Okagi Hayashi

BIOGRAPHY

Hayashi was born in the village of Tsumagi (now Tsumagicho, Toki City), Gifu Prefecture, Japan, on 2 September 1909. Her father was a grain wholesaler. After graduating from elementary school, she enrolled at Nakatsu Girls’ High School. At this point, she left her parents’ house and lived in a high school dormitory.

In her early 20s, Hayashi married an elementary school teacher. Her husband was adopted into the Hayashi family, so she never changed her maiden name. They lived in Hokkaido Prefecture until their first son was born, and then returned to Toki City where Hayashi took over her family’s grain wholesale business. The couple had nine children in total. She has been highly health-conscious since mid-life, drinking her homemade green juice every morning and exercising along with her husband. Until she was in her 80s, she enjoyed going on hot spring trips and gardening with her friends from school days.

Hayashi practiced calligraphy until she was a nonagenarian. She lived with her family in her home until she was 105. In September 2019, she had eight living children, 22 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. At the age of 112, she was still able to read newspapers and enjoyed completing puzzles.

Hayashi currently lives in Tsumagicho, Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

RECOGNITION

On 24 June 2019, following the death of 110-year-old Tsuyo Wada, Hayashi became the oldest living person in Gifu Prefecture. She became the prefecture’s oldest resident ever after surpassing the age of Hisa Arai in April 2023.

Following the 23 August 2022 death of Fumi Hoshino, 113, Hayashi entered the top 10 oldest validated living people in Japan.

Upon the death of 114-year-old Hazel Plummer on 25 May 2023, Hayashi entered the top 10 oldest validated living people in the world. She moved up to ninth following the 4 July 2023 death of Ushi Makishi, eighth after the death of Fusa Tatsumi on 12 December 2023 – after which she became the second-oldest resident of Japan (after Tomiko Itooka), seventh upon the death of Edie Ceccarelli on 22 February 2024, and sixth upon the death of Juan Vicente Pérez Mora on 2 April 2024.

In September 2023, she was honoured with a congratulatory plaque, a bouquet of flowers and a card of messages from fans worldwide by LongeviQuest to mark her 114th birthday.