 Kamato Hongo
Birthplace: Tokunoshima Island, Japan
Born: 9/16/1887
Died: 10/31/2003
Age: 116 years 45 days
Cause of death: Pneumonia
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Oriental
Occupation: Elderly
Nationality: Japan
Executive summary: The Guinness Book of World Records named her the oldest
person in the world in 2002.
Children: 4 sons and 3 daughters |
Born in 1887 on the small island of Tokunoshima, home of
Shigechiyo Izumi. Kamato Hongo married on the island, and with her husband
produced sugar cane - and four sons and three daughters. When her husband died
in 1964, Kamato Hongo moved to Osaka, and came to live with her daughter in
Kagoshima on Kyushu in 1983.
In 2002, the Guinness Book of World Records named her the oldest person in the
world. The distinction earned her fame that was only compounded by her odd habit
of sleeping for two days and then remaining awake for two days.
It began when she was a mere 110, after she had an operation for an injured hip.
The recovery was fine, but she began sleeping for an entire day, followed by a
day of waking.
This has since extended to two days' solid sleep, and two days awake. It is an
unconventional pattern, but who is going to argue with the oldest person in the
world?
During her lifetime, Kamato Hongo bore seven children, and had 27 grandchildren,
57 great grandchildren and 11 great great grandchildren. She attributed her
longevity to viewing life with an optimistic attitude.
If there is a secret to Kamato Hongo's life, it may be the caring environment in
which she has always found herself.
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