Sorato Anraku (安楽 宙斗, Anraku Sorato, born November 14, 2006) is a Japanese rock climber who specializes in competition…Sorato Anraku (安楽 宙斗, Anraku Sorato, born November 14, 2006) is a Japanese rock climber who specializes in competition lead climbing and competition bouldering. In 2023, Anraku became the first climber to win both the Lead Overall World Cup and Boulder Overall World Cup, doing so in his debut senior season. He also won the gold medal in the combined boulder and lead event at the 2022 Asian Games, held in October 2023. He won the silver medal in the combined boulder and lead event at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Futaba Ito (伊藤 ふたば, Ito Futaba; born 25 April 2002) is a Japanese professional competition climber, sport climber and…Futaba Ito (伊藤 ふたば, Ito Futaba; born 25 April 2002) is a Japanese professional competition climber, sport climber and boulderer. She participates in both competition bouldering and competition lead climbing events. She won the IFSC Climbing Asian Youth Championships in lead and bouldering events in 2016, as well as Bouldering Japan Cup in 2017. She participated in combined and speed events at the 2018 Asian Games.
Keita Dohi (土肥 圭太 Dohi Keita; born October 17, 2000) is a Japanese competition climber who specializes in competition…Keita Dohi (土肥 圭太 Dohi Keita; born October 17, 2000) is a Japanese competition climber who specializes in competition bouldering.
Meichi Narasaki (楢﨑 明智 Narasaki Meichi, born May 13, 1999) is a Japanese professional competition climber who…Meichi Narasaki (楢﨑 明智 Narasaki Meichi, born May 13, 1999) is a Japanese professional competition climber who specializes in competition bouldering. He has been active in professional competition climbing since 2013. His older brother Tomoa Narasaki is also a professional competition climber.
Kai Harada (原田 海 Harada Kai; born May 10, 1999) is a Japanese competition climber who specialises in bouldering. Harada…Kai Harada (原田 海 Harada Kai; born May 10, 1999) is a Japanese competition climber who specialises in bouldering. Harada started climbing in 2009 in Osaka. He started competition climbing in 2015, placing in the Youth A Bouldering Championships and the Junior Asian Championships. In 2018 he won the Bouldering Climbing World Championships as an outsider, and was the only person to get four tops in the final. In December 2020, Harada's qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was confirmed after a dispute between the IFSC and the Japan Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Association.
Rei Sugimoto (杉本 怜, Sugimoto Rei, born November 13, 1991) is a Japanese professional rock climber, specializing in…Rei Sugimoto (杉本 怜, Sugimoto Rei, born November 13, 1991) is a Japanese professional rock climber, specializing in competition climbing.
Akiyo Noguchi (野口 啓代, Noguchi Akiyo; born May 30, 1989) is a Japanese professional rock climber who specializes in…Akiyo Noguchi (野口 啓代, Noguchi Akiyo; born May 30, 1989) is a Japanese professional rock climber who specializes in competition bouldering as well as outdoor bouldering and sport climbing. She participates in both competition bouldering and competition lead climbing disciplines. She is known for winning the IFSC Climbing World Cup in Bouldering four times. In her home country, she won Bouldering Japan Cup nine times consecutively from 2005 to 2014, which no other Japanese athlete has been able to match. She retired from competition climbing after competing and winning a bronze medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Takeo "Kenro" Nakajima (中島 健郎; October 19, 1984 – July 27, 2024) was a Japanese elite alpinist and cameraman who won…Takeo "Kenro" Nakajima (中島 健郎; October 19, 1984 – July 27, 2024) was a Japanese elite alpinist and cameraman who won three Piolet d'Or awards, considered to be the highest achievement in mountaineering. In 2018, Nakajima and his climbing partner Kazuya Hiraide received the 26th Piolet d'Or for their ascent of the unclimbed northeast face of Shispare, which they climbed in 2017. In 2020, the pair won their second Piolet d'Or for their ascent of Rakaposhi (7,788 m). They would win their final posthumous Piolet in 2024. Nakajima summited six of the Seven Summits and three eight-thousanders: Cho Oyu, Manaslu, and Mount Everest. He was known for making first ascents on other remote peaks across the Himalayas and the Karokoram.
