BIOGRAPHY

Sumiko Taki (滝壽美子) was born in Inaba District (稲葉郡), now part of Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, on 1 December 1914. She was the eldest of five siblings. Longevity seems to run in her family—one of her younger sisters lived to around 100, and her younger brothers lived well into their 90s.

As a student at an all-girls school, Taki walked about an hour each way to school every day, continuing this routine for three years. This physically demanding commute helped build her strength and endurance from a young age.
At 19, she married and moved to Kōnan City in Aichi Prefecture. The couple went on to raise five children, four sons and one daughter. Around the age of 40, Taki joined her husband in the ballroom dancing he was passionate about, and the two continued to enjoy dancing together until around the age of 60.

She was highly skilled with her hands and excelled in traditional crafts such as kimono-making and knitting. Even at the age of 110, she was still knitting her own hats by hand.

Possibly thanks to the physical conditioning from her school days, Taki remained remarkably active in her later years. Until around age 105, she would occasionally walk 1.5 kilometers—using a rolling walker for seniors—to visit her son’s home.

At age 106, following a family member’s illness, she moved into a nursing home. There, she has remained engaged and active, participating in daily activities such as coloring, origami, and leg exercises. She also enjoys singing and has expressed to her family that she finds life at the facility enjoyable.
As of age 110, Taki uses a wheelchair but can still stand and take several steps as part of her daily routine. She eats a wide variety of foods without particular preferences and has never experienced any serious illnesses or injuries—maintaining outstanding health throughout her life.

RECOGNITION

On 20 May 2025, following the passing of Mine Kondō at age 114, Taki became the oldest known living person in Aichi 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 15 June 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

(All the information regarding Sumiko Taki’s biography was gathered through interviews conducted by LongeviQuest with her family.)

GALLERY