing of 113-year-old Yūko Satō, she became the oldest living person in Akita Prefecture, at the age of 109 years, 316 days.
LongeviQuest’s visit and Keio University’s centenarian research study
Seino-san and her daughter.
On 13 April 2024, LongeviQuest Japan had the privilege of visiting Mrs. Fumi Seino at her home to celebrate her remarkable longevity. On the same day, she was also visited by a professor from the Keio University Center for Supercentenarian Research as part of Japan’s ongoing centenarian medical research efforts.
Mrs. Seino’s home is surrounded by a spacious garden of about 200 square meters, where she enjoys views of seasonal flowers from her room. The atmosphere in her room was peaceful, with the gentle warmth of the spring sunlight filtering in.
After undergoing several medical tests and assessments, Mrs. Seino sat in her wheelchair and began her meal. At 110 years old, she spends much of her time sleeping and typically eats one meal a day, though on good days, she has two. Her four daughters take turns caring for her each month, preparing meals that incorporate around 20 different ingredients.
On this particular day, her meal included miso soup with a variety of ingredients, Japanese-style simmered root vegetables, sugar-glazed beans, salmon sashimi, radish kimchi, and grapes. Despite her age, she can still chew hard pickled radish and skillfully remove seeds from her fruit. Holding a bowl of white rice with barley in her left hand, she carefully savored each bite, taking about an hour to finish her meal.
Her longevity and health
When Yamamoto asked Mrs. Seino’s daughters about the key factors contributing to her longevity, they highlighted four main points:
- Consistent lifestyle habits
- A passionate hobby (gardening)
- A diet focused on natural foods
- Her meticulous personality
Fumi Seino (清野 フミ) and LongeviQuest representative Yumi Yamamoto (山本優美).
Although Mrs. Seino takes medication for high blood pressure, she has never suffered from a serious illness requiring surgery. The one condition she overcame was chemical sensitivity, which developed unexpectedly at the age of 94. Until then, she was deeply committed to gardening, growing her own plants and vegetables, and was very health-conscious, avoiding food additives and never purchasing commercially prepared foods. Her diet largely consisted of home-grown, pesticide-free vegetables and fish. The cause of her sudden chemical sensitivities was an allergic reaction to concentrated chemicals used to combat bird flu at her sister’s poultry farm next door. After the onset, she needed assistance with daily activities, including standing, for about a year, but fortunately, she fully recovered.
Personality
Mrs. Seino’s daughters described her as someone who “flexibly accepts other people’s ideas and values.” She respected her daughters’ choices at every stage of their lives, without being constrained by traditional Japanese customs and values. More than half a century ago, deep-rooted prejudice against girls pursuing higher education was common in Japan, and patriarchal customs, such as adopting sons-in-law to preserve family surnames, were even stronger than they are today. Nevertheless, Mrs. Seino created an environment where her daughters could excel academically, including attending university, and fully accepted their choice to change their surnames upon marriage.
We wish Mrs. Seino and her family continued health and happiness, and we sincerely thank them for graciously welcoming us during our visit in April.
