81-Year-Old Man Picks Up Skateboarding Later in Life to Stay Sharp

Retiree Yoshio Kinoshita picked up boarding two years ago and is happy to continue to learn skills from youngsters in Japan.

Yoshio Kinoshita, a retired technician, bought a skateboard from a Japanese market that was selling unclaimed items just two years ago, on a whim.  

Now, when the 81-year-old is not at his part-time job as a parking lot attendant, he visits his local skatepark regularly.

Kinoshita uses this time to learn skills and tricks from boarders younger than his grandchildren, saying that he believes it is a way to prevent dementia.

"For people like me who try to learn new things, if we don't practice it little by little every day we will forget how to do it immediately.” Kinoshita told Reuters. 

“I had to learn from the beginning again," he said. "So my skills can be improved only by a little.

"That's why I think I have to practice every day.”

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