BIOGRAPHY

Kobayashi was born in Kurohone (now part of Kiryū), Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on 30 August 1910. At some point, she got married and had eight children (three sons and five daughters).

Kobayashi was good at sewing, and ran a clothing store until the age of 70, making everything from Japanese clothes to futons.

Kobayashi passed away in Kiryū, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on 24 July 2022, at the age of 111.

RECOGNITION

On 17 April 2021, following the death of 111-year-old Rikako Hoshino, she became the oldest living person in Gunma Prefecture.

Following her death, Sui Naito became the oldest living person in the Prefecture. Kobayashi was the last surviving person in Gunma Prefecture who was born during the Meiji era.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto and Yu Li, and validated by LongeviQuest on 22 June 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

* “県内最高齢１１１歳　星野さんが死去＝群馬” – Yomiuri Shimbun, 20 April 2021

* Gunma Prefecture press release, 8 September 2021

* “１００歳以上の高齢者１４５１人　群馬県” – Tokyo Shimbun, 14 September 2021

* “県内最高齢１１１歳　小林さんが死去＝群馬” – Yomiuri Shimbun, 26 July 2022

* “県内最高齢：県内で最高齢、小林しげ死去　最後の明治生まれ　／群馬” – Mainichi Shimbun, 27 July 2022

GALLERY