Okinawa’s 100 year old “Miss Kita Nakagusuku”, still doing her cleaning and weeding, celebrates by sharing her vigor with Governor Denny. (23se24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Scaevola Taccada, beachside Mihama, 20se24


16 September was “Respect the Aged Day”. So, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki and Kita Nakagusuku Village Mayor Takanori Higa paid a visit to village resident Yoshi Ota (100), who celebrated her 100th birthday in August. They presented her a certificate of congratulations and a memento of the occasion.


Until Yoshi was 97, she had tended her farm, and, still now, she pulls weeds and cleans up around her house pretty much every morning. After shaking hands with Governor Tamaki and Mayor Higa, she shared her vigor in wishing them, “Everybody, go for it!”


Yoshi’s first daughter Satchiko Yamashiro (71), referring to her mother’s personality, noted, “She’s always been a tireless worker!” From the time of her youth, she tended her field, harvested the crops, put the vegetables on a wheelbarrow, and took them to the farmers' coop by herself.


Her daughter added that so far her mother is ever full of vigor, noting, “She’s always working. Every morning she’s cleaning up and pulling weeds around the house.” 


Word has it that Yoshi also enjoys herself creating origami and ornaments at her day-care center. Her front hall is abundantly adorned with the objects that she has created.


Governor Tamaki told Yoshi, “The vigor of your health is a target for the people of our prefecture. Please live on even longer for us!”


In  the Village Miss Contest for those 80 and above, Yoshi  was  selected Miss Kita Nakagusuku.  (Ed. Note: the “miss” is an exquisitely cute pun on “美mi寿su”: lovely long age.) She showed her joy in being 100 with the full faced glory of her smile.


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, published Monday 16 September 2024 at 15:10.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/94d5628b1644aab4b933d28a4ea58148a65239cb


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 


This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 


Any suggestion on improving my translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.


Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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