Tomiko Itooka, recognized as the world’s oldest living person, has died in Japan at the age of 116.

Tomiko Itooka, previously recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest living person in the world, died in Japan at the age of 116.

Tomiko Itooka was born on May 23, 1908 in Osaka. She got married in 1928 and the couple had four children: two daughters and two sons.

In 1939, when World War II began, Tomiko was working in a factory in Korea and raising children.

Tomiko loved to climb Mount Nijo, which is located between Nara and Osaka prefectures, at an altitude of approximately 2800 meters. She also climbed Mount Ontake (3,000 meters high), located between Nagano and Gifu prefectures, twice. In 1988, at the age of 80, she participated in the pilgrimage twice.

At the age of 100, in 2008, she climbed the long stone steps of the Asia Temple without a cane. She visited Yakushiji Temple in Nara Prefecture many times and enjoyed writing sutras.

Tomiko Itooka was most recently living in Asia, Hyogo Prefecture.