| Tadanosuke Hashimoto | |
 Tadanosuke Hashimoto as a supercentenarian (photograph by Jerry Friedman) | |
| Birth: | 27 April 1891 Hyogo, Japan |
| Death: | 31 May 2003 Hyogo, Japan |
| Age: | 112 years, 34 days |
| Country: |  JPN
|
| Validated | |
Tadanosuke Hashimoto (27 April 1891 – 31 May 2003) was a validated Japanese supercentenarian.
Biography
Tadanosuke Hashimoto was born in Hono-cho, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan, on 27 April 1891. He lived with his uncle's family after his father died when he was four, then he and his mother moved to her home town. Hashimoto's grandfather was the influential and wealthy postmaster of the area. After Hashimoto graduated from school, his uncle asked him what kind of job he had in mind, to which he replied that he wanted to be either a tailor or photographer due to the new business with these prospects and the lack of other people with those jobs. His uncle then took him for a trip to Osaka, where there were numerous job opportunities. He was impressed by the Western-style military jackets, and decided to become a tailor. After visiting several tailor shops, he was hired as an apprentice; his first job was to heat the iron by charcoal. By the age of 19, he was prepared for his career.
Shortly before he turned 20, Hashimoto married a woman from his home town called Hanae, and moved to Sanda for his occupation; he and his wife also worked by gathering their relatives' fruit. They would later give birth to seven children, four of whom were still alive at the time of Hashimoto's death.
Hashimoto and his wife founded a tailoring business; he sewed, designed patterns, and made custom suits. One of his earliest customers was the president of a furniture company. Hashimoto ran his business for over 80 years, and won numerous awards for his work; his last job, at the age of 102, was to design a custom suit for the mayor of his home town. He rarely travelled other than an annual family outing to a hot spring.
On Hashimoto's wife's 100th birthday, they were both honoured with a festive party. She died three years later, leaving Hashimoto a widower; he then cared for himself until the age of 109, when he suffered a stroke that left him paralysed on his right side. He then lived in a private hospital on the outskirts of his home town.
Hashimoto died in Hyogo, Japan on 31 May 2003 at the age of 112 years, 34 days. At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest living man in Japan, behind Yukichi Chuganji. He is currently the oldest validated man ever from Hyogo Prefecture and is one of the 40 oldest men ever.
Gallery
References
- Tadanosuke Hashimoto, 112 Photo Gallery, GRG
- Earth's Elders: The Wisdom of the World's Oldest People, by Jerry Friedman