BIOGRAPHY

Yoshiko Itō was born in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on 10 January 1907. She enjoyed physical activity from a young age, and as a child, she dreamed of becoming an Olympic gymnast.

Throughout her life, Itō believed strongly in natural health principles. When she had headaches or pain in her legs or back, she believed that moving her body—such as by taking a walk or working in the fields with a hoe—would quickly relieve the symptoms. She once remarked, “Those who exercise are strong. If you want to live a healthy and energetic long life, you must understand the exquisite balance of nature. If you’re feeling unwell, drink a decoction of wild herbs or apply the boiled herbs directly to the body as a poultice. Everything in nature exists for a reason. Unnatural medicines created through chemical processes are foreign to the body. Avoid relying on them. If you keep taking them, you’ll become addicted and unable to stop. Eventually, your mind and body will deteriorate. There is no such thing as living long and healthy on medication. Eat whole, natural foods.”

According to her son, Itō was sickly until about the age of 40 due to a condition called ptosis of the stomach (gastroptosis). He believed that her remarkable transformation into a healthy and energetic woman came from her tireless personal efforts to understand and follow the principles of nature in daily life—a result of years of continuous study and practice rooted in natural wisdom.

Even past the age of 105, she required only minimal assistance in daily life. For many years, she often took the bus with her son to visit mountains and sightseeing spots, and at 107, she regularly did leg exercises—raising and lowering her legs while lying on her back—as part of her daily routine. She never took any medications and, even as the oldest resident at her nursing home, she was in fact the most energetic. At age 107, she slipped and fell while bathing and was hospitalized. Her physical strength declined after the incident, and she began using a wheelchair, but she remained largely independent in her daily life.

Even at 109, she exercised daily by moving her limbs and marching in place in her wheelchair, and she read newspapers and books without glasses. She enjoyed biscuits as a snack and had a particular liking for sōmen noodles.

She turned 110 in January 2017 and continued to have a good appetite, reading newspapers and books regularly. Her memory remained sharp, and she could recall people’s names clearly. From around March 2017, she began spending more time lying down. By April, her appetite declined, and she stopped eating, though she continued to move her hands for exercise.

Yoshiko Itō passed away from natural causes on 14 April 2017, at the age of 110 years and 94 days.

RECOGNITION

In 2015, Itō became the oldest known living person in Fukui Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Ryohei Asano, and validated by LongeviQuest on 10 July 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* “元気なじいちゃんばあちゃんは薬を飲んでいない! 健康で長寿の秘訣” – 廣田 祐, 1 April 2015

GALLERY