Naoki Ishikawa (石川 直樹, Ishikawa Naoki; b. Tokyo, 1977) is a Japanese photographer and mountaineer. He has climbed all…Naoki Ishikawa (石川 直樹, Ishikawa Naoki; b. Tokyo, 1977) is a Japanese photographer and mountaineer. He has climbed all 14 eight-thousanders and the seven summits. In 2001, he began to take photographs seriously and thereafter his ventures as a photographer and writer have intimately linked to his travels and climbs, as he often photographs and writes about his own adventures to various remote landscapes. Ishikawa's analog photographs frequently capture nature at its most extreme and the people that inhabit it, gaining a broad recognition for his ethnographic sensibility and curiosity, informed by his study of anthropology and ethnography at Waseda University. Ishikawa actively participates in the education of photography and anthropology; he has served as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Sociology at Rikkyo University and the Photography department of Nihon University and is currently the director of the Photo Archipelago Setouchi school.
Ken Noguchi (野口 健, Noguchi Ken; born August 21, 1973 in Boston) is a Japanese mountaineer and environmental activist.…Ken Noguchi (野口 健, Noguchi Ken; born August 21, 1973 in Boston) is a Japanese mountaineer and environmental activist. His father was a diplomat, so he lived in the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Japan. He was often bullied because he was half-Japanese. In 1999, at the age of 25, he became the youngest person (at that time) to scale the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. He graduated from Asia University in 2000, and studied environmental education at Aomori University. Since then, he has worked on various mountain clean-up projects around the world, including projects at Mount Everest, Mount Fuji and Manaslu. His work has had a notable effect on efforts in Japan, where he has given many lectures to promote better environmental practices.
Kei Taniguchi (谷口 けい, Taniguchi Kei, 14 July 1972 – 22 December 2015) was a Japanese mountaineer. Her accomplishments…Kei Taniguchi (谷口 けい, Taniguchi Kei, 14 July 1972 – 22 December 2015) was a Japanese mountaineer. Her accomplishments included climbing new technical routes on various mountains in Alaska, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan and China. In 2009, she became the first female mountaineer to win the prestigious International Climbing award Piolet d'Or (Golden Ice Axe) after completing the first ascent of the Southeast Face of Kamet (7756 m) in India, sharing the award with her climbing partner Kazuya Hiraide. She was known for her fearless Alpinist climbing style with no Sherpa support and was considered a pioneer among her peers.
Gota Miura (三浦 豪太, Miura Gōta; born 10 August 1969) is a Japanese freestyle skier. He competed at the 1994 Winter…Gota Miura (三浦 豪太, Miura Gōta; born 10 August 1969) is a Japanese freestyle skier. He competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, placing 27th and 13th, respectively, in freestyle moguls. His father, Yūichirō Miura, son of Keizo Miura, was the first person to ski down Mt. Everest, and set the record for the oldest person to climb the mountain. Gota joined his father on at least on his father's first and third ascents of Everest. Gota Miura has a PhD in medicine and teaches at Keio University and he moved in with his father when his health began failing in his father's later years. The Miura family has a strong connection to Utah. On 15 February 2004, Keizo Miura celebrated his 100th birthday with a ski descent together with more than 120 friends and family members, including four generations of his family, at Snowbird ski resort, Keizo's favorite ski resort, near Salt Lake City, Utah. All three of Yūichirō's children attended Rowmark Ski Academy in Salt Lake City. Gota graduated from Rowland Hall in 1988 in Salt Lake City. Yuta and Gota both graduated from the University of Utah, also in Salt Lake City. Gota earned his bachelor's degree in 2001 in sports physiology. Gota completed his PhD in 2012 with the Graduate School of Juntendo University, School of Medicine, with a major concentration in Genetic Expression Under Hypoxic Environment.
Ukyo Katayama (Japanese: 片山 右京, Hepburn: Katayama Ukyō; born 29 May 1963) is a Japanese former racing driver and…Ukyo Katayama (Japanese: 片山 右京, Hepburn: Katayama Ukyō; born 29 May 1963) is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1992 to 1997. Katayama participated in 97 Grands Prix, debuting at the 1992 South African Grand Prix, making him the sport's second most experienced Japanese driver. He scored a total of five championship points, all of them for the Tyrrell team in 1994. Katayama also competed in the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing second overall and leading the GTP class. He has managed the Japanese continental cycling team Team UKYO since 2012.
