Supercentenarian Profile

Kiyomi Iwaki (岩城喜代美)

Born:

1915-05-08

Sanagōchi Village, Tokushima Prefecture,

Japan

Current Residence:

Hiji Town, Ōita Prefecture,

Japan

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Kiyomi Iwaki (Japanese: 岩城喜代美) is a Japanese supercentenarian whose age has been validated by LongeviQuest.

BIOGRAPHY

Kiyomi Iwaki (岩城喜代美) was born in Sanagōchi Village, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, on 8 May 1915, as the eldest of five sisters in a mandarin orange-growing family, which she eventually took over.

After her marriage, she and her husband worked together as full-time farmers cultivating mandarins while raising four sons. A few years after the war, seeking to expand their orchard, the family relocated in 1961 from Shikoku to Hiji Town, Ōita Prefecture. The land they acquired was originally a tea plantation, which they cultivated by hand. For about 10 years, they continued to grow mandarins, but due to differences in soil quality, the fruit did not thrive. They then shifted to kabosu, a citrus fruit that is a local specialty of Ōita, and focused their efforts on its cultivation.

Around the age of 90, Iwaki made daily weeding in the kabosu fields part of her routine, and even after turning 100, she continued supporting her eldest son, who had taken over the farm. The hoe served as her walking stick. She used to say, “My legs are weak, but if I sit around doing nothing, they will only get worse.” On fine days, she would take her hoe and head out to the one-hectare orchard. Her family recalled that thanks to her efforts, they did not need to rely on herbicides.

According to an interview with her published in the Hiji Town public relations magazine in June 2015, even at the age of 100, she took the initiative in managing household chores to support her family, always thinking about how she could be of help and valuing gratitude above all. The article also noted that she enjoyed attending local gatherings and listening to her friends’ stories, which reflected her cheerful and approachable personality.

In her eighties, she was diagnosed with breast cancer but made the decision to undergo surgery, and she recovered. At the age of 100, she attended day-service sessions twice a week, where she enjoyed exercising. She said, “Food tastes better after moving around,” and took pleasure in physical activity both at home and at the day center.

Following the death of Miyoko Hiroyasu of Nakatsu City at the age of 114 on 29 July 2025, Iwaki became the oldest living person in Ōita Prefecture. She currently lives in Hiji Town.