BIOGRAPHY

Yasu Akino was born in Sagara (now Makinohara City), Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on 1 March 1885, as the second of three siblings in a farming family. At the age of 20, she married Jinbei, a green tea broker, and they had one son and four daughters. The couple made a living by pushing a handcart about 20 kilometers to Kakegawa City to sell seafood. Their eldest daughter died young, and her husband passed away from illness in 1944.

Her eldest son died in 1983. Following his death, she lived with her daughter-in-law, grandson, his wife, and her great-grandsons. In her later years, she would wake up at 10 AM every morning to pray for the safety and health of her family at the Buddhist altar, Shinto altar, and before ink paintings of the Seven Lucky Gods. She would then offer prayers of thanks to the sun and the earth before visiting a nearby temple.

Although she disliked meat, she started eating it in her later years, reportedly to “prevent her hands from drying out.” Until she fell off her bed and broke her leg in 1995 at the age of 110, she grew sweet potatoes and radishes in her vegetable garden, sharing them with her neighbors. Known for her incredible vitality and love of conversation, she was affectionately called a “lively elderly lady” by her neighbors. After recovering from the fracture, she could walk on her own with the aid of a walker. However, after a month-long hospitalization for heart failure in July 1997, her legs weakened, and she became bedridden. Despite this, she had a strong desire to walk and often asked her family to “wake me up.”

Until her health declined in November 1998, she ate three meals a day, particularly enjoying Japanese-style stewed vegetables, sesame-dressed vegetables, and vegetable porridge, which she ate with a spoon. Her motto was “Pinch yourself and know the pain of others,” and her favorite phrase was “Humans should live uprightly.” She often reminded her family and acquaintances of the importance of living sincerely. She was a big fan of sumo wrestlers Konishiki, Akebono, and Musashimaru, who were from Hawaii and found great success in Japan. She supported them, empathizing with their experience of leaving their parents to succeed in a foreign land.

Yasu Akino passed away at home on 12 February 1999, at the age of 113 years, 348 days, surrounded by her family, due to natural causes. She was beloved by her local community, and upon hearing the news of her passing, many residents came to her house to offer their condolences.

RECOGNITION

On 21 November 1991, following the passing of 107-year-old Matsu Watanabe of Numazu, she became the oldest living person in Shizuoka Prefecture, at the age of 106.

In March 1995, she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming the second known supercentenarian in Shizuoka Prefecture. On 17 May 1997, at the age of 112 years, 77 days, she surpassed the final age of Take Abe, becoming the Prefecture’s oldest person ever. Akino held the title for over 24 years, until 2 February 2022, when Kahoru Furuya surpassed her final age.

On 18 November 1998, following the passing of 114-year-old Tase Matsunaga, she became the oldest living person in Japan, at the age of 113 years, 262 days.

Upon her passing, Hanae Sugiyama, who was five years younger, succeeded her as the oldest living person in Shizuoka Prefecture. Denzō Ishizaki of Ibaraki, who was 112 at the time, succeeded her as the oldest living person in Japan, while Kayo Fujii of Yamaguchi succeeded her as the oldest living woman in Japan.

ATTRIBUTION

• 県内最高齢112歳、相良の秋野やすさん きょう「敬老の日」/静岡 － Asahi Shimbun, September 15, 1997
• 113歳日本最高齢、相良町在住の秋野やすさんが死去 － Shizuoka Shimbun, February 12, 1999

GALLERY