Sawa Muraji

BIOGRAPHY

Sawa Muraji was born in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on 5 March 1915. During her school days, she attended elementary school and girls’ school on foot, walking about four kilometers each way over unpaved and rocky roads. Reflecting on her youth, Muraji believed that this daily routine helped build her physical strength and endurance.

According to her, she never deliberately tried to live a long life but simply lived each day naturally.

By September 2023, at the age of 108, Muraji was living in a group home in Ōtsu City, Shiga Prefecture. On the occasion of Respect for the Aged Day, she received a special visit from Mayor Kenji Satō, who presented her with flowers and a congratulatory message as the oldest living resident in the city. Muraji expressed joy, saying, “I’ve gone through many hardships in life, but I’ve never been happier than today.”

She also shared insights into her daily life at the care home. She woke up every morning at 5 a.m. and worked on simple math problems as a form of brain exercise. Her hobbies included reading haiku poems and crafting boxes by folding old newspaper leaflets. Despite her age, she actively participated in communal activities. In 2023, she even joined a local safety campaign to help schoolchildren cross the street safely, standing at a neighborhood crosswalk with a yellow flag and a smile, reminiscing, “I used to be one of those elementary school kids 100 years ago.”

When asked about the secret to her long life, Muraji humbly replied that there was no secret. However, she noted that having no dislikes when it came to food had likely played a part in maintaining her health. She also reflected on past hardships, mentioning that her husband had been severely injured during the war, and that witnessing the deaths of children and mothers had left lasting sorrow.

Muraji turned 110 years old on 5 March 2025. At this milestone age, she was still able to walk on her own and arrange fresh flowers beautifully—flowers regularly brought by her family to brighten her room.

RECOGNITION

On 4 February 2025, following the death of Fumi Nakamura at age 110, the Shiga Prefectural Government announced that Muraji had become the oldest living person in the prefecture.

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 6 May 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* “大津市内最高齢女性を祝う” – Biwako Broadcasting, 15 September 2023

* “あっぱれ　大津市の最高齢・村治さん　食べ物好き嫌い「絶対無い」” – Kyoto Shimbun, 16 September 2024

GALLERY

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