Posted on: Monday, January 31, 2005

Hilo woman lived to 110 on 'good genes'

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hanayo Kami, who came to Hilo in 1915 as a picture bride from Hiroshima, Japan, and lived to be 110 years old, died Jan. 18.

Albert Kami, the middle of her three sons, said his mother didn't do anything special to live such a long, healthy life.

"It's good genes," said Albert Kami, a Hilo resident. "Besides that, it must have been her diet. She ate a lot of vegetables." His mother also did not smoke or drink alcohol, he said.

Kami was born Sept. 15, 1894, in Hiroshima. She traveled by boat to Hawai'i to marry 21-year-old Kanichi Kami, who was a cane planter for a sugar plantation.

Hilo became home for the young couple. They raised three sons, who are now grandfathers themselves.

Albert Kami said his mother was a quiet woman and a homemaker who cooked traditional Japanese foods for the family.

For the past two decades, his mother lived at the Life Care Center of Hilo. She was active until about 10 years ago, he said.

The family held private services Saturday at Dodo Mortuary, Albert Kami said.

In addition to son Albert, Kami is survived by sons Hideo and Ralph, both of Hilo; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.