Japan’s oldest woman has died aged 115.
Okagi Hayashi, who was born on 2 September 1909, was renowned for prioritising her health in later life.
She regularly made fresh vegetable juices using produce from her garden and enjoyed exercising with her husband.
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She attended calligraphy classes into her nineties and continued taking day trips with her family until about the age of 110.
Even after moving to a care home at 105, Okagi remained deeply engaged in daily life.
At 112, she could still read newspapers and complete puzzles.
At 115, although her waking hours had shortened, she continued to participate in meals and events from her wheelchair.
And in December 2024, she attended a Christmas party, wore a Santa hat and enjoyed some cake.
Okagi died on Saturday (26 April) from heart failure.
She was recognised as the country’s oldest person and world’s third oldest person, as reported by Need To Know.
From Toki, Gifu, Japan, Okagi had 22 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
According to her granddaughter, she was eating independently until mid-April when doctors detected a small amount of fluid in her lungs.
More than 30 family members gathered at the hospital to stay by her side.
And after seeing the face of each family member, one by one, Okagi died peacefully.
Okagi was the only daughter of a grain wholesaler.
After finishing elementary school, she enrolled at Nakatsu Girls’ High School and lived in a dormitory to pursue her education away from home.
She went on to marry a teacher, and they welcomed their first son before returning to Toki City to manage her family’s grain business.
Together, they raised nine children, seven of whom are still alive.
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