LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Kie Taki of Japan at age 111. She was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan on 2 January 1904. Taki’s typical daily diet consisted of bread with honey or blueberry jam for breakfast. Followed by rice accompanied by pickled dried plums, sugar, or vinegar for both lunch and supper. These meals were complemented by side dishes of fresh vegetables, fried fish, and miso soup.

As a devout Christian, she attended church every Sunday to sing hymns with fellow worshippers. Her exceptional memory enabled her to memorize over fifty hymns by heart.  In 2006, at the age of 102, NHK Banzai, a series celebrating the achievements of Japanese centenarians, reported that Taki had possessed the same Bible for fifteen years. For fifteen years, this well-worn Bible, marked with red pen notations, served as a repository of passages that deeply touched her or words she wished to remember daily.

 

In January 2004, on her 100th birthday. (Source: Toyama Shimbun)
Kie Taki’s 100th birthday.
(Source: Toyama Shimbun)

In 2004, on her 100th birthday, Taki received a special visit from the mayor at her home. She was presented with commemorative gifts. Upon being congratulated on her remarkable milestone, she humbly remarked, “I was sickly as a child, so even I’m surprised I lived to be 100.” Additionally, she received a congratulatory letter from the governor of Toyama Prefecture. When asked about the secret to her longevity, she attributed it to three simple practices: reading the newspaper, conversing with the trees in her garden, and living a tranquil life.

On 25 January 2015, following the death of 111-year-old Sue Hirano, she became the oldest living person in Toyama Prefecture.

Kie Taki passed away in Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, on 16 August 2015. Following her passing, she was succeeded as the Prefecture’s oldest living resident by Tsuya Hayashi.

LongeviQuest congratulates Kie Taki’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Miyuki Sone at 110 years old. She is a Japanese supercentenarian known as the oldest living person in Toyama Prefecture, Japan.

Miyuki Sone was born on 10 March 1913 in Furubira, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.

When she was in her 20s, she married a fisherman who was a distant relative of hers. The couple then moved from Hokkaido to Toyama and had seven children together. While working as a fisherman, Mrs. Sone would her husband by assisting him in running a fish shop.

At the age of 50. (Source: Courtesy of the family)
At the age of 50.
(Source: Courtesy of the family)

She had her eyesight fully restored through cataract surgeries at ages 92 and 96 that enabled her to read newspapers again without glasses until 110 years old. In December 2022, she contracted COVID-19 but later had a full recovery. In June 2023, she fell from her wheelchair that resulted in a skull fracture. She endured the pain despite the visible scars on her face as the doctor voted against surgery because of her advanced age.

As of September 2023, she wears a helmet to protect her fractured skull. Mrs. Sone now communicates with her family through written messages. At this point, she was reported as the oldest living person in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, where she currently lives.

For more information, please visit Miyuki Sone’s Directory Profile here.