BIOGRAPHY

Sadako Watanabe was born in Japan on 26 August 1906. At the age of 16, she received a harmonica from a neighbor who worked for Yamaha. This gift inspired her to take up the instrument, and she began playing songs she had learned at school, as well as popular songs, in her own style. The harmonica became her lifelong passion.

At some point, she married and had five children. Around the age of 50, after settling into her role as a mother and worker, she rediscovered her passion for the harmonica. At 85, she formed the “Raku-Raku Band” at the Hamamatsu City Eastern Community Center, where they practiced twice a month and occasionally performed at welfare facilities and festivals. By the age of 91, she had become a leader among the band members.

In 2006, she celebrated her 100th birthday and received a commendation from the city. During this time, she expressed her ambition to live to be 120 years old.

Sadako Watanabe passed away of natural causes on 21 March 2017, at the age of 110 years, 207 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the passing of 109-year-old Tsuru Suzuki (18 August 1906 – 11 February 2016) of Hamamatsu City, Watanabe became the oldest living person in Shizuoka Prefecture, at the age of 109. Upon her passing, she was succeeded by Matsu Sugiyama.

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 August 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “バンドの一因で見事なハーモニカ演奏-91歳の渡辺定子さん” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 3 February 1998

* “110歳渡辺さん、目標は「120歳」-市職員、きらら浜松訪問” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 7 September 2006

* “県内最高齢者：109歳女性が死亡　浜松/静岡” – Mainichi Shimbun, 13 February 2016

GALLERY