Takashi Ozaki (尾崎隆, Ozaki Takashi; September 9, 1952 – May 12, 2011) was a Japanese mountaineer. He is known for having…Takashi Ozaki (尾崎隆, Ozaki Takashi; September 9, 1952 – May 12, 2011) was a Japanese mountaineer. He is known for having made the first ascent of Mount Everest's north face and the first ascent of Myanmar's Hkakabo Razi.
Makoto Kitayama (born 1952) is a Japanese musician, active since the late '60s, most notably as vocalist and songwriter…Makoto Kitayama (born 1952) is a Japanese musician, active since the late '60s, most notably as vocalist and songwriter for the progressive rock band Shingetsu. After Shingetsu folded at the end of the seventies, Kitayama has released two solo albums: the instrumental, keyboard-dominated, "Doubutsukai No Chinou" in 1982 (re-released in 2004) and the progressive rock outing "Hikaru Sazanami" in 1998. "Practical Encyclopedia of Kingdom Plantae" was released in 2008, and is the second part of a planned trilogy that started with his debut solo album, inspired by a book series from 1932. He's helped here by Takashi HAYASHI, the leader and guitarist of Qui.
Noburu Yamada (9 February 1950 – 24 February 1989) was a Japanese mountaineer known for his extensive climbing…Noburu Yamada (9 February 1950 – 24 February 1989) was a Japanese mountaineer known for his extensive climbing experience in the Himalayas, including several first ascents and for his proficiency for climbing during winter. A contemporary of Reinhold Messner and Jerzy Kukuczka, Yamada reached the summits of 9 of the 14 eight-thousanders and was part of the climbing team that made the second successful winter ascent of Mount Everest. Six of these ascents were done without oxygen. He died while climbing Denali in 1989. 4807 Noboru, a main-belt asteroid is named after him.
Yasuko Namba (難波 康子, Nanba Yasuko; February 7, 1949 – May 11, 1996) was the second Japanese woman (after Junko Tabei)…Yasuko Namba (難波 康子, Nanba Yasuko; February 7, 1949 – May 11, 1996) was the second Japanese woman (after Junko Tabei) to climb the Seven Summits. Namba worked as a businesswoman for FedEx in Japan, but her hobby of mountaineering took her all over the world. She first summited Kilimanjaro on New Year's Day in 1982, and summited Aconcagua exactly two years later. She reached the summit of Denali on July 1, 1985, and the summit of Mount Elbrus on August 1, 1992. After summiting Vinson Massif on December 29, 1993, and Carstensz Pyramid on November 12, 1994, Namba's final summit to reach was Mount Everest. She signed on with Rob Hall's guiding company, Adventure Consultants, and reached the summit in May 1996, but died during her descent in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.
Michiko Imai (今井通子) (born 1 February 1942) is a Japanese medical doctor, mountaineer and alpinist. She is notable for…Michiko Imai (今井通子) (born 1 February 1942) is a Japanese medical doctor, mountaineer and alpinist. She is notable for making the first all-female ascent of the north face of the Matterhorn, and for being the only female member of the Japanese team of mountaineers who established the Japanese Direct alpine climbing route on the north face of the Eiger. She was also the first Japanese woman to scale all of the three great north faces of the Alps (the Matterhorn, the Eiger, and the Grandes Jorasses), and has been credited as the first woman in the world to have achieved that.
Naomi Uemura (植村 直己, Uemura Naomi; February 12, 1941 – disappeared February 13, 1984) was a Japanese adventurer who was…Naomi Uemura (植村 直己, Uemura Naomi; February 12, 1941 – disappeared February 13, 1984) was a Japanese adventurer who was known particularly for his solo accomplishments. He was the first person to reach the North Pole solo, the first person to raft the Amazon River solo, and the first person to climb Denali solo. Before his 30th birthday, Uemura had solo-climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Mont Blanc, and the Matterhorn; had walked the length of Japan; had summited during the first (1970) Japanese expedition to climb Mount Everest; took part in the subsequent disastrous 1971 International Everest Expedition. Naomi Uemura was a licensed radio amateur operator, signed as JG1QFW. He used amateur radio communication during his expeditions.
