World’s Oldest Twins: over 100 years old

Kinsan Ginsan was the affectionate name give to twin sisters from Japan who were record-setting in terms of their longevity. Gin and Kin, whose names mean silver and gold in Japanese, were born on 1 August 1892 in Nagoya, 270km (170 miles) west of Tokyo. Kin was the elder daughter and Gin was the younger daughter. Tests proved that they were identical twins, although for some reason they had different blood types. 

In 1991, they celebrated being about to reach 100 years of age, and were featured in a newspaper article in which the mayor of Nagoya met both of them and congratulated them. Their health and vitality, despite being over 100 years old, was said to be “an ideal form of living in your sunset years”, and they became national celebrities in Japan. Kin died in 2000 and Gin in the next year, at the age of 108.