‘Insta-gran' who rocked social media dies aged 97
A Japanese great-grandmother with 400,000 Instagram followers who shot to fame for her goofy self-portraits after taking up photography aged 72 has died, her son said.
Kimiko Nishimoto, who died this week at the age of 97, said in a 2018 interview that '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,' she said.
Dubbed the 'selfie queen' by Japanese media, Nishimoto's posts showed her in various candid poses – from riding a broom like Harry Potter to imitating an off-duty sumo wrestler on their fifth beer of the night.
'Our mother always created her work with a smile,' a post from her son Kazutami Nishimoto said on her Instagram account on Thursday.
'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.'
Nishimoto's son teaches photography classes, which his mother started taking in retirement.
'Though she began photography at the age of 72, she was blessed with countless encounters, which enriched this third chapter of her life tremendously,' he said.
Nishimoto appeared on national television as her online following grew and was interviewed by major news outlets.
But her more out-there visual scenarios were also the cause of some confusion over the years.
One snap – showing her wrapped in a garbage bag, as if she had been discarded – drew criticism from people who didn't know she was involved in its set-up.
'It's not like ideas just suddenly pop into my head but wherever I go I think about what it would be fun to dress up as in that place,' she said in 2018. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Grace Chan throws surprise birthday party for husband Kevin Cheng in Malaysia
Hong Kong actor Kevin Cheng and Canadian actress Grace Chan were in Malaysia last month for the opening of a restaurant. Photo: Grace Chan/Instagram Hong Kong actor Kevin Cheng was treated to a surprise birthday party planned by his wife, Canadian actress Grace Chan, during their work trip to Malaysia last month. On Aug 15, the day Cheng turned 56, Chan – who's based in Hong Kong – shared on Instagram several photos and videos from the gathering, which was attended by a few close friends. One clip showed Cheng beaming as he held up his cake, while his wife danced playfully beside him. Another captured the couple sharing a quick kiss, drawing loud cheers from their friends. 'I know you don't like parties, but you know… when in Malaysia. To my favourite Leo man, thank you for being a rock… Star for our family,' Chan, 34, captioned her post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by♥ 陳凱琳 (@ghlchan) According to Sin Chew Daily , the photos and videos were taken on July 29, when the couple was in Malaysia to attend the opening of a restaurant. Many fans flooded the comments with birthday wishes for Cheng and praised the former TVB star for his youthful looks. Others also couldn't help but gush over the pair's sweet interactions. 'Kevin looks so young. His skin is smooth, and his hair is thick. He doesn't look 56 at all,' one netizen wrote. Another commented: 'Kevin and Grace are truly a model couple. Their love is so sweet it's enviable.' Cheng and Chan tied the knot in 2018. They have three children together – aged between two and six.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Lee Lung Kei, 74, denies rumours of rift with 38YO fiancee: 'We are doing well'
Hong Kong actor Lee Lung Kei and his fiancee Chris Wong went public with their relationship in 2020. Photo: Chris Wong/Instagram Hong Kong singer-actor Lee Lung Kei has dismissed rumours of trouble in his relationship with his 38-year-old fiancee Chris Wong. Speculation arose after a photo of the 74-year-old star dining with friends in Canada circulated online, with many noting Wong's absence. Dismissing the claims in an interview with Hong Kong news portal HK01, Lee said that he had personally accompanied Wong to her parents' home in Foshan, China, before heading to the United States and Canada for his shows. 'People must have seen some YouTubers spreading rumours online, right? Don't believe these so-called YouTubers,' the former TVB star added. On their wedding plans, Lee revealed that the couple wants to keep things low-key, as Wong wishes to step away from the public eye. 'I promised her I would keep things on the down low from now on. She hopes to fade out of the spotlight soon, so all I can say is we're doing well,' he said. Wong, a Chinese national whose real name is Wang Qingxia, was sentenced by the Shatin Magistrates' Court in June 2024 after pleading guilty to five charges related to overstaying in Hong Kong and forging university certificates to obtain an entry permit. During her time behind bars, Lee wrote her letters every one to two weeks to keep her spirits up. He also expressed his wish to marry her after her release and even purchased a gold bracelet earlier this year in preparation for their wedding. Wong was deported upon her release earlier on July 7 and crossed into mainland China via the Shenzhen Bay Immigration Control Point. That day, Lee greeted her with a bouquet of pink roses at the immigration hall before embracing her.
