Japanese internet sensation and great-grandmother Kimiko Nishimoto — known for her hilarious, whimsical self-portraits — has passed away at the age of 97.
Nishimoto, who began taking photographs at the age of 72 after enrolling in her son’s photography class, rose to fame for her eccentric and wildly creative selfies, becoming an unlikely Instagram star with over 400,000 followers. Her death was confirmed this week by her son, Kazutami Nishimoto, who shared the news through her official Instagram page.
“Our mother always created her work with a smile,” Kazutami wrote. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who visited her photography exhibitions held across the country, to those who shared warm words of encouragement through Instagram… and to all who supported her warmly throughout her journey.”
Known affectionately as Japan’s “Selfie Queen,” Nishimoto captured the internet’s heart with a quirky sense of humor and a fearless approach to visual storytelling. From posing like a drunken sumo wrestler to riding a broomstick à la Harry Potter, her posts offered a delightful blend of playfulness and satire.
In a 2018 interview with AFP, she said:
“You can take photos no matter how old you get. Wherever it is — in your house, outside, or in your bed — you can do it. That is the nice thing about a camera.”
Despite her lighthearted approach, Nishimoto’s work was taken seriously by many in the art and photography world. Her photos were exhibited across Japan, and she appeared on national television and in major media interviews. However, not all of her pieces were universally understood — one image of her wrapped in a garbage bag, for instance, drew criticism from those unaware that she staged the photo herself.
Nishimoto embraced late-life creativity wholeheartedly, treating her photography not just as art but as a joyful rebellion against aging stereotypes.
“It’s not like ideas just suddenly pop into my head,” she once explained. “But wherever I go, I think about what it would be fun to dress up as in that place.”
Her unique journey — from retirement to viral fame — inspired countless people across the globe, proving that creativity, humor, and reinvention truly have no age limit.
