Teruko Sugimoto

BIOGRAPHY

Teruko Sugimoto (杉本暉子) was born in Japan on February 27, 1902.

She lost her husband during World War II and raised her son on her own.

At the age of 90, after undergoing cataract surgery, she began making kimekomi dolls at a class held in a nursing day service center, both as a hobby and as rehabilitation for her rheumatoid arthritis.

In 2002, at the age of 100, she held an exhibition displaying 100 kimekomi dolls together with hina dolls. The event was broadcast on television, and she received letters of encouragement from across the country.

At the time, she stated that the secret to her longevity was to rely on others as little as possible. She kept her own room tidy, went to the toilet unassisted, and made dolls every morning in addition to reading daily. She also emphasized the importance of maintaining a sense of curiosity.

Sugimoto passed away from natural causes on December 15, 2012, at the age of 110 years and 292 days. At the time of her death, she was the oldest living person in Tottori Prefecture.

RECOGNITION

Her age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 1 November 2013 and later recognized by LongeviQuest.

ATTRIBUTION

• “１００歳で木目込み人形作りを続ける　倉吉の杉本暉子さん＝鳥取” － Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka Morning Edition, September 8, 2002

GALLERY

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