BIOGRAPHY

Takuwa was born in the village of Tako (present-day Kodakō, Miyoshi City), Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, on 24 January 1907. She was the eldest daughter of a farming family. She married and farmed rice with her husband, and they went on to have children. In the mid-1970s, when she was in her late 60s, her husband passed away, and she continued to farm rice alone. As she grew older, she gradually reduced the size of her rice fields, but she kept the ones around her house until the end and loved to look at them from the veranda (Engawa) of her house.

Takuwa had a history of being commended by the local police. On 24 August 1964, a heavy rainstorm hit Miyoshi City, causing the rice fields to overflow, and lightning struck a neighbor’s house. Takuwa rushed to the house with the neighbors and rescued the elderly woman who lived there. Although the house burned down, the old woman’s life was saved thanks to Takuwa’s heroic actions.

When Takuwa was 103, she moved to her son’s house in Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima City, while keeping her resident registration in Miyoshi. Until she was about 109, she would occasionally return to her home in Miyoshi, look at her rice fields, and smile, saying, “I’m back in Miyoshi.” Even at the age of 109, she still ate proper meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and always had an apple after each meal. She had no dislikes and would eat anything, especially fish sashimi. Before refrigerators were widespread, she often ate shark sashimi. She had many favorite foods, including mochi, bara sushi, and ice cream monaka.

Additionally, she enjoyed hot springs and visited Kimida Onsen in Miyoshi for about 20 years. She said, “Going to a hot spring is like going to the hospital.” Even after she turned 100, she had no illnesses and used a pushcart to get around the house. She attributed her longevity to “a calm mind and not thinking negative thoughts.” In September 2016, the mayor of Miyoshi visited Takuwa, who lived in Asakita Ward, Hiroshima City, to celebrate her longevity. She expressed her gratitude to the mayor for coming from outside the city.

Takuwa passed away on 22 January 2018, two days before her 111th birthday, at the age of 110 years, 363 days.

RECOGNITION

On 19 August 2016, following the passing of 109-yeaar-ikd Misako Ohmae of Hiroshima City, she became the oldest living person in Hiroshima Prefecture. Upon her passing, she was succeeded by Harue Nobira.

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 2 July 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “県内最高齢・田桑ミサヲさん（109）心穏やかに、悪いこと考えず/広島” – Mainichi Shimbun, 4 October 2016

GALLERY