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
More purring, more buying? Why bookstores showcase their pets
Wander into Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States and you might miss the tawny cat napping in the window, spine pressed against the sunniest corner of the sill. Venture deeper into the cosy warren of picture and chapter books, and you'll begin to detect a theme, if not a whiff of birdseed. That lazy feline known as Booker T. Jones turns out to be one of many beasts on the premises. Dave is a 27-year-old cockatiel who looks as if he applied too much coral rouge. Mo, a 26-year-old Barbary dove, roosts peacefully in a cage atop the sale shelf. There's also Newbery and Caldecott, a pair of gentle chinchillas; the Stinky Cheese Man, who, like all crested geckos, licks his own eyeballs; and Eartha Kitt, a jet-black Manx who politely recoiled from a visitor's hand while curled, cinnamon bun-style, in a mail bin. The chinchilla brothers Newbery and Caldecott at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis.(Eric Ruby/The New York Times) And, finally, there are 10 fish in a tank in the bathroom, all named for the children's book illustrators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris. Their successors will be too, according to bookstore tradition. A menagerie like this has been a hallmark of Wild Rumpus since the store opened in 1992. When the original owner sold the business to four employees in 2024, the critters were part of the deal. A fish tank where a bathroom mirror should be at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis, July 8, 2025. At shops across the country, some of the most popular sales associates have four legs, twitchy ears and whiskers. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) 'They're the No.1 draw,' said Anna Hersh, a co-owner and animal care coordinator, who visited the brood daily during pandemic lockdown. 'We get a whole bunch of readers, but people really come to see the animals.' Docile dogs and aloof cats have long been fixtures of independent bookstores, as ubiquitous as free bookmarks. For the most part, they serve as quiet mascots – steadfast and loyal, deigning to have their heads patted or ears scratched while humans tend to the business of words. A cat named Booker T Jones at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) Now, thanks to social media, many stores have put themselves on the map with the help of little creatures, including some unlikely stars (bearded dragon, anyone?). The pairing makes sense: books and animals both provide joy, companionship and windows into other worlds. The former are, admittedly, a lot tidier. At Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Vermont, a Russian desert tortoise named Veruca Salt lords over the children's room from his four-foot tank on the second floor. Claire Benedict and her husband inherited the turtle – previously presumed to be female – from a school librarian. The store hosts an annual birthday party for Veruca, who is around 35, with games, cake and stories. The Tortoise And The Hare is a favourite. Like many bashful creatures, Veruca found his 'voice' on Instagram, where he has more than 2,000 fans. A child pets Eartha Kitt, a jet-black Manx, at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. (Eric Ruby/The New York Times) It's hard to say whether animals affect sales but they certainly bring in foot traffic: 'You have people coming in saying, 'I think there's a tortoise here who I follow',' Benedict said. At Scattered Books in New York, three litter-trained bunnies – Moo, Chuck and Chip – have the run of the place when they're not feasting on farmers market lettuce in their triple-decker mansion with a view of the great outdoors. The bunnies have their own basket of pre-chewed books but that doesn't stop them from occasionally sinking their teeth into a mystery or romance. 'The rabbits lend a nice comedic atmosphere,' says Laura Schaefer, the owner of Scattered Books in New York. – VINCENT ALBAN/The New York Times 'We don't have books on the bottom shelves,' said Laura Schaefer, who opened Scattered Books in 2017. 'The rabbits lend a nice comedic atmosphere. They don't make any sounds but they can communicate.' In 2018, Moo climbed up former president Bill Clinton's leg while CBS was interviewing him about his collaboration with James Patterson on The President Is Missing. Meow factor At the Literary Cat Co in Pittsburg, Kansas, readers have the opportunity to adopt a pet while they shop. The store partners with a local rescue organisation, hosting about seven cats at a time, along with three permanent feline 'employees': Hank, the regional manager; Scarlett Toe'Hara, the assistant regional manager (she's polydactyl); and Mike Meowski, the assistant to the assistant regional manager. A cat named Scarlett Toe'Hara at the Literary Cat Co. in Pittsburg, Kan., July 8, 2025. Scarlett Toe'Hara has extra toes, the result of a genetic condition. (David Robert Elliott/The New York Times) Jennifer Mowdy, the store's owner, described each cat's role, personality and origin story with the air of a matriarch ticking off successful grandchildren. Speaking of the upper respiratory illness that cost Mike Meowski an eye, she sounded stoic. He was a kitten; she was there for him. They soldiered through. Mowdy created a glass alcove for allergic customers – and to deter escapees – and a 'kitty conference room' (accessible by cat door) for litter boxes. With regular scooping, four air purifiers and daily mists of Mrs Meyers Room Spray, she said the scent of the store is neutral to positive. Mo, who was named after author Mo Willems, at Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis. – ERIC RUBY/The New York Times In the past year and a half, the Literary Cat Co has facilitated 50 adoptions. 'We've only had one cat that didn't work out,' Mowdy said. 'Too much fight in her.' No barking, no biting Dog lovers, never fear. Plenty of bookstores cater to the canine crowd, including Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, where employees are welcome to bring their best friends to work. The current roster includes Miller, a French bulldog; Barnabus, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel; Winnie, a tiny hound mix; and Nemo, who is half Bichon and half poodle, according to novelist Ann Patchett, who owns the store. Moo and Chip fraternize with young readers at Scattered Books in Chappaqua, N.Y., July 16, 2025. When Moo was born at the store five years ago, the event was covered by a journalism class from a local middle school. (Vincent Alban/The New York Times) Her rules for shop dogs are simple: 'No barking. No biting. You have to like children and be patient, and you can't run out the front door.' Patchett recalled a lively beagle, Eleanor Roosevelt, who bolted out of Parnassus, across five lanes of traffic and into a parking garage before being corralled by an employee. 'Eleanor worked remotely after that,' said Patchett. While cats, birds, rabbits and lizards can be left alone overnight, dogs generally cannot, which makes them slightly more complicated as bookstore pets. But they can be excellent listeners; as Patchett pointed out, beginning readers feel comfortable testing their skills with a dog. Anna Hersh enjoys bringing her Lhasa apso, Penny, to Wild Rumpus, but she's leery of committing to an official shop dog. For now, Hersh is happy with the book-to-animal ratio at her store, and the visitors who enjoy both. Booker T. Jones is an especially good cat to practice 'gentle' on, she said, although Wild Rumpus has a rule that patrons aren't supposed to pick up the pets. Because it's impossible to predict the behaviour of children and animals, Hersh added, 'We obviously have fun Band-Aids.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company