Junko Tabei (Japanese: 田部井 淳子, Hepburn: Tabei Junko; née Ishibashi; 22 September 1939 – 20 October 2016) was a Japanese…Junko Tabei (Japanese: 田部井 淳子, Hepburn: Tabei Junko; née Ishibashi; 22 September 1939 – 20 October 2016) was a Japanese mountaineer, author and teacher. She was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and ascend the Seven Summits, climbing the highest peak on every continent. Tabei wrote seven books, organized environmental projects to clean up trash left behind by climbers on Everest, and led annual climbs up Mount Fuji for youth affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. An astronomer named asteroid 6897 Tabei after her and in 2019, a mountain range on Pluto was named Tabei Montes in her honor.
Tamae Watanabe (Japanese 渡辺 玉枝, Watanabe Tamae; born 21 November 1938, in Yamanashi Prefecture) is a Japanese mountain…Tamae Watanabe (Japanese 渡辺 玉枝, Watanabe Tamae; born 21 November 1938, in Yamanashi Prefecture) is a Japanese mountain climber. After completing study at Tsuru University she worked as public office employee of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was at this time, at age 28, she began mountain climbing. In 1977, she climbed Mount McKinley. She then climbed Mont Blanc, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Aconcagua. After her retirement, she returned to her hometown and, in May 2002, she became the then oldest woman to climb Mount Everest. Ten years later, in May 2012, she broke her own record, when she, now at the age of 73, again scaled Mount Everest. The oldest man to summit Everest is also Japanese, Yūichirō Miura. Like Watanabe, he also broke his own record—twice; climbing Everest at ages 70, 75, and 80.
Ryutaro Hashimoto (橋本 龍太郎, Hashimoto Ryūtarō; 29 July 1937 – 1 July 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as prime…Ryutaro Hashimoto (橋本 龍太郎, Hashimoto Ryūtarō; 29 July 1937 – 1 July 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998. Born in Okayama Prefecture, Hashimoto graduated from Keio University in 1960 and entered the National Diet in 1963. He rose through the ranks of the Liberal Democratic Party and became major figure in the Tanaka/Takeshita faction, and served as health and welfare minister under Masayoshi Ōhira, transport minister under Yasuhiro Nakasone, and finance minister under Toshiki Kaifu. In 1994, he became minister of international trade and industry, then became prime minister in 1996 as the head of a coalition with the Social Democratic Party and New Party Sakigake. During his tenure, Hashimoto sought currency reform and tried to revive the Japanese economy. He resigned after the LDP lost its majority in the 1998 upper house election, but remained leader of his faction until a scandal in 2004. He retired from politics in 2005.
Yūichirō Miura (Japanese: 三浦 雄一郎, Hepburn: Miura Yūichirō; born October 12, 1932) is a Japanese speed skier and…Yūichirō Miura (Japanese: 三浦 雄一郎, Hepburn: Miura Yūichirō; born October 12, 1932) is a Japanese speed skier and alpinist. In 1970, he became the first person to ski on Mount Everest. Forty-three years later, in 2013, he became the oldest person to summit Everest, at the age of 80. He was born in Aomori Prefecture and graduated from Hokkaido University. He was introduced to alpine sports by his father when he was in second grade. Peaks he has skied down include all the Seven Summits. The government of Japan named an award after him and he was recognized by Guinness World Records. He has made many public appearances and has worked with several companies and organizations.
Sakuta Takefushi (17 April 1906 – 12 August 1988) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 18…Sakuta Takefushi (17 April 1906 – 12 August 1988) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 18 kilometre event at the 1928 Winter Olympics.
Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated…Ichiro Yoshizawa (吉沢 一郎, Yoshizawa Ichirō; 1903–1998) was a Japanese mountaineer and expedition leader. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University. Among other expeditions, in 1977 he led the second successful attempt to reach the summit of K2, which saw six Japanese climbers and one Pakistani summiting on August 8-9. Yoshizawa became a member of the Japanese Alpine Club in 1925 and became vice president in 1972; he was also a member of foreign clubs like The Alpine Club.
