A Japanese man has become the oldest person ever to reach the summit of Mount Fuji, achieving the feat at the age of 102. Kokichi Akuzawa completed the ascent alongside his 70-year-old daughter, breaking his own previous record set six years earlier.
“I was very close to stopping partway up,” Akuzawa admitted. “The final push was demanding, but the encouragement from my companions made all the difference. Their support carried me through.”
Accompanied by family members and fellow climbers, Akuzawa undertook the climb in early August. The group camped during their two-day approach before making the final push to the 3,776-meter summit.
Communicating through his daughter, who repeated questions for him due to his hearing difficulty, Akuzawa reflected on the accomplishment. “I’m surprised I managed it so well,” he said. “At my age, you learn not to take any mountain lightly. It’s important to climb while you’re able.”
This was not his first record-setting climb. At 96, he first became the oldest person to scale Mount Fuji. Since then, he has overcome significant health challenges, including heart problems and recovery from a climbing injury.
In preparation for the climb, Akuzawa followed a strict three-month training regimen, which included early morning walks and weekly mountain hikes in Japan’s Nagano region.
From his home in Maebashi, surrounded by mountain artwork, Akuzawa recalled his eight-decade relationship with climbing. While summit achievements are memorable, he emphasized that the camaraderie found on the trails has been his lasting motivation.
“I climb simply because I enjoy it,” he explained. “The mountains are where friendships form naturally.”
After working for decades as an engineer and later in livestock breeding until age 85, Akuzawa found that mountaineering offered a unique social equality. “Academic background doesn’t matter on the mountain,” he noted. “Everyone stands equal and progresses together.”
Though he once preferred climbing alone, Akuzawa now relies more on climbing partners. His recent record-breaking ascent proved particularly challenging. “Mount Fuji isn’t technically difficult, but this was harder than any previous climb,” he confessed. “I’ve never felt so limited physically. It was only through collective strength that I succeeded.”
While he hopes to continue climbing, Akuzawa acknowledges his limitations. “I’d love to climb forever, but that’s not realistic. Now I’m comfortable with peaks like Mount Akagi,” he said, referring to a nearby mountain roughly half Fuji’s height.
When not climbing, Akuzawa volunteers at a senior center and teaches painting from his home studio. He sees parallels between mountaineering and art, noting that both require dedication and offer profound satisfaction.
“Whether climbing mountains or creating art, finding wholeness in the journey is what matters most,” he observed.
His family has requested he paint a sunrise view from Fuji’s summit to add to his collection of mountain scenes. “I have many painting requests,” Akuzawa said. “I particularly want to capture special moments from the summit, since this was likely my final time there.”
