Maebashi, Japan (TDI): 102‑year‑old Kokichi Akuzawa has set the Guinness World Record of being the oldest man ever to conquer Japan’s iconic, tallest mountain – Mount Fuji. He completed the climb on August 5, adding another milestone in his lifelong passion for mountaineering.
Akuzawa, who previously held this same record at age 96, embarked on the climb via the popular Yoshida route, stretching the journey over three days with two nights spent in mountain huts.
Despite favorable weather in the earlier stages, he confronted chilling winds, thinning air, and diminishing oxygen levels near the summit. “I was really tempted to give up halfway through,” he said.
“Reaching the summit was tough, but my friends encouraged me, and it turned out well. I managed to get through it because so many people supported me,” Akuzawa recounted his climb during which he was accompanied by his 70‑year‑old daughter, his granddaughter, her husband, and several friends from his mountaineering club.
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At the summit, Akuzawa signed the shrine visitor book and reflected on his climb with humility and gratitude. “It’s better to climb while you still can,” he said while talking to the Associated Press.
Holding his official Guinness certificate, he looked happy. When asked about another attempt up the mountain, he laughed. “I’m impressed I climbed so well,” Akuzawa said.
Earlier this year, Akuzawa endured a fall, shingles, and a bout of heart failure. For three months, his training regimen included daily walks at sunrise and weekly climbs of smaller mountains near his home.
He has an undying love for mountaineering. “Whether you liked studying or not, you could enjoy the mountain just the same,” he said. “Intelligence didn’t matter up there. We were all on equal footing and moved forward together.”
The 102 year old Akuzawa was an engine designer and livestock inseminator, active well into his eighties, and now spends most of his time volunteering and painting.
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