Kyūya Fukada (深田 久弥, Fukada Kyūya; 11 March 1903 – 21 March 1971) was a Japanese writer and mountaineer active during…Kyūya Fukada (深田 久弥, Fukada Kyūya; 11 March 1903 – 21 March 1971) was a Japanese writer and mountaineer active during the Shōwa period in Japan.
Eizaburō Nishibori (西堀 栄三郎, Nishibori Eizaburō; January 28, 1903 – April 13, 1989) was a Japanese scientist, alpinist…Eizaburō Nishibori (西堀 栄三郎, Nishibori Eizaburō; January 28, 1903 – April 13, 1989) was a Japanese scientist, alpinist and technologist. He is also known as the captain of the primary Japanese Antarctica wintering party.
Kinji Imanishi (今西 錦司, Imanishi Kinji; January 6, 1902 – June 15, 1992) was a Japanese ecologist and anthropologist. He…Kinji Imanishi (今西 錦司, Imanishi Kinji; January 6, 1902 – June 15, 1992) was a Japanese ecologist and anthropologist. He was the founder of Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute and, together with Junichiro Itani, is considered one of the founders of Japanese primatology.
Takeharu Aso (21 November 1899 – 30 May 1993) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 50 kilometre…Takeharu Aso (21 November 1899 – 30 May 1993) was a Japanese cross-country skier. He competed in the men's 50 kilometre event at the 1928 Winter Olympics. He was also a middle-distance runner and shared in the 1500 metres national title with Eiichi Nagayama at the 1919 Japan Championships in Athletics.
Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and…Saburō Matsukata (松方 三郎, Matsukata Saburō; August 1, 1899 – September 15, 1973) of Japan, a journalist, businessman and mountaineer, served on the World Scout Committee of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and was the sixth President of the Boy Scouts of Japan, contributing to the success of the 13th World Scout Jamboree held August 2 to 10, 1971 on the western side of Mount Fuji.
Maki Yūkō (槇 有恒, Maki Yūkō; 5 February 1894 – 2 May 1989), also known as Maki Aritsune (using the native Japanese…Maki Yūkō (槇 有恒, Maki Yūkō; 5 February 1894 – 2 May 1989), also known as Maki Aritsune (using the native Japanese reading of the characters of his given name;Yūkō is the Sino-Japanese reading), was a Japanese mountain climber. He was born in Sendai and died in Tokyo.
Jūji Tanabe (Japanese: 田部 重治, Hepburn: Tanabe Jūji); August 4, 1884 – September 22, 1972) was a Japanese literature…Jūji Tanabe (Japanese: 田部 重治, Hepburn: Tanabe Jūji); August 4, 1884 – September 22, 1972) was a Japanese literature scholar, teacher, and mountain climber. Tanabe was born in Toyama City. He majored in English literature at Tokyo Imperial University, specializing in William Wordsworth. He lectured at Toyo University and Hosei University. He climbed the Japanese Alps and Okuchichibu Mountains. He is the author of the book The Japanese Alps and A Pilgrimage to Chichibu (日本アルプスと秩父巡礼, Nippon Alps to Chichibu Junrei) in 1919, which was republished as Mountains and Ravines (山と渓谷, Yama to Keikoku) in 1930. Tanabe and his friend Kogure Ritarō's (1873–1944) accounts of the Okuchichibu Mountains have become influential. There is a monument to them at the foot of the Mt. Kimpu (金峰山; 2599 m).
Hisayoshi Takeda (武田 久吉, Takeda Hisayoshi; March 2, 1883 – June 7, 1972) was a Japanese botanist whose father was the…Hisayoshi Takeda (武田 久吉, Takeda Hisayoshi; March 2, 1883 – June 7, 1972) was a Japanese botanist whose father was the British diplomat Sir Ernest Satow. He was a founder of the Japanese Natural History Society, and is known for his campaign to preserve the environment at Oze, which is now Oze National Park.
Usui Kojima (小島 烏水, Kojima Usui; December 29, 1873 – December 13, 1948) was a Japanese author from Yokohama, Japan who…Usui Kojima (小島 烏水, Kojima Usui; December 29, 1873 – December 13, 1948) was a Japanese author from Yokohama, Japan who authored over 20 books. He was also known for amassing a collection of over 900 ukiyo-e prints and establishing Japan's first mountaineering society.
