At 114, Saitama’s Kiyo Komatsu Proves Vitality Has No Expiration Date

27 January 2025 – Yumi Yamamoto, President of LongeviQuest Japan, visited Asaka City in Saitama Prefecture to celebrate the 114th birthday of Kiyo Komatsu-san (小松きよ), the oldest resident in the region. Komatsu-san and her family warmly welcomed Yamamoto, who spent over an hour chatting with her while enjoying coffee in Komatsu’s cozy room.

Despite her remarkable age, Komatsu-san lives with her family and leads an independent life with minimal assistance. She moves around her home unassisted and even climbs the stairs to her second-floor room to bathe or spend time with her family. Yamamoto was deeply impressed by Komatsu-san’s physical strength and posture, noting how she maintained a straight back while sitting without support during their conversation. She also continues to have remarkably good hearing, allowing her to hold conversations in a normal tone of voice.

When asked about the secrets to her longevity and health, Komatsu-san surprisingly admitted that she has no particular habits or routines for staying well. Yamamoto expressed admiration, saying, “At 114, you might be the only person in the world who can still climb stairs. I’ve never heard of such an incredible supercentenarian.” Komatsu-san humbly responded, “I might be the only one known now, but I believe there are many others out there.”

Her response reflects a quintessentially Japanese sense of humility. Despite her extraordinary achievements, Komatsu-san views herself as an ordinary individual. Even as Yamamoto praised her, Komatsu-san remained modest, simply saying, “I’ve just lived naturally.”

Komatsu-san has faced hardships, such as losing her husband during the war, but speaking about her current happiness, she said, “There may be young people today who are going through difficulties, but I’ve already passed that stage of life. Now, I’m living here with my family in comfort, and I’m very happy.”

While she spoke simply about living “naturally,” her enthusiasm lit up when discussing her love for fashion. A fan of urban sophistication, Komatsu-san fondly recalled her trips to Tokyo’s Ginza district to shop at department stores. With a radiant smile, she said, “I love Ginza. I want to go there again.”

Another cherished tradition in her life was her annual trip to her hometown of Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture. Until she was 107, Komatsu visited her favorite inns and shops and purchased fresh seafood at the morning market. She would then return to her home in Saitama with her family, where she prepared and served the fish for them until her later years. “We sometimes traveled by shinkansen, but my granddaughter’s husband, Kyuu-chan, drove us there many times. He took me to so many places.” she said with joy.

Through her radiant smile and stories, it becomes clear that the secret to Komatsu’s longevity is the love and comfort of a family-centered life.

Biography

Kiyo Komatsu was born in Kuroshima Village (now Wajima City), Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, on 27 January 1911. She was the eldest of five children, with four younger brothers, and was the daughter of a chief fisherman.

In her late 20s, she married a man from her hometown who was the same age as her. The couple moved to Tokyo for her husband’s work. During World War II, she evacuated with their daughter to her parents’ home in Ishikawa Prefecture. Her husband was killed in action. After the war, Kiyo remained in Ishikawa for about five years before returning to Tokyo, where she raised her only daughter on her own. Later in life, Kiyo lived with her daughter and her family after the birth of her grandchild. She spent some time in Osaka but eventually settled in Saitama, where she has lived ever since.

A skilled dressmaker, she was often asked by her neighbors to make kimonos, a craft she continued until her 50s. In her later years, she devoted herself to supporting her daughter and her family, staying busy with household chores, shopping, and caring for her grandchildren while her daughter and son-in-law were at work. She continued these activities well into her 80s.

On 26 August 2024, following the passing of 114-year-old Hisako Shiroishi, she became the oldest living person in Saitama Prefecture, at the age of 113 years, 212 days. Today, she is the 5th-oldest living person in Japan and the oldest resident of the Kantō region, the country’s most populous area. She is also the 14th-oldest (known) living person in the world, according to LongeviQuest atlas.

LongeviQuest deeply thanks Komatsu-san’s family for warmly opening their home to welcome our Japanese representative, Yamamoto.

Stay tuned for a short video capturing the conversation between Komatsu-san and Yamamoto in her room.