Misao Okawa, the woman who held the Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest living person and oldest living woman, has died at the age of 117.

Misao Okawa Dies Weeks After 117th Birthday

Okawa was born in Japan in 1898 and died less than a month after celebrating her 117th birthday. When she turned 116, Okawa told reporters that the secret to a long life was getting a lot of sleep and eating well. Long lives appear to run in the family – her eldest son, who celebrated her 117th birthday with her on March 5, is himself 92-years-old. During the celebrations, Okawa looked back on her long life and told reporters, “It seemed rather short.”

“She was a person with mild character, and loved to eat so much. Her favorite food was sushi and udon noodles,” revealed nursing home employee, Satoshi Yoshioka.

Guinness named Okawa the world’s oldest person in June 2013, and Guinness announced that they are currently looking for her successor as the oldest living woman. According to Japan’s ministry of health, labor and welfare, the oldest living person in Japan is now a 115-year-old woman.

Okawa died at the nursing home she had lived in since 1997, surrounded by her three children, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.