BIOGRAPHY

Sato Sakashita was born on March 20, 1914, in Ijūin, Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. She had one son and lived alone in Ijūin until the age of 99. After that, she moved to the Seiryo area of Kagoshima City, where she now lives with her daughter-in-law.

After the passing of her son, Sakashita continued to live with her daughter-in-law, and the two have maintained a close and supportive relationship. This enduring bond reflects the importance she has always placed on family.

At age 110, she contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized due to back pain, but she recovered and has remained upbeat—still welcoming visitors with a hand dance at 111.

On 20 March 2025, she celebrated her 111th birthday. A party was held at the daycare center “Danran,” which she attended three times a week. Surrounded by fellow attendees and staff, she smiled warmly and responded in the local dialect to birthday wishes, saying, “Bappan wa ureshika” (“Grandma is happy”). She expressed her joy with her familiar hand dance and was seen wiping away tears after receiving heartfelt messages and small gifts from attendees.

Sakashita is affectionately known as the “idol” or “mother” of the facility. Staff and fellow attendees described her as cheerful and energetic. Ikuyo Tanaka, the center’s director, shared that Sakashita has a playful and charming personality that lifts the spirits of those around her. One fellow attendee mentioned that she often reminds others about their attire and says “Take care” when someone gets up to move—gestures that reflect her caring nature.

Her family says she sleeps over 10 hours a day and eats in moderation, which may contribute to her longevity. Although her hearing has declined with age, she actively participates in group activities at the care center. She is described as kind and considerate, yet also as someone who speaks her mind clearly.

RECOGNITION

As of March 2025, she was the oldest living resident of Kagoshima City.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Ryohei Asano, Yumi Yamamoto, and Bogdan Solyanikov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 1 April 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* “「ばっばんはうれしか」／鹿児島市の最高齢１１１歳・坂下さん、誕生日祝いに笑顔／睡眠と食事が長寿の秘訣” – Minami Nippon Shimbun, 23 March 2025

GALLERY