@tokyojapannow: At 40, she had just 60 yen left after her divorce. Today, at 66, she has traveled around the world seven times. Japanese woman Sugino's journey began with financial hardship, 25 job rejections and the responsibility of raising two young sons. To support her family, she worked seven days a week across 10 part-time jobs, including bookkeeping and restaurant shifts. At 50, encouragement from a teacher she met while helping children with developmental disabilities inspired her to study through a university correspondence course. She earned an elementary school teaching licence and began teaching at 51. But after failing three times to secure a full-time position, Sugino made another major decision. At 58, with ¥5.2 million saved, she left teaching and embarked on a year-long journey around the world. Now 66, she has circled the globe seven times, published a book and shares her experiences through talks across Japan. She calls life after 60 her "second youth." If you could start your life over at 60, what would you do differently?

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Friday 06 November 2026 06:59:00 GMT