BIOGRAPHY

Tome Mizogami was born in Tashiro, Kimotsuki District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on 25 October 1914, as the youngest of nine siblings in a family that ran a sake brewery. Her given name, “Tome,” means “to stop” in Japanese and was traditionally used to indicate the last child in the family. Although several of her brothers passed away young, Mizogami and her two older sisters each lived to be over 100. In May 2000, when Mizogami was 85, her eldest sister was 97 and her second sister was 94, nearly 100 relatives and friends gathered in their hometown to celebrate the long lives of the three sisters and recognize the health and longevity they had each enjoyed at an event called Nakazono San-Shimai Chōju Iwai no Tsudoi (“Nakazono Three Sisters’ Longevity Celebration Gathering”).

Mizogami lost her mother at the age of nine, after which her grandmother stepped in as a maternal figure and helped raise her, surrounded by the affection of her older siblings. A bright and eager student, she completed the upper division of elementary school and later moved to Osaka, where she enrolled in Japan’s first night school for girls. During the day, she worked in a textile factory, and at night, she pursued her studies.

At 23, she received word that her brother in Taiwan was critically ill. In fact, it was a pretext—he had arranged for her to meet a sailor from Nippon Yusen (NYK Line) whom he hoped she would marry. She traveled to Taiwan, where her brother introduced her to the man—and they married soon after. She gave birth to three children while living there, though tragically, two sons passed away in infancy. She remained in Taiwan throughout World War II, and in 1946, they returned to Japan with their surviving daughter aboard a U.S. Liberty ship that docked at Tanabe Port in Wakayama Prefecture.

After briefly returning to her hometown in Kagoshima, she and her family moved several times before eventually settling in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. After the war, she had two more sons. In response to the difficult conditions of the postwar years, Mizogami supported her family by working night shifts at a seafood processing plant while raising her children. After her husband’s retirement and once her children were grown, she went on to run a fish shop—an environment where her warm and sociable nature shone through, and where she seemed to truly enjoy her daily interactions with others.

Having lost her own mother at a young age, Mizogami was determined not to let her children experience the same loneliness. Her daily life was also anchored by her quiet spiritual practice. She visited Mount Kōya three times in her younger years—a sacred center of Japanese Buddhism founded by the monk Kūkai (Kōbō-Daishi) and the heart of the Shingon sect. There, she prayed for a long life and memorized the Heart Sutra (般若心経), which she continued to recite each morning at her home altar. As part of this gentle morning ritual, she offered five to six cups of water every day—dedicated to Kōbō-Daishi and to her ancestors. This quiet morning routine remained part of her daily life until the age of 109. She also made it a habit to read the newspaper thoroughly each day—another part of her daily rhythm that she maintained until moving into the care facility.

She remained physically and socially active well into her later years. She jumped rope into her 70s, hiked local hills with friends in her 90s, and often welcomed younger friends into her home for tea and cheerful conversation.

With regular support from her grandniece—the granddaughter of her older sister—Mizogami lived independently until the age of 109. She cooked for herself, frequently preparing tempura and simmered vegetables, which she shared with her neighbors. Sewing was also one of her favorite hobbies; at age 95, she replaced her old machine with a new one and continued making clothes, as well as doing embroidery and patchwork, until the age of 109. When she was no longer able to join in local clean-up activities, she showed her appreciation by serving tea to nearby residents, remaining a beloved presence in her community.

When her sons and their families visited, she would wake early to prepare meals—a tradition she continued until around the age of 107. A local resident would call her each morning to check in, and when she moved into a care facility at 109, neighbors gathered to see her off warmly.

At the age of 103, Mizogami experienced a major health crisis when she suffered gastrointestinal bleeding and was hospitalized for three months. Her family was told by doctors to prepare for the worst, but she defied the odds and made a remarkable recovery, eventually returning to her normal daily life. At 109, she fell near a vegetable field and fractured her tailbone, requiring hospitalization once again. After regaining her ability to walk, she decided to move into the nursing home she had already been attending as a day-service user, seeking a safer and more secure living environment.

In December 2024, during a mochi-pounding event at her care home, Tome—then 110 years old—lifted the mallet and cheerfully joined her friends in pounding rice cakes. The following month, in January 2025, she experienced a mild compression fracture in her back after a fall while getting up from bed. She chose not to be hospitalized and instead requested to recover at the nursing home. Staying positive and committed to rehabilitation, she has since regained mobility and, as of April 2025, is able to walk again with the assistance of a walker.

When interviewed by LongeviQuest in April 2025, Mizogami welcomed us wearing a top she had sewn herself, with her makeup neatly done for the occasion. She spoke about her “Three Principles for Longevity”:

• Avoid quarrels or confrontations with others

• Forget today’s troubles by tomorrow

• Stop eating when you’re about 80% full

Even at 110, she is able to write out these principles clearly and steadily.

Today, Mizogami continues to lead a meaningful daily life in her care home. She makes her own choices about how to spend her free time and often asks, “Is there anything I can help with?” She folds newspaper flyers into small trash bins for the dining tables, writes letters to friends and family, and helps fold mealtime aprons for fellow residents—always finding ways to stay active and contribute to those around her.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto, Ryohei Asano, and Takehiro Shibuya, and validated by LongeviQuest on 24 March 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY