Tomiko Itooka – Gerontology Research Group

Full name: Tomiko Itooka [Japanese: 糸岡富子]
Lifespan: 23.05.1908 – present
Age: 115 years
Birthplace: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Last residence: Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Application date: 09.09.2020
Validation date: 21.05.2022
Validation source: MHLW, Japan/Hiroshi Kai/Yu Li/Yumi Yamamoto

Biography

Tomiko Itooka, the second eldest daughter among three siblings, was born in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, on May 23, 1908. Her early life was marked by significant milestones:

Following her elementary school graduation, she attended a girls’ school, now known as Osaka Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School, where she was part of the volleyball club.

Around the age of 20, she married and gave birth to her eldest daughter when she was 21. She eventually had two daughters and two sons. During the wartime, she stepped in for her husband, who operated a textile factory in South Korea. She single-handedly managed a Japanese office and raised her children during this period.

In her later years, her life continued to be filled with remarkable achievements and adventures:

After her husband’s passing in 1979, she lived alone in her husband’s hometown in Nara Prefecture for approximately a decade. During this time, she frequently enjoyed mountain climbing, including Mt. Nijo, which spans Nara and Osaka prefectures, and even climbed Mt. Ontake (elevation 3,000m) twice. Notably, she surprised her guide by ascending the mountain in ordinary sneakers instead of hiking boots.

In her 80s, she twice participated in the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (a pilgrimage to 33 temples). At 100 years of age, she climbed the lengthy stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without a cane and offered her worship. She made multiple visits to Yakushiji Temple in Nara Prefecture and had a fondness for writing sutras.

In May 2018, she celebrated her 110th birthday, officially becoming a supercentenarian.

Longevity Recognition

In September 2020, Tomiko Itooka was recognized as the third-oldest living person in Hyogo Prefecture, preceded by Hama Yasukawa of Takarazuka and an anonymous 114-year-old woman from Miki.
After the passing of a 115-year-old anonymous woman on April 30, 2022, Itooka assumed the title of the oldest living person in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Following the death of Yasue Okai on February 6, 2023, Tomiko Itooka became the last known surviving Japanese person born in 1908.
In May 2023, she celebrated her 115th birthday, becoming only the second person from Hyogo Prefecture to reach this exceptional age.
On December 12, 2023, following the death of 116-year old Fusa Tatsumi, she became the oldest living person in Japan and Asia.

As of the latest available information, Tomiko Itooka currently resides in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, at the remarkable age of 115 years and 160 days. She holds the distinction of being the oldest validated person ever known to reside in Hyogo Prefecture and is the fourth-oldest living person worldwide, with her age validated by the GRG (following Maria Branyas Morera, Fusa Tatsumi, and Edie Ceccarelli).

Longevity titles

Oldest living person in Hyogo Prefecture (30.04.2022 – present)
Longevity recordholder of Hyogo Prefecture (05.05.2022 – present)
Doyenne of Japan (12.12.2023 – present)

Validation

Tomiko Itooka’s age was verified by Japan’s MHLW and validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) on May 21, 2022.

Tomiko Itooka at age 113.

Tomiko Itooka at age 94 (Sept. 13, 2002)

Tomiko Itooka at age 100 (Sept. 20, 2008).

Tomiko Itooka on her 111th birthday.

Tomiko Itooka on her 112th birthday.

Tomiko Itooka on her 113th birthday.

Tomiko Itooka on her 114th birthday.