BIOGRAPHY

Sarai was born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on 9 October 1912, as the third daughter among six children. From a young age, she suffered from various health issues, prompting her parents to provide her with daily doses of milk—a precious commodity during that time. At the age of 8, she contracted tuberculosis, and despite being abandoned by her doctors, her parents, devoutly religious, prayed for her recovery every day. Miraculously, her illness healed naturally, leading her to attribute her recovery to the prayers of her deeply religious parents. Throughout her life, she remained grateful to them, even as she entered old age.

Upon graduating from a girls’ high school in Nagoya at the age of 18, Sarai faced heart problems. However, through her commitment to faith therapy, she experienced a gradual recovery. By the time she reached 40, she became an apprentice to Tokujiro Namikoshi, the founder of acupressure therapy, renowned for treating former prime ministers, Marilyn Monroe, and Muhammad Ali. Commuting twice a week from Aichi to Tokyo, she acquired the necessary techniques and earned certification as a shiatsu therapist. She established her own massage parlor, named “Sarai’s Shiatsu,” successfully managing the business until the age of 80. Subsequently, she transitioned to volunteer work, where she addressed and cured various physical ailments for many individuals.

At the age of 101, it was reported that she had a fondness for the brown rice onigiri served at her daughter’s natural food restaurant, making regular visits several times a week. Her favorite meals included sushi and sukiyaki, and she expressed gratitude for the meals, stating, “I live because of the lives of living things.”

Sarai passed away in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on 6 February 2023, at the age of 110 years, 120 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yu Li, and validated by LongeviQuest on 5 February 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “百歳さんこんにちは：愛知県・皿井千代子さん（101歳）” – Hyakusai Genki Shimbun (number 221, page 6), 1 December 2013

*”市内最高齢の110歳女性死去”  － Chūnichi shimbun, February 14, 2023

＊Kissho Research Association Ltd

GALLERY

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