At 102, Kokichi Akuzawa pulled off a feat most people half his age will never attempt. Summitting Japan’s tallest peak, 12,388-foot Mount Fuji, Akuzawa’s climb makes him the oldest man to ever successfully climb the mountain. What’s more: he did it less than a year after suffering a heart failure.
Akuzawa, the honorary chairman of the Gunma Mountaineering Club, is no stranger to big days in the hills. He’s been a consistent hiker for decades, and even celebrated his 99th birthday by tagging Nabewariyama (4,173 feet) back in 2022. He summited Fuji before– most recently at 96. This time, he did it as a centenarian.
Three Days on the Yoshida Route
On August 3, Akuzawa set off with climbing partners on Fuji’s Yoshida route, the most popular path to the summit. While it’s considered the “easiest” of the four main routes, the climb is still serious, featuring more than 6,000 feet of vert, thin air, and notoriously volatile weather. When you’re 102, nothing is “easy”.
Instead of going in a single push, Akuzawa stretched the climb over three days, staying in mountain huts along the way. Conditions were relatively kind, but high-altitude and icy winds makes Fuji a serious endeavor no matter the forecast.
By day three, the summit push was looking unlikely. Near the ninth station, Akuzawa said he felt like throwing in the towel. His partners didn’t push him. After all, this was a man who had already survived a fall, a battle with shingles, and a heart failure scare earlier in the year, not to mention living more than 100 years. But it was his 70-year-old daughter, Motoe, who pushed him to keep going. “One step at a time,” she told him.
At the summit. Credit: Guinness World Records
Credit: Guinness World RecordsSign Up For Our Newsletter
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On top of Mount Fuji and Into the Record Books
At 11 a.m. on August 5, Kokichi Akuzawa stood on Fuji’s summit and signed the visitor log at Fujisan Sengen Shrine. Relief, more than elation, was his first feeling. Later, holding his Guinness World Record certificate, he admitted the reality of his accomplishment set in.
“It was tough, and it felt a lot different to the last time I climbed it,” he said. “I’m amazed that I made it to the top. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help. I’m feeling pleased now.”
When asked if he’d go again, Akuzawa laughed: “Never again. If you ask me next year, maybe you’ll get a different answer, but for now, I’m happy with that climb.”
At 102, with Fuji in his pocket once more, Kokichi Akuzawa has set the bar for mountain legends even higher.
AloJapan.com