BIOGRAPHY

Kurihara was born in Oryuzato, located in Miyazaki City in the prefecture of the same name, on 5 February 1894. Her parents were very senior in fishing circles in the Aoshima area. In her youth, she enjoyed tennis and the koto.

Kurihara was married and had four children, two sons and two daughters.

At the age of 80, Kurihara began composing tanka poetry as a hobby, and went on to win the top prize in a prefecture-sponsored tanka poetry contest. Even after moving into a nursing home in Miyazaki City, she always kept a small notebook in a drawstring bag under her pillow, and would write her poetry in said notebook.

When asked the secret to her longevity, Kurihara replied, “That’s a difficult answer. I’ve never thought about living a long life.”

Kurihara died of old age on 23 August 2005 at the age of 111 years, 199 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the 6 January 2003 death of Matsue Kawano, Kurihara became Miyazaki Prefecture’s oldest resident, holding the title for over two-and-a-half years. Upon her own death, the title passed to Kozuru Ueda, then aged 110.

Kurihara’s age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), and was validated by the GRG on 21 September 2004.

ATTRIBUTION

• “宮崎県／長生きの秘けつ…「それはむつかしい」　県内最高齢者　１０９歳栗原さん” – * Nishinippon Shimbun, 17 September 2003
• “県内最高齢の栗原ヒサさん死去　／宮崎県” – Asahi Shimbun, 24 August 2005

GALLERY