Tomiko Itooka

Tomiko Itooka (née Yano) was born on 23 May 1908, in Osaka, Empire of Japan. She was one of three children in a family that operated a clothing store. She grew up in prewar Japan, a period marked by modernization and imperial expansion. During her high school years, she participated in volleyball. == Career ==

Itooka married Kenji Itooka, the owner of a textile company. During World War II, she took on the responsibility of managing the family business in Japan while her husband worked at a factory in Korea, then under Japanese colonial rule. According to the Gerontology Research Group, she oversaw business operations while raising her children during this period. After the war, she continued to support the family business. == Personal life ==

Itooka had four children. At the age of 100 in 2008, Itooka successfully climbed each step of Ashiya shrine without any assistance. She participated in the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which was a pilgrimage to 33 temples. Itooka attributed her longevity to eating bananas and drinking Calpis, a Japanese dairy-based beverage. Itooka was still able to independently move at age 116, but she mainly used a wheelchair. Reports attributed her death to complications related to old age. ==See also==