Kiyo Itō

BIOGRAPHY

Kiyo Ito (伊藤キヨ) was born in Akkeshi, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, on 8 November 1911.

She spent her life in Hokkaido and was widely respected as a master of shigin, a traditional form of Japanese poetry recitation. For many years, she taught shigin and participated in competitions. She was also highly skilled in sashiko, a traditional Japanese embroidery technique, which she continued practicing into her 90s. According to her family, she often sketched patterns onto bleached cotton cloth (sarashi) before carefully stitching the designs. Several of her handmade pieces are still preserved and cherished by her relatives.

Within her family, she is remembered for her gentle nature and thoughtful hospitality. She helped dress her grandchildren in yukata for local festivals, enjoyed visits to hot springs, and always kept sweets and ice cream on hand for guests. These routines reflected the warmth and kindness that characterized her way of life.

While living at home, she maintained a structured and healthy lifestyle. Her daily routine—including wake-up time, meals, and bedtime—followed a consistent schedule. Her diet mainly consisted of light, home-cooked Japanese meals with minimal use of oil. One of her specialties was pickled radish, which she prepared herself and shared with others when it was ready. Weather permitting, she took daily walks and continued practicing shigin, sustaining both physical activity and personal interests well into old age. Her family believes these habits may have contributed to her longevity.

Kiyo Itō passed away in Kushiro City, Hokkaido, Japan, on 24 July 2025, at the age of 113 years and 258 days.

RECOGNITION

In September 2023, she was the fourth-oldest living person in Hokkaido Prefecture, after Tane Matsubara, an anonymous lady from Sapporo, and Fumie Matsuda.

Following Matsubara’s passing on 16 January 2024, Kiyo Itō became the oldest living person in Hokkaido Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto and Yu Li, and validated by LongeviQuest on 21 June 2025.

At the time of her passing, she was the nation’s third-oldest living resident, after Miyoko Hiroyasu and Shigeko Kagawa.

ATTRIBUTION

(All information about Kiyo Itō’s biography was gathered through interviews conducted by LongeviQuest with her family.)

Supplementary information is sourced from the Hokkaido Shimbun, dated 28 July 2025.

GALLERY

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