Sumiko Mori

BIOGRAPHY

Sumiko Mori (森スミ子) was born in Nakatsu, Ōita Prefecture, on 30 January 1912. She was raised in a family that valued education and attended Nakatsu Girls’ High School, where one year above her was Miyoko Hiroyasu, who later became Japan’s oldest resident. It is said that Mori was not especially fond of studying, but her competitive spirit kept her among the top students.

In her early twenties, she married a naval officer in Tokyo. During the Pacific War, while her husband was away at the front, she lived with her three young daughters in Fukuoka. Just before the war ended, she crossed the Kanmon Strait with her children and moved to her husband’s hometown of Ise, Mie Prefecture. There, she adapted quickly to the new environment—clearing bamboo forests to make a small field for vegetables and gathering shellfish from the nearby shore, supporting her children’s daily life with a forward-looking spirit until her husband’s return. This shellfish gathering remains a vivid and happy memory for her eldest daughter, now 89, who still recalls it with fondness.

After the war, the family moved to a large property of about 1,190 square meters, where Mori raised five children. In her later years, she enjoyed singing with her daughter. Until around the age of 111, she sang along to CDs, and at 113 she still keeps rhythm with the music.

At the age of 60, she began painting watercolors, which she often gave as gifts to family and friends. Until her 90s, she traveled with her daughter almost every month, enjoying hot springs, saunas, and theatrical performances at inns. Known for her cheerful and sociable personality, she quickly made friends on these trips and treasured the time spent together.

Mori’s diet has also contributed to her longevity. Having eaten small fish since childhood, she has maintained strong bones throughout her life and has never suffered a fracture. She typically eats twice a day—brunch and dinner—consisting of rice porridge, eggs, natto, miso soup with vegetables, Yakult, seasonal fruits, and yogurt.

As of September 2025, at the age of 113, she continues to live in her home in Ise City with the support of her family. Her meals are prepared by her son. She uses a wheelchair but can still stand briefly when moving between bed and chair, and she enjoys a peaceful life with her children.

RECOGNITION

On 2 November 2022, following the death of 111-year-old Toku Isaka, she became the oldest living person in Mie Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yu Li and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 21 November 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

(All the information regarding Sumiko Mori’s biography was gathered through interviews conducted by LongeviQuest with her family.)

GALLERY

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