A 108-year-old Japanese woman in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest female barber.



At a gymnasium in the town of Nakagawa on Wednesday, Hakoishi Shitsui was presented with a certificate showing that she is 108 years and 115 days old.



Her shop's regular customers and other locals gathered at the gymnasium to celebrate with flowers and a cake.



Hakoishi was born in Nakagawa in 1916. After obtaining a barber's license in Tokyo, she opened a salon with her husband in the capital. But her husband died during World War Two. She also lost their store.
Hakoishi opened a salon in Nakagawa Town after the war ended. She still continues to oblige, when regular customers and others ask her to cut their hair.



In 2021, when she was 104 years old, Hakoishi took part in the torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics.



Hakoishi says she is happy. She notes that help from the people around her has enabled her to continue working for so long. The barber also says she will keep on offering her services, as long as there are customers.



Guinness World Records recognized a 107-year-old American man as the world's oldest practicing barber in 2018.



It currently has separate categories for the oldest male barber and the oldest female barber. Hakoishi is recognized as the world's oldest female barber.