Shitsui Hakoishi, a 108-year-old barber from Nakagawa, Japan, has been officially recognised as the world’s oldest female barber.
She received her Guinness World Record this week, nearly 90 years after earning her barber’s license in 1936. Despite her age, Hakoishi continues to cut hair in her salon, serving a few loyal customers each month.
Born in 1916, Hakoishi moved to Tokyo at 14 to train as a barber, working hard to perfect her skills. She later opened a shop with her husband in 1939, but World War II brought hardship—her salon was destroyed in an air raid, and her husband never returned from the war. In 1953, she started a one-seat barber shop in her hometown while raising two children.
Hakoishi believes daily exercise has helped her stay active, a habit she has maintained since turning 70. In 2021, she was even chosen as an Olympic torchbearer. Japan, known for its aging population, has more than 95,000 centenarians, with many elderly citizens staying active in sports and other professions.
Although knee pain limits how often she can work, Hakoishi remains dedicated to her craft. “Life has been full of hardships, but I’m truly happy,” she said. “I want to keep going as long as I can.”
