The ninety-seven-year-old curious girl just passed away at the age of one hundred and seven.

Recently we learned that Japan’s first female photographer and photojournalist Sasamoto Tsuneko passed away in mid-August. When I read her autobiography at the beginning of this year, I calculated that she would be one hundred and eight years old in September this year.

I believe she has no regrets about life and leaves feeling fulfilled.

I came across her autobiography "97-Year-Old Curious Girl" by chance in the library. How could anyone have the same mentality as me? In the photo, she had a childish smile on her face and was full of energetic hope, so she immediately borrowed it.

There will always be periods of confusion in life, especially as a reporter, especially as a reporter in Hong Kong, especially as a reporter in Hong Kong in recent years. Those who want to be good reporters are all burning their own ideals, dawdling around, doing business, and being confused. I have seen them. I reflect on myself, and it is curiosity that drives me to discover one story after another. Even at a turning point in life, curiosity does not stop. The driving force of my predecessor Tsuneko Sasamoto is also curiosity. I can't help but secretly rejoice: I am not alone in my path.

Tsuneko Sasamoto was born in 1914. Painter, novelist and journalist were her dream jobs in her childhood. Her father, who loved Japanese painting, asked her to learn painting, but he objected to her taking up a career as a painter because he could not get married and could not make enough money. She followed her teacher's advice and went to a higher vocational school, but was unable to devote herself to it and dropped out of school without permission. In those days, she was so rebellious, which shows her rebellious personality.

Encouraged by the tenant who rented her house (a news reporter), Tsuneko Sasamoto, who had never held a camera, accepted the job of a report photographer. "What a man can do, a woman may not be able to do." In 1940, she joined the Photographic Association Foundation and became the first female report photographer in Japan.

A large number of previous articles about this book have introduced Tsuneko Sasamoto as Japan’s first female news photographer and reporter, but when I read the book, she wrote that the Photographic Association’s initial mission included a propaganda war: “…by the Cabinet Intelligence Department and various agencies ( "A voluntary organization jointly funded by the Army, Navy, Foreign Affairs, Railways, Industry and Commerce). Lin Qianyi, who invited her to join, was sent to mainland China as a reporter and found that Japan's propaganda war lagged far behind other countries. After returning to Japan Then the Photography Association was established to send photos to foreign countries. It was the first photo agency in Japan.

Tsuneko Sasamoto got divorced because she was too devoted to work; due to changes in the socio-economic environment, she had to make a living by sewing, which she learned in her youth, and then ikebana. Fortunately, both were things she was interested in and could use her strengths. However, the concern for photography lingered.

In 1984, after her second husband died of illness, a distant relative helped her organize an exhibition of works taken during the postwar period of the Showa and 1930s. At the age of seventy-one, she returned to the world of photography.

"This is the age when many people my age retire, and I start over."

From then on, she never mentioned her age until her true age was exposed at a photography exhibition in 2010, causing public uproar.

There are so many things I want to do, and I don’t have time to think about my age. Even if someone asks me how old I am, I always answer them "I have no age."

"Whether it's your mood or your body, once you slack off, it's very difficult to start over again, especially as you get older."

Tsuneko Sasamoto is not as happy and carefree as she appears.

Isn't it smart to not show your hard work on your face? Even if I show a sad expression, no one will hug me except my mother. Therefore, even if you hide your tears secretly, you still have to show a cheerful and cheerful side on the surface.

There were several times when I almost couldn't hold on any longer, and people around me would open a path for me. I firmly believe that the reason why my popularity and luck are so good must be because I have always maintained a cheerful mood. I think, whether it’s popularity or luck, they will definitely gather in bright places, right?

This is the wisdom of experience, I must remember it well. "No one will hug me except my mother." Underneath Tsuneko Sasamoto's energetic smile is an insight into the cold reality. Many people feel the same way.

Most of the comments focus on her disregarding her age and putting herself into work, but I think her sharing about appearance and love should also be noted. Before nine in the morning, she puts on foundation, draws on her eyebrows, and puts on lipstick. If your complexion is not good, put on a little blush. "Although I live alone, if someone suddenly comes to the door, it won't look good if I have unkempt hair, right?" Oh, if I don't go out, I will be lazy and look really sloppy.

When she was young, she loved to wear perfume and rub it on her clothes. If she used cologne, she would open her clothes slightly and spray some inside them so that the smell would not be too obvious.

As time goes by, she still retains her beauty. All things and flowers are precious as they bloom and wither. ~~Song sung by Shi Saito, a member of the Japan Art Academy

"Can't people fall in love after they are ninety years old? I personally think that as long as it doesn't cause anyone any trouble, it's okay. And it might reduce one wrinkle."

She implicitly stated in the book that she was still in love. I like that she didn't fall into the cliche of "love at dusk". Since age is forgotten, there is no such thing as dusk, not to mention that love makes people young.

When she eats dinner, she will always drink a glass of wine instead of the staple food. Looking at the interview video, the portion of the glass of wine is quite large. If I can stay as naughty and lively as she is, I will have a drink tonight too, out of curiosity!