Biography
Hori was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on 15 March 1903. At some point, she had a daughter and moved to Fukui Prefecture.
In 1966, Hori admitted her daughter, who was disabled, into a social welfare facility, before starting work as a cook for the same organization’s office in Sabae City. At the age of 70, Hori moved into a nursing home for the elderly owned by the same group in Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture. She enjoyed reading books in the living room of the nursing home.
At the age of 111, city officials visited her nursing home in celebration of Respect for the Aged day. When told she was the oldest person in Fukui Prefecture, she replied with, “I am? That’s great,” before raising her hands in a cheering pose. Hori enjoyed bringing smiles to the nursing home staff. When the city officials handed her a congratulatory bouquet of flowers, she joked, “These are heavy,” causing the room to erupt in laughter. When asked about the secret to longevity, she replied, “Not to fret over things.” She had never experienced serious illness.
Hori passed away in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on 13 May 2015, at the age of 112 years, 59 days.