Ura Karasawa

BIOGRAPHY

Ura Karasawa (唐沢うら) was born in Haruno Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on July 8, 1899.

At the age of 19, she married into a farming family and went on to have eight children. In her younger years, she helped with the family’s sericulture business and was skilled at sewing. Even at the age of 100, she remained energetic, hand-picking tea leaves. At 104, it was her daily routine to walk along the veranda with a cane, and she looked forward to visits from her many great-grandchildren—more than twenty in total.

When she was 108, a signed farewell message written by her second son, Tetsujiro, along with his fellow members of a special attack unit, was discovered by an aviation historian and brought to her. Tetsujiro had died in battle at the age of 24 as a kamikaze pilot during World War II. Upon receiving the message, Karasawa was moved to tears.

Her younger sister, Toki, also lived nearby and was similarly long-lived. When Ura was 109, Toki was still alive at the age of 107, and the two were affectionately known as the “Kin-san and Gin-san of Haruno Town,” a reference to Japan’s famous centenarian twin sisters.

Following the death of 110-year-old Kayo Miyazaki of Hamamatsu City on February 8, 2008, Karasawa became the oldest living person in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Karasawa passed away from natural causes in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, on November 21, 2010, at the age of 111 years and 136 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 10 April 2011 and later recognized by LongeviQuest.

ATTRIBUTION

• “県内最高齢の唐沢さん死去　慕われた“うらばあば”　笑顔優しく、手先も器用－天竜区” ― Shizuoka Shimbun, November 23, 2010

GALLERY