Biography
Chiba was born in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture on 19 January 1907. At the age of five, she moved with her family to Rikubetsu, Hokkaido Prefecture, where she would live for the rest of her life. In 1921, aged 14, she married Masayoshi Chiba; the couple had 11 children, five sons and six daughters, together.
Chiba worked alongside her husband in farming. In her spare time, she enjoyed stargazing with her father-in-law. She was also a keen gardener, cultivating a vibrant garden on the southern side of her house containing many varieties of colourful flowers. She stated that admiring flowers put her at ease.
Chiba’s favourite television programme was professional sumo wrestling. When a tournament was taking place, she would watch from 3 to 6 o’clock in the afternoon. She later remarked in a 2006 interview, “I don’t have a favorite wrestler, but it’s fun finding out who wins.”
Even approaching her centenarian years, Chiba still visited friends and family in her community, weather permitting. Her 99th birthday was celebrated by 43 relatives from all over Hokkaido. Aged 99, she claimed her secret to longevity was, “Doing the things you like, when you want to.“
Chiba died in Rikubetsu, Hokkaido, on 20 June 2019 at the age of 112 years, 152 days.
