BIOGRAPHY

Yasu Kushima was born in Japan on 10 May 1901. At some point, she had children. She ran a stationery store at her home until she was in her 80s. As of 2011, at the age of 110, she had nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.

At the age of 103, aside from experiencing some difficulty in seeing and hearing, she maintained good health and shared three meals a day with her family. Grapes were her favorite food, and she had a fondness for coffee. Possessing a sharp mind, she excelled in calculations, a skill she regularly utilized during her years managing the stationary store. Even at the age of 106, she could recite a multiplication table. While residing at home, she enjoyed sitting in her living room, and engaging in conversations with friends from the neighborhood.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, she responded, “Not being fussy over food, maintaining a well-structured eating routine, and drinking lots of water.” In 2005, she moved into an elderly nursing home in Shimada City. Subsequent visits by city officials occurred at the home, where she received congratulatory gifts and money. Kushima actively participated in recreational singing activities at the home, and by the age of 109, despite being hard of hearing and completely blind, she could still engage in simple conversations with family and nursing home staff. Her grandson, Masahiro, visited her at the home every day.

Yasu Kushima passed away at her nursing home in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on 2 July 2012, at the age of 111 years, 53 days.

RECOGNITION

Kushida was visited at least seven times by the city mayor between 2004 and 2011 in celebration of Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day. On the first visit, which occurred at her home in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture when she was 103, she received a congratulatory cushion and a bouquet of roses. At that time, she was the oldest living person in Shimada City.

At the time of death, she was the second-oldest living person in Shizuoka Prefecture, after Yasuko Kimura.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto and Ryohei Asano, and validated by LongeviQuest on 4 December 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

* “市内最高齢おめでとう 島田市長108歳九島さんを訪問” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 5 September 2009

* “109歳九島さんにバラ 島田市長、長寿祝う” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 2 September 2010

* “110歳九島やすさん祝う 島田市最高齢、市長が花束” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 3 September 2011

* “おくやみ申し上げます” – Shizuoka Shimbun, 4 July 2012

GALLERY