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Zoey Zhang

A woman known as Japan’s selfie grandma who redefined ageing with her quirky self-portraits, has died, aged 97.
Despite taking up photography late in life, nonagenarian Kimiko Nishimoto started learning the skill at the age of 72. She showed an uncanny ability to entertain and delight with her images.
She held her first solo exhibition in 2011 and published her first book of photos in 2016. After joining social media in 2018, she quickly gained more than 400,000 followers.
Nishimoto was born in Brazil and moved to Japan when she was eight.

She settled in Kumamoto Prefecture in the central part of Japan’s southwestern Kyushu Island.
After working as a hairdresser, she became a competitive cyclist, racing with her brothers in national contests.
At 27, she married a tax official and raised three children.
For most of her life, Nishimoto had no connection to the art world. That changed when she turned 72 and became interested in photography.

“It was like every door opened for her at that age,” her art director son, who taught her the discipline, recalled.
Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world, but Nishimoto stood out by poking fun at her “oldness”.
She created self-portraits and taught herself photo editing.
Her quirky work depicted her as a fairy chatting with birds, chasing cars on an electric wheelchair and getting “hit” by car while reading a newspaper.
In one image, she wrapped herself in a rubbish bag and joked: “When you are old, being thrown away is just part of life.”
She once told The Japan Times: “For me, life is about having fun. I just look around and always find something interesting to photograph.”

In 2011, Nishimoto held her first solo exhibition and published her debut photo book in 2016.
She joined a social media platform in 2018, attracted more than 400,000 followers and earned the nickname “selfie grandma”.
Nishimoto once said that people do not need fancy skills to enjoy photography.
“I love shooting beautiful, cute and weird things. The older I get, the more I feel there is never enough time,” she said.
Many fans said they were surprised by her work and described her as a true artistic genius.
Nishimoto told The Japan Times that photography helped her cope with the loss of her husband, who died of lung cancer in 2012.
While living alone, her son gifted her a humanoid robot companion called Pepper, which she took photographs of and scolded for being too noisy.
Nishimoto credited her vitality to smoking and a daily glass of bourbon.
In May, she shared a lighthearted photo of herself puffing on a leaf, telling fans she would be in hospital for a while.

On June 5, Nishimoto shared an image of cherry blossoms with the caption: “I hope I can see the cherry blossoms again next year.”
Four days later, her eldest son announced on social media that she had died from cancer, describing her as a joyful, creative spirit who always wanted to make other people smile.
“Although my mother started her artistic journey at 72, with the support of many, the final chapter of her life became rich and fulfilling,” he wrote.
Messages of condolence poured in from around the world.
One person wrote: “Your work brought me happiness. I hope the cherry blossoms bloom in heaven.”
Another said: “Your legacy will continue to inspire us to rethink ageing and live with grace, humour and joy. Goodbye, selfie grandma.”


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Japan ‘selfie grandma’, Kimiko Nishimoto, dies at 97, rises to fame at 72 for quirky portraits

An elderly woman in Japan who earned the nickname “selfie grandma” online for her quirky photographic take on life has died, aged 97. Photo: SCMP composite/IG@kimiko_nishimoto

Nishimoto may have been a late starter in the world of photography, but she quickly made an impact. Photo: IG@kimiko_nishimoto

In her younger days, Nishimoto was a keen cyclist who took part in national competitions. Photo: IG@kimiko_nishimoto

The sprightly photographic “genius” is pictured next to one of her creations. Photo: IG@kimiko_nishimoto

Nishimoto said she loved to photograph “weird things”, and as shown above, she was not wrong. Photo: IG@kimiko_nishimoto

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Chinese women spend US$14 to relax after work by enjoying luxury car rides with charming young men. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

These young men are typically wealthy university students who use their families’ luxury vehicles during their leisure time to provide rides to women. Photo: Shutterstock

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Abdullah’s remarkable story has touched many in Malaysia, with numerous people comparing him to a superhero. Photo: Shutterstock

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Min waters the vegetables he planted in his garden and which are the mainstay of his diet. Photo: QQ.com

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Nonagenarian Li could shame a person less than half her age with her push-up prowess. Photo: Douyin

The sprightly Li demonstrates how supple and agile she is despite her advancing years. Photo: Douyin

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News

People & Culture

‘Joyful, creative spirit’ who took social media by storm with her sideways look at life leaves a legacy of ‘grace and humour’


‘Joyful, creative spirit’ who took social media by storm with her sideways look at life leaves a legacy of ‘grace and humour’.


Japan

Social media

Obituary

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Joyful, creative spirit’ who took social media by storm with her sideways look at life leaves a legacy of ‘grace and humour’

‘Joyful, creative spirit’ who took social media by storm with her sideways look at life leaves a legacy of ‘grace and humour’