| Tomiko Itooka | |
 Itooka on her 116th birthday in 2024 | |
| Birth: | 23 May 1908 Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
| Age: | 116 years, 105 days |
| Country: |  JPN
|
| Validated | |
Tomiko Itooka [Japanese: 糸岡富子] (born 23 May 1908) is a Japanese supercentenarian who is recognised by Guinness World Records as being the oldest validated living person in the world since the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas Morera of Spain on 19 August 2024. She is also the all-time longevity record holder of Hyogo Prefecture. Her age is also validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography
Early Life
Tomiko Itooka was born in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan on 23 May 1908 as the second (eldest daughter) of three siblings.
After graduating from elementary school, she went on to girls school (currently Osaka Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School) and belonged to the volleyball club.
After graduating from girls school, Itooka got married around the age of 20 and gave birth to her eldest daughter at the age of 21, and she had two daughters and two sons. During the war, she replaced her husband who ran a textile factory in South Korea, and she alone protected a Japanese office and raised her children.
Later Life
After her husband died in 1979, Itooka lived alone in her husband's hometown of Nara Prefecture for about 10 years. During that period, she frequently enjoyed climbing Mt. Nijo, which straddles Nara and Osaka prefectures. She also climbed Mt. Ontake (elevation 3000m), which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, twice. The guide was surprised when she climbed the mountain because she wore ordinary sneakers instead of hiking shoes.
When she was in her 80s, Itooka also participated in the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (33 temple pilgrimages) twice. When she was 100 years old, she climbed the long stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without a cane and worshiped. She visited Yakushiji Temple in Nara Prefecture many times, and she liked to write sutras.
In May 2018, Itooka celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.
In September 2020, Itooka was listed as the third-oldest living person in Hyogo Prefecture, after Hama Yasukawa (of Takarazuka) and a 114-year-old anonymous woman (of Miki).
Following the death of a 115-year-old anonymous woman on 30 April 2022, Itooka became the oldest living person in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Her age was verified by Japan's MHLW, Hiroshi Kai, Yu Li, and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by the GRG on 21 May 2022.
Following the death of Yasue Okai on 6 February 2023, Itooka became the last known surviving Japanese person born in 1908.
In May 2023, Itooka celebrated her 115th birthday and became the second person ever from Hyogo Prefecture to reach this age.
On 12 December 2023, following the death of Fusa Tatsumi, Itooka became the oldest validated living person in Japan and Asia.
On 22 February 2024, following the death of Edie Ceccarelli, Itooka became the second-oldest validated living person in the world.
In May 2024, Itooka celebrated her 116th birthday, became the first person from Hyogo Prefecture, the third person born in Osaka Prefecture, the eighth person in Japan, and the 30th person in the world to reach this age.
On 19 August 2024, following the death of Maria Branyas Morera, Itooka became the oldest validated living person in the world.
Tomiko Itooka currently lives in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, at the age of 116 years, 105 days. She is currently the oldest validated person ever to reside in Hyogo Prefecture.
Gallery
References
- GRG World Supercentenarian Rankings List Gerontology Research Group
- Tomiko Itooka Gerontology Research Group
- 111th birthday Instagram Post, 23 May 2019
- Confirmed alive Hyogo Prefecture, 11 September 2020 (Archived)
- 兵庫県内の最高齢者が死去 新たに芦屋市在住の１１３歳女性が最高齢に Kobe Shimbun, 12 May 2022
- 令和４年度100歳以上高齢者の状況等について Hyogo Prefecture, 1 September 2022
- 今日、115歳のお誕生日を迎えられました 千種会グループ on Instagram, 23 May 2023
- 芦屋市在住 １１５歳の糸岡富子さんが国内最高齢に NHK News Hyogo, 13 December 2023
- 115-year-old woman in western Japan becomes country's oldest person Japantimes, 13 December 2023
- さて、今年も大阪の春の風物詩🌸大相撲春場所が開幕しました lesashiya on Instagram, 14 March 2023
- 国内最高齢の女性、糸岡富子さんが116歳に 芦屋市長から花束 The Mainichi, 23 May 2024
- 国内最高齢の女性が116歳に 芦屋市で誕生日のお祝い サンテレビ NEWS, 23 May 2024
- Tomiko Itooka of Japan, 116, becomes candidate for the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS World’s Oldest Person title Gerontology Research Group, 20 August 2024
- 116-year-old Japanese woman confirmed as world's oldest living person Guinness World Records, 21 August 2024
| Japan's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • T • E) |
|
Tome Yoshida • Tokusaburo Hatsukade • Haru Komai • Ishi Hayashi • Yoshigiku Ito • Tome Horigome • Haruno Shimada • Mito Umeta • Niwa Kawamoto • Isa Nakayama • Man Ichikawa • Koume Kabira • Masutaro Sato • Matsu Yoshikuni • Koharu Kodaira • Oto Michii • Toka Miyata • Momu Okuma • Ine Tsugawa • Seki Takehara • Waka Shirahama • Tane Ikai • Sue Utagawa • Suekiku Miyanaga • Asa Takii • Tase Matsunaga • Yasu Akino • Denzo Ishizaki • Kayo Fujii • Mie Ishiguro • Matsuno Oikawa • Yukichi Chuganji • Mitoyo Kawate • Ura Koyama • Yone Minagawa • Shitsu Nakano • Tsuneyo Toyonaga • Kaku Yamanaka • Kama Chinen • Chiyono Hasegawa • Jiroemon Kimura • Misao Okawa • Harumi Nakamura • Nabi Tajima • Chiyo Miyako • Kane Tanaka • Fusa Tatsumi • Tomiko Itooka |
| Japan's Oldest Living Woman Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Sue Watanabe • Unknown • Tome Yoshida • Haru Komai • Ishi Hayashi • Yoshigiku Ito • Tome Horigome • Haruno Shimada • Mito Umeta • Niwa Kawamoto • Isa Nakayama • Man Ichikawa • Koume Kabira • Matsu Yoshikuni • Koharu Kodaira • Oto Michii • Toka Miyata • Momu Okuma • Ine Tsugawa • Seki Takehara • Waka Shirahama • Tane Ikai • Sue Utagawa • Suekiku Miyanaga • Asa Takii • Tase Matsunaga • Yasu Akino • Kayo Fujii • Mie Ishiguro • Matsuno Oikawa • Mitoyo Kawate • Ura Koyama • Yone Minagawa • Shitsu Nakano • Tsuneyo Toyonaga • Kaku Yamanaka • Kama Chinen • Chiyono Hasegawa • Koto Okubo • Misao Okawa • Anonymous (Tokyo) • Nabi Tajima • Chiyo Miyako • Kane Tanaka • Fusa Tatsumi • Tomiko Itooka |