The second-oldest living person in Japan, Okagi Hayashi (Japanese: 林おかぎ), celebrates her 115th birthday today at the nursing home in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. Her birthday was confirmed through personal correspondence with her family.
Hayashi was born in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, on 2 September 1909. After graduating from elementary school, she enrolled at Nakatsu Girls’ High School. At this point, she left her parents’ house and lived in a high school dormitory. In her early 20s, she married an elementary school teacher. Her husband was adopted into the Hayashi family, so she never changed her maiden name. They lived in Hokkaido Prefecture until their first son was born, and then returned to Toki City where Hayashi took over her family’s grain wholesale business. The couple had nine children in total.
On 24 June 2019, following the death of 110-year-old Tsuyo Wada, Hayashi became the oldest living person in Gifu Prefecture. She became the prefecture’s oldest resident ever after surpassing the age of Hisa Arai in April 2023.
As of today, she is the 5th-oldest living person in the world.
(Note: the featured image is from her 114th birthday in 2023.)
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Okagi Hayashi on her 115th birthday.
