LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the validated age of Michi Kudō (工藤ミチ), a 110-year-old woman currently residing in Eniwa City, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.

Michi Kudō was born on 9 February 1914 in Datemonbetsu (now Date City), Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, as the eldest of eight children in a family that owned a kimono shop.

After graduating from higher elementary school, she learned Japanese dressmaking and fell in love with Jiro, a civil servant. At the time, marriage in Japan was traditionally arranged, as family background was a key consideration. However, Michi and Jiro defied strong opposition from their parents and eloped around the age of 20. They began their married life in Atsuga (now Hidaka Town), Hokkaido, and had three children by the time of World War II.

Couple photo

During the war, they were invited to China by Kudō’s brother-in-law, who was running a successful business there. The couple lived a comfortable life, even employing a maid, until Japan’s defeat brought significant hardships. After the war, most of their belongings were confiscated, but they managed to return to Japan, arriving at Maizuru Port in Kyoto Prefecture. Kudō hid jewelry and other valuables in her tied long hair to protect their remaining possessions, while Jiro carried a futon and led their three young children back to Japan.

After returning, they rented a room in company housing in Muroran, Hokkaido, through her brother-in-law who worked at a steelworks. Her husband resumed work as a civil servant at the Food Agency, and they had two more children. Kudō also took in her nephews from Tokushima who were living in poverty, raising a total of seven children. She and her husband emphasized education, providing the children with opportunities for a good education and encouraging them to pursue their studies, with several going on to University.

In September 2024, Kudō was announced as the 3rd-oldest living person in Hokkaido Prefecture, and the mayor of Eniwa City visited her at her nursing home to celebrate her longevity.

For more information, kindly visit her Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is deeply grateful to her family for sharing her photos and remarkable life story. We wish her continued health and happiness for many years to come.