Kiyomi Katō

BIOGRAPHY

Kiyomi Katō was born in what is now Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, on 29 March 1914. In 1939, she married a police officer and moved to Manchuria (now northeastern China). In 1939, she married a police officer and later moved to Manchuria (now northeastern China). After World War II, in 1945, she returned to Japan with her family and young children, narrowly escaping danger as bullets grazed her. She then settled in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, where she raised her three sons while working as a nursing assistant at Gunma University Hospital. She reportedly commuted by bicycle, which helped keep her legs and hips strong and active well into her 80s.

Katō was known for her many hobbies, including ballroom dancing, shigin (traditional Japanese poetry chanting), and calligraphy. She was particularly fond of Western cuisine and was health-conscious from a young age, maintaining a balanced diet that often included about 15 different ingredients. Her cooking specialties included homemade gyoza and a distinctive curry rice made with a blend of spices.

At the age of 100, she shared that the secret to her longevity was daily walks and naps. Even at 104, she occasionally returned home from her nursing facility for overnight stays, enjoying meat dishes and the occasional drink. At 110, she still had a healthy appetite, eating three meals a day and indulging in sweets like ice cream.

For the last decade of her life, Katō lived in a nursing home in Maebashi. According to her third son, Shigeru, she remained responsive to family members’ voices until the day before her passing. On March 5, 2025, Katō passed away from natural causes at the age of 110 and 341 days. Following her passing, the title of Gunma Prefecture’s oldest resident was transferred to Oiku Hashimoto (110) from Ōra Town.

RECOGNITION

On 17 February 2024, Katō became the oldest living person in Gunma Prefecture following the death of an anonymous woman from Takasaki City, who was born in August 1913 and passed away at the age of 110.

Her 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 4 October 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “3月31日（月）百寿者（加藤きよみさん）表敬訪問” – Maebashi City Mayor’s Photo Report, 31 March 2014

* “教えて！元気の秘訣” – 広げよう介護予防の輪, 1 September 2018

* “山本知事　県内最高齢１１０歳の長寿祝う　群馬・前橋市” – Gunma Television, 18 September 2024

* “山本知事 県内最高齢１１０歳の加藤きよみさん訪問 長寿祝う” – NHK Gunma, 18 September 2024

*”県内最高110歳　加藤さん死去＝群馬” －Yomiuri Shimbun, 7 March 2025

GALLERY

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