<figure id="attachment_412702" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 850px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-412702"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="616f0ed7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/02/5a32df92fc1ab91589449a56ea5dd1ab.png" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-412702" class="wp-caption-text">&#8220;I hope they recover quickly and show their vibrant selves again, but&#8230;&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<h2>With the whole family together</h2>
In early December of last year, a young couple was seen happily watching their toddler play at the Lego Land Discovery Center in Odaiba (Minato, Tokyo). The couple appeared to be Ruriko Kojima (31), her husband Kouta Kitamura, and their approximately one-year-old child. The area was a free-play space for children around two to three years old, equipped with soft mats, small slides, and a sandbox with Lego blocks.
Approximately a month later, on February 4, Kitamura&#8217;s death was confirmed. After Kojima returned home with her child to their apartment in Minato, Tokyo, Kitamura was found collapsed, and he was later confirmed dead at the hospital. Kojima was also rushed to the hospital due to feeling unwell, but her condition was not serious.
Kojima and Kitamura had married in May 2023, and in August of that year, Kojima announced her pregnancy with their first child. They were living in a luxury residence in Tokyo, seemingly enjoying a happy family life.
However, it seems that Kitamura&#8217;s company, Habitat, which he represented and operated a sauna business, was in financial difficulty. According to an August 2024 financial report published in the official gazette, the company had a negative surplus of approximately 300 million yen. Despite this, reports indicated that Kitamura adored Kojima, often going out of his way to fulfill her wishes, including supporting her studies in China, suggesting he may not have shared the company’s financial troubles with her.
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<h2>Happily chatting with a couple</h2>
In early December of last year, a young couple was seen happily watching a toddler, who was waddling and playing alone, at a facility inside the theme park &#8220;Legoland Discovery Center Tokyo&#8221; in Odaiba (Minato Ward, Tokyo).
&#8220;It seemed that Ruriko Kojima (31), her husband, Kouta Kitamura, and their child, who appeared to be about 1 year old, were there. It was a free space where children around 2 to 3 years old could play freely. There were mats laid out to cushion any falls, and small slides and a sandbox made of Lego blocks. When our family visited the facility, Kojima&#8217;s family had already arrived&#8221; (A fellow visitor).
It was about a month later, on February 4, that the death of Kojima&#8217;s husband, the businessman Kouta Kitamura, was confirmed. When Kojima returned home to their apartment in Minato Ward, Tokyo, with their 1-year-old child, she found Kitamura collapsed. He was transported to a hospital where his death was confirmed. Kojima also felt unwell and was taken to the hospital but was later reported to be in good condition with only minor symptoms.
The couple&#8217;s marriage was reported in May 2023, and in August of the same year, Kojima announced her pregnancy with their first child. She gave birth in January 2025, and it was believed that they were living a peaceful family life in one of Tokyo&#8217;s most luxurious residences, with Kojima focusing on raising their child.
&#8220;However, it seems that the management of &#8216;Habitat,&#8217; a sauna business company that Kitamura headed, was in a very tough situation. The official gazette’s announcement of the third-period financial results for August 2024 reported a deficit of around 300 million yen in retained earnings.
According to the &#8216;Sponichi Annex&#8217; report from February 8, Kitamura was very devoted to Kojima, going to great lengths to fulfill her wishes, such as supporting her studies in China. It’s possible that Kojima wasn’t fully informed about the company’s financial situation&#8221; (Sports paper reporter).

 Tetsuko TAKEMOTO

 Ruriko Kojima's husband, businessman Kota Kitamura, passed away on February 4 after being rushed to the hospital. About a month earlier, the couple had been at LEGOLAND with their one-year-old toddler. A visitor who was there gave a detailed account of the couple's condition at that time.

Ruriko Kojima Enjoys Joyful Family Moment at Legoland with Over an Hour of Happy Chatting

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