BIOGRAPHY

Kitamura was born in Japan on 23 November 1886. She was married and had 10 children. Throughout her life, she was devoted to her family and her community.

On her 106th birthday, Kitamura was celebrated at home with a birthday cake presented by the mayor of Senmaya Town, Iwate Prefecture. She expressed her gratitude by saying, “Thank you. It’s wonderful to have everyone gather together.” She was visited every birthday thereafter by the mayor.

Kitamura’s lifelong hobby was sewing, which she enjoyed until she was 109 years old. She could thread needles without glasses and made cleaning cloths, which she donated to the town’s school lunch centre. Upon turning 108, she experienced a brief illness and was hospitalised, but made a swift recovery. At 109, she moved into a care facility, where she continued to focus on rehabilitation exercises.

Kitamura celebrated her 110th birthday in good spirits, but developed pneumonia the following month. She passed away on 19 December 1996 in Senmaya, Iwate Prefecture, Japan (now part of Ichinoseki City), at the age of 110 years and 26 days.

RECOGNITION

Aged 104, on 16 January 1991, Kitamura became Iwate Prefecture’s oldest known resident following the death of Kotoyo Ito, three weeks her senior. Upon her own death five years and 11 months later, the title passed to Konoe Sato, then 107. Kitamura was the first known person from the prefecture to attain supercentenarian status.

In 1995, Kitamura received recognition as a Special Distinguished Contributor from the town of Senmaya for her longevity and contributions to the community. In September 1996, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) recognised her as the 13th-oldest person in Japan.

Kitamura’s age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 7 May 2002.

ATTRIBUTION

• “「おせきさん」天国へ/岩手・千厩町/110歳、県内最高齢者” – Kahoku Shimpo, 20 December 1996
• Data Collection Site

GALLERY