Japan's Quirky Selfie Grandma Kimiko Nishimoto: From 72-Year-Old Sensation to 97-Year-Old Legend

A 'joyful, creative soul' who captivated social media with her unconventional perspective on life has left behind a heritage marked by 'grace and humor'.

A lady renowned as Japan’s selfie granny, who transformed perceptions of aging through her whimsical self-portraits, passed away at the age of 97.

Even though she took up photography later in her life, nonagenarian Kimiko Nishimoto began mastering the craft when she was 72 years old. Her photographs possessed an extraordinary talent for captivating and pleasing viewers.

In 2011, she had her inaugural solo show, and in 2016, she released her debut photography book. Upon signing up for social media platforms in 2018, she rapidly amassed over 400,000 followers.

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Nishimoto was born in Brazil and relocated to Japan at the age of eight.

She made her home in Kumamoto Prefecture, located in the center of Japan’s southwestern Kyushu island.

Following her career as a hairstylist, she transitioned into competitive cycling, joining her siblings in various national competitions.

By the age of 27, she had tied the knot with a tax officer and brought up three kids.

Throughout much of her life, Nishimoto remained unconnected to the realm of art. However, this shifted once she reached 72 years old and developed an interest in photography.

"As she reached that age, it seemed as though every opportunity came her way," her art director son, who imparted the discipline to her, remembered.

Despite Japan having one of the most aged societies globally, Nishimoto distinguished herself by making light of her own "senior status."

She made self-portraits and learned photo editing on her own.

Her eccentric creations portrayed her as a fairy conversing with birds, zooming around in an electric wheelchair and pretending to be hit by a car while engrossed in a newspaper.

In a single picture, she enveloped herself in a garbage bag and quipped, "As you age, ending up discarded becomes merely a part of life."

She previously shared with The Japan Times, "To me, living means enjoying oneself. Whenever I look around, I discover something captivating to capture through my lens."

In 2011, Nishimoto had her inaugural solo show, followed by the release of her first photography book in 2016.

In 2018, she signed up for a social media platform, gathered over 400,000 followers, and was dubbed the "selfie granny."

Nishimoto previously mentioned that one doesn’t require elaborate techniques to appreciate photography.

“I enjoy capturing gorgeous, adorable, and odd subjects. As I age, I find there’s increasingly insufficient time,” she remarked.

A lot of enthusiasts mentioned they were taken aback by her creations and labeled her as a genuine artistic virtuoso.

Nishimoto shared with The Japan Times that taking photographs assisted her in dealing with the grief following her husband's death from lung cancer in 2012.

Although she lived solo, her son presented her with a robotic companion named Pepper. She snapped pictures of it and also chided it for making excessive noise.

Nishimoto attributed her energy to smoking and having a daily glass of bourbon.

In May, she posted a cheerful picture of herself blowing into a leaf and informed her followers that she would be admitted to the hospital for some time.

On June 5, Nishimoto posted a picture of cherry blossoms along with the comment: "I look forward to seeing the cherry blossoms once more next year."

After four days, her oldest child revealed on social media platforms that she had passed away due to cancer. He portrayed her as a joyous and imaginative soul with an unwavering desire to bring smiles to others' faces.

He noted that despite his mother embarking on her artistic journey at 72, with considerable support from others, her life’s final phase turned out to be enriched and highly satisfying.

Condolences flooded in from across the globe.

Someone commented: "Your efforts have brought me joy. May the sakura flowers flourish in paradise."

Someone else commented: "Your legacy will keep encouraging us to reconsider aging and embrace life with poise, wit, and happiness. Farewell, selfie granny."