90-Year-Old Japanese Bodybuilder Reveals the Vegetarian Diet Behind His Fitness

Turning 90 has not slowed down Toshisuke Kanazawa. The Japanese bodybuilder is still training, competing and adding trophies to a career that has now spanned decades.

Kanazawa recently won the 85-and-over category at the All Japan Masters Fitness Championships, just a day after celebrating his 90th birthday. The victory was his 19th national title, making his achievement even more remarkable.

While his age and longevity have attracted attention, so has the way he eats. Kanazawa has stayed away from meat and fish for about four decades, following a largely vegetarian diet while maintaining his bodybuilding routine.

WHAT’S ON KANAZAWA’S PLATE?

Speaking to CNN, Kanazawa said he gave up meat and fish when he returned to competitive bodybuilding at 50.

His diet is surprisingly straightforward.

Breakfast generally includes brown rice, natto and miso soup. Natto consists of fermented soybeans and is a source of plant protein, while miso soup is traditionally prepared using fermented soybean paste.

Lunch and dinner usually feature brown rice with a small amount of furikake, a Japanese seasoning used as a topping. Alongside his meals, Kanazawa drinks a protein shake three times a day.

His routine does not revolve around complicated recipes or fashionable diet trends. Instead, he has maintained a simple eating pattern alongside years of training.

Kanazawa is part of a wider group of bodybuilders who have embraced vegetarian or vegan diets. Nimai Delgado and Anil Gochikar, for example, have also publicly followed plant-based eating patterns, with careful attention to protein and other essential nutrients.

THE PERSONAL STORY BEHIND HIS RETURN

Kanazawa’s bodybuilding journey has an emotional side.

He stopped competing at 34 but returned to the sport at 50 after his wife became ill. Watching her husband compete and succeed gave her something to cheer about. Although she has since passed away, Kanazawa has continued to compete.

That motivation appears to have evolved into a lifelong pursuit.

Kanazawa says ageing is unavoidable, but he continues to explore how exercise and nutrition might help him stay active for longer.

“Ageing is something you simply cannot control. I am just continuously striving to see how we can slow down ageing through diet and training,” he said.

He has even set himself an extraordinary target of reaching 130.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IS STILL ON HIS MIND

At 90, Kanazawa is not looking to call time on bodybuilding. One of his next ambitions is to compete at the World Championships in the over-60 category.

He also hopes to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime inspiration.

“Even though I am only 10 years older than Arnold, I want to show him what I can do,” Kanazawa said.

His story is a reminder that there is no single diet or exercise routine that can guarantee a long, healthy life. Genetics, nutrition, training history, lifestyle and other individual factors all influence ageing.

For Kanazawa, however, the formula appears to be built around consistency: simple food, regular training and a willingness to keep setting new goals—even at 90.