Katsuyoshi Kitazawa

BIOGRAPHY

Katsuyoshi Kitazawa was born in Shiozaki Village (now Shinonoi-shiozaki, Nagano City), Nagano Prefecture, Japan, on 30 March 1914. From an early age, Kitazawa had lost sight in his right eye. Since he had no memory of seeing with both eyes, living with impaired vision was not particularly challenging for him.

At the age of 14, through his father’s connections, Kitazawa began working as a confectioner in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. In 1940, he married a woman from his hometown, and the couple had three children. Due to his vision impairment, Kitazawa was exempt from military service during World War II. However, wartime food shortages made it difficult to obtain essential ingredients like sugar and eggs. In 1943, he left his job at the confectionery shop and returned to his hometown.

Back in Nagano, Kitazawa settled in Chikuma City, where his parents were living, and worked in a factory producing airplane parts. In 1955, he opened Kitazawa Shoten in Inariyama, Chikuma City, where he made and sold confections, including ningyo-yaki (人形焼). He ran the business until about the age of 80, offering a variety of sweets, snacks, and drinks. From the age of 60 to 80, he also worked night shifts at a nearby factory while continuing to manage his confectionery shop. Kitazawa was known for his strong work ethic and believed that “diligence is the mother of success,” maintaining that hard work could lead to a prosperous life without poverty.

After his wife passed away at 88, Kitazawa lived alone, with his second son and daughter-in-law, who lived nearby, helping with meals, cleaning, and laundry. He lived independently until the age of 100, actively engaging with the local community and enjoying life. At that age, however, he fell and fractured a bone, requiring a three-month hospital stay, after which he moved into a care home.

Before entering the care home, Kitazawa took great pleasure in going to karaoke with neighborhood women. Singing loudly was one of his favorite health practices. He was widely loved by the local community.

He also continued to participate in the Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri) in Inariyama—a traditional event officially registered as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property—where he had lived. He took part in pulling the “Yūjishi no Mai” (勇獅子の舞い) festival float as part of the mikoshi procession well into his 90s. From morning to evening, he would proudly parade through the town. According to his family, participating in the festival each year was his passion and the meaning of life—his “Ikigai”.

In March 2024, Kitazawa celebrated his 110th birthday. According to his family, he enjoyed a special meal of katsudon (a pork cutlet rice bowl), chosen in honor of his affectionate nickname, “Katsudon.”

In December 2024, Kitazawa contracted COVID-19. Although he recovered, his appetite declined afterward. On 19 January 2025, he passed away of natural causes at the age of 110 years and 295 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the passing of Takeo Katō (8 November 1913 – 6 December 2022), he became the oldest living man in Nagano Prefecture, at the age of 108 years, 251 days.

In both September 2023 and September 2024, he received congratulatory awards from the mayor of Chikuma City, recognizing him as the oldest man in the Prefecture.

His age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Ryohei Asano and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 22 October 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “元気100歳時代＝北沢勝喜さん” – Shinano Mainichi Shimbun, 29 September 2013

GALLERY

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