Hearing the word twins, one immediately thinks of identical-looking individuals, especially those of the same sex. However, this assumption is far from the truth for Yoshie and Michie Kikuchi. For the 33-year-old sisters, what sets them apart is not just their facial features but also their height. While Yoshie’s height is 162.5 cm (5 ft 4 in), Michie stands at 87.5 cm (2 ft 10.5 in). This gives them a height difference of 75 cm or 29.5 inches. Last Thursday, the Guinness World Records gave Yoshie and Michie the title of “greatest height differential in living non-identical twins (female).” The two sisters were born in Japan on October 15, 1989. Michie soon developed a condition called congenital spinal epiphyseal dysplasia. It is a bone disorder that restricts her growth. New record: Greatest height differential in living fraternal twins (female) - 75.0 cm (2 ft 5.5 in) between Yoshie and Michie Kikuchi (Japan) 🇯🇵 Despite their differences, Yoshie and Michie remain the closest of sisters 🥰️@GWRJapan pic.twitter.com/B5LZ4aswaf — Guinness World Records (@GWR) February 24, 2023 In conversation with the Guinness World Records, Michie revealed that growing up, she was an introverted and insecure kid because of the limitations she faced due to her short height. However, her mindset changed significantly when she learned about Chandra Bahadur Dangi, the shortest man ever. Dangi’s story implored her to see her unique condition in a new light. She was also inspired to seek a Guinness World Record title related to the stark height difference between her and her twin. To confirm the claim of “greatest height differential in living non-identical twins (female)” a Guinness World Record adjudicator measured the heights of Yoshie and Michie three times: once in the morning, then at lunchtime, and finally in the evening. Once these readings were deemed accurate by a doctor present at the scene, the twin sisters were awarded the unique title. After getting the record, Michie said, “There are many people living with different physical conditions. As soon as you label them and pigeonhole them, discrimination begins. By having a world record, I want to show that there are people like me living a good life, and others with the same condition can do the same.”
