Tag: Katsuko

LongeviQuest is saddened to report the passing of Katsuko Tago. She was born in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on 28 March 1910 and passed away in Higashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan on 1 December 2023 at 113 years, 248 days. At the time of her death, Tago was the oldest living person in Tokyo, Japan.

In January 2022, aged 111. (Source: Courtesy of the family)
In January 2022, aged 111.
(Source: Courtesy of the family)

Katsuko Tago assisted her father in running a kimono shop for several years before relocating to Tokyo. In Tokyo, she got married, and the couple had seven children. Tago played the role of a supportive housewife while her husband pursued a career as a bank branch manager.

Tago maintained an active lifestyle for over 90 years. She participated in a monthly doll-making class in her hometown. She continued expressing her creativity through crafting dolls and carving wood until the age of 103. Unfortunately, a femur fracture required her to undergo surgery. She persevered and regained her ability to walk through rehabilitation. However, two years later, another fracture led her to receive care in a nursing home.

Tago believed that her favorite strawberry-flavored chocolate was the secret to her longevity, and she ate it every day.
Her family and nursing home staff said that she lived her life with her ideas and opinions and always made all her daily decisions on her own. Until she was about 110 years old, she called her family every day to update them on what was happening at her nursing home.

Mrs. Tago’s sad news was directly confirmed through her family.

LongeviQuest is extending our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends of Mrs. Katsuko Tago.

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Katsuko Tago of Japan at age 113. She was born in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on 28 March 1910, as the eldest of 10 siblings. Tago is currently the oldest known living person in Tokyo and one of the ten oldest known living residents in Japan. She was also a wife and a mother to 7 children.

In January 2022, aged 111. (Source: Courtesy of the family)
In January 2022, aged 111.
(Source: Courtesy of the family)

Tago was a lifelong learner and creative spirit. She attended a doll-making class in her hometown in Nagano every month until she was around 90 years old. She continued to make Kimekomi dolls and even carve wooden objects like skunk cabbage until she was around 103 years old. However, at that age, Tago suffered a femur fracture and underwent surgery. She regained her ability to walk with the help of rehabilitation, but two years later, she experienced another fracture and began receiving care in a nursing home.

Before moving into the nursing home, she had dealt with diabetes and high blood pressure, but with proper healthcare at the facility, her health improved. Up until the age of about 110, she remained in close contact with her family, sharing details of life at the nursing home. At the age of 113, she occasionally engaged in activities like folding laundry alongside other residents and managed to maneuver her wheelchair to the cafeteria to enjoy her meals. She attributed her long life to her daily practice of enjoying strawberry-flavored chocolate. Her family believes that her determination and independent thinking are also contributing factors to her longevity.

For more information, please view Katsuko Tago’s Directory Profile here.