Welcome to the Okinawa Centenarian Study

 In 1974, Dr. Makoto Suzuki arrived in Okinawa to help establish the University of the Ryukyus Hospital. While working there, he began hearing reports of unusually high numbers of centenarians—people living past 100 years old, many still active and independent. As a cardiologist and scientist, he was intrigued. To verify the claims, he personally visited each centenarian, checking their medical records, measuring vital signs, and conducting interviews. What he found confirmed the rumors: Okinawans truly were living long, healthy lives, free from many of the chronic diseases common elsewhere. This discovery marked the beginning of Dr. Suzuki’s life’s work—what would become a decades-long study into one of the healthiest populations on Earth. 

In 1989, Dr. Suzuki published Hyaku-sai No Kagaku—translated as The Science of 100-Year-Olds. This Japanese-language book compiled his early findings on Okinawan elders, detailing their medical data, lifestyle habits, diet, and daily routines. Though not widely known outside Japan, it remains one of the most comprehensive and insightful works on Okinawan longevity ever written.

 In 2001, Dr. Suzuki’s research reached a global audience through the release of The Okinawa Program, an international bestseller. The book revealed the unique characteristics of the Okinawan diet and lifestyle, offering practical insights backed by decades of data. It sparked worldwide interest in the idea that aging could be healthy, graceful, and even joyful—shifting how people viewed longevity and preventive health. 

 Today, rates of chronic illness, obesity, and mental health issues are rising around the world. People are living longer, but often in poor health, dependent on medication and disconnected from their communities. In contrast, the Okinawan elders Dr. Suzuki studied lived with vitality, purpose, and social connection well into old age. As the global population ages, the need for evidence-based, culturally rooted models of healthy longevity has never been greater. The Okinawan lifestyle—built on simple foods, daily movement, strong relationships, and a clear sense of purpose—offers powerful lessons that could help reverse these troubling trends and guide future generations toward better health.