The oldest person alive celebrated her 117th birthday by eating strawberries and cream in 2020. She is still in good health today.
Kane Tanaka was born prematurely on January 2, 1903, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
In 2019, Guinness World Records confirmed that she was the oldest person on earth.
The supercentenarian is still in good health and regularly beats the care home staff at board games.
Kane Tanaka was the seventh child of Kumakichi and Kuma Ota, who married four days after her 19th birthday.
Kane Tanaka did not meet Hideo Tanaka before their wedding day on January 6 1922, as was traditional in Japan at the time.
Kane Tanaka and Hideo Tanaka owned a business named Tanaka Mochiya. The company sold sticky rice, Zenzai (a type of Japanese sweet), and Udon noodles.
In 1937, when her husband was called up for military service during the Second Sino-Japanese War, she became more involved in the firm
The couple had four children and adopted a fifth during their marriage.
She now has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Both Mr. Tanaka and their eldest son Nobuo passed away during the Second World War, and Mrs. Tanaka continued to run the family firm until her retirement at age 63.
The supercentenarian usually wakes up at 6am and studies math or calligraphy in the afternoon.
A favorite past time of Mrs. Tanaka is playing the board game Othello. She regularly beats staff at the rest home in Fukuoka where she lives.
Three years ago, she said she would like to live until at least 120 years old, and she credited family, sleep, and hope for her longevity.
Mrs Tanaka’s family says she has a strong appetite and enjoys sweets and soda.
In 2019, during a ceremony to mark officially being named the world’s oldest person, the lady immediately began tucking into a box of chocolates sent as a gift.
When asked how many chocolates she wanted to eat that day, she replied ‘100.’
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