"80 Is the Youngest, Oldest Is 98": Japanese Senior Choir Draws Attention

A Senior Choir Open to Members Aged 80 and Above
Holding a Concert in Celebration of Respect for the Aged Day This Year

A Japanese choir has become a topic of conversation by setting its membership requirement at "80 years old and above."

On September 10 (local time), the Japanese media outlet Nishinippon Shimbun reported that the "Chorus from 80 Years Old Kyushu" will hold a concert on the 21st at the Well Tobita Performing Arts Hall in Kitakyushu, as part of their Respect for the Aged Day event. Respect for the Aged Day is a public holiday in Japan, celebrated on the third Monday of every September. This year, the holiday falls on the 21st.

A Japanese choir for people aged 80 and over, "Choir from 80s Kyushu." Yonhap News Agency

As its name suggests, the choir only accepts members who are 80 years old or older. According to the media, the choir is comprised of 141 members—20 men and 121 women—with an average age of 87. Among them, 30 are in their 90s, and the oldest member is 98 years old, just one year away from turning 99.

While some members joined simply because they love to sing, the media also noted that others did so in order to make friends or to take a break from care services.

Rehearsals are held once a month, and members with mobility issues can sit in chairs during practice. Members with hearing difficulty are arranged in the front row so they can hear fellow singers more easily, demonstrating the choir's meticulous attention to members' needs. There is a nurse among the staff, and even a practicing physician amongst the members, reflecting the particular emphasis placed on the choir's health management.

Tsunemitsu Koichi, the 85-year-old leader of the choir, explained the purpose: "By limiting membership to those over 80, those at the age of 80 become the youngest members. I started the choir after thinking about how to spend the next 20 years in this era of 100-year lifespans."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.