Kimi Inadomi, a remarkable figure celebrated as a “living legend” in Torrance, California, recently marked her 100th birthday on November 26, 2025. Surrounded by her family, Inadomi was honored at Lawry’s Prime Rib in Beverly Hills, a testament to her enduring spirit and the legacy she has built over the century.
Strong and independent, Inadomi lives alone and remains active, navigating her home with ease and engaging in daily exercises. Until recently, she was still driving, demonstrating a vitality that belies her age. Her son, Ken Inadomi, describes her as a beacon of positivity, especially in light of the challenges she has faced throughout her life.
A Life Marked by Resilience and Reflection
Kimi’s journey has not been without hardship. Born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents, her life took a dramatic turn on December 7, 1941, when the bombing of Pearl Harbor led to the internment of Japanese Americans. Inadomi was just 17 years old, a senior in high school, excited about her future. However, the war changed everything. “You don’t belong here,” her principal told her class, reflecting the deep-seated prejudice that arose during that time.
Following the internment order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Kimi and her family were relocated to a camp in Poston, Arizona. There, they lived in harsh conditions, surrounded by barbed wire and deprived of personal privacy. As her daughter, Laurie Inadomi-Halvorsen, recalls, the experience was humiliating and traumatic for her family, yet Kimi has chosen to focus on resilience rather than resentment.
Kimi’s philosophy of life is encapsulated in the Japanese phrase “Shikata ga nai,” meaning “it can’t be helped.” This perspective has helped her cope with adversity, a lesson she passed on to her children.
Building a Family and a Future
After the war, Kimi moved to Des Moines to attend the American Institute of Business, where she met her husband, Yosh Inadomi. Together, they returned to Los Angeles, where they raised five children and ran a successful grocery market chain named JonSon’s. Although she did not initially complete her college education, Kimi returned to school at 45 years old, earning a bachelor’s degree in history from USC.
Her life has not been without tragedy; Yosh passed away unexpectedly from a cerebral aneurysm in 1985. Kimi has navigated widowhood for the past four decades but continues to find joy in her family, which now includes five children, ten grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.
In 1995, Kimi moved to Torrance to be closer to her family, settling into the Pacific Coast Colony gated community. Her active lifestyle includes tennis and golf, activities she pursued well into her later years. Despite the passage of time, she remains engaged with her family and community, embodying the values of resilience she learned from her parents.
Reflecting on her life, Kimi stated, “I am content,” emphasizing the importance of family as her greatest pride. Her son Ken captures her spirit perfectly in his book, “The Pen and the Mirror,” noting, “We are all shaped by those who walked before us.”
As Kimi Inadomi celebrates her centenary, her story serves as a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity and the enduring significance of family and community.
