In celebration of Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日, Keirō no Hi), a public holiday in Japan observed annually to honor elderly citizens, prefectures across the country have been sharing the latest data on their oldest living residents. Kyoto Prefecture has confirmed the status of 114-year-old Fuyo Kishimoto, a resident of Kyoto City, who is also confirmed as the oldest living person in Japan. She assumed the title following the recent passing of Shigeko Kagawa on 27 August.
Fuyo Kishimoto (Japanese: 岸本ふよ) was born in Hamasaka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on 20 December 1911. She experienced the hardships of wartime Japan and raised her children while working hard to make a living. According to her family, she was a hardworking woman who remained active well into her later years.
In her 60s, she moved to Kyoto Prefecture. She later worked at a school lunch center and continued in that role until her mid-80s. For many years, she walked a considerable distance to work each day and did not miss a single day. The strength she built through this routine, along with years of hard work, may have supported her health in later life.
According to the facility where she resides, Kishimoto eats her meals in bed in the morning and evening. Otherwise, she is in good health and enjoys having lunch in the living room with other residents. She is believed to be the last surviving person in Japan born during the Meiji era (ending on 30 July 1912).
