Junko Tabei
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese mountain-climber, who became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
on May 16, 1975.
where she was a member of the mountain climbing club, Tabei formed the "Ladies Climbing Club: Japan (LCC)" in 1969. She has climbed Mt. Fuji as well as the Matterhorn
in the Swiss Alps
, among others. By 1972 Tabei was a recognized mountain climber in Japan.
newspaper and Nihon Television sent an all-woman team to Nepal
to take on the challenge of climbing Mt. Everest. Fifteen women out of hundreds of applicants, including Tabei, were selected for the expedition.
After a long training period, they began the expedition early in 1975 when they traveled to Katmandu. There they found nine local Sherpa people to guide them. They used the same route Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
took in 1953. In early May the women were camping at 6,300 meters when an avalanche
struck their camp. The women, including Junko and the guides, were buried under the snow. Tabei lost consciousness for approximately six minutes until her Sherpa guide dug her out. Twelve days after the avalanche, Tabei became the first female to reach the summit of Mount Everest
.
.
Tabei has a goal to climb the highest peak in every country in the world. She has slowed down her climbing, but continues to work on ecological concerns. Tabei is the director of Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan, an organization working on a global level to preserve mountain environments.
Related books:
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mountain-climber, who became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
on May 16, 1975.
Early climbing history
After obtaining a degree in English literature from Showa Women's UniversityShowa Women's University
is a women's private university in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. It also contains a school with all levels from kindergarten to high school.- History :Japan Women's School of Higher Education , the predecessor of this university, was established by poet Enkichi Hitomi , who gathered together his...
where she was a member of the mountain climbing club, Tabei formed the "Ladies Climbing Club: Japan (LCC)" in 1969. She has climbed Mt. Fuji as well as the Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
, among others. By 1972 Tabei was a recognized mountain climber in Japan.
Everest expedition
The YomiuriYomiuri Shimbun
The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newspapers in Japan; the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun...
newspaper and Nihon Television sent an all-woman team to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
to take on the challenge of climbing Mt. Everest. Fifteen women out of hundreds of applicants, including Tabei, were selected for the expedition.
After a long training period, they began the expedition early in 1975 when they traveled to Katmandu. There they found nine local Sherpa people to guide them. They used the same route Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay
Padma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
took in 1953. In early May the women were camping at 6,300 meters when an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
struck their camp. The women, including Junko and the guides, were buried under the snow. Tabei lost consciousness for approximately six minutes until her Sherpa guide dug her out. Twelve days after the avalanche, Tabei became the first female to reach the summit of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
.
Current activities
In 1992, Tabei was the first woman to complete the Seven SummitsSeven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
.
Tabei has a goal to climb the highest peak in every country in the world. She has slowed down her climbing, but continues to work on ecological concerns. Tabei is the director of Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan, an organization working on a global level to preserve mountain environments.
Additional reading
- 『エベレスト・ママさん:山登り半生記』（山と渓谷社,1978年）ISBN 4-635-04705-9
- 『七大陸最高峰に立って』（小学館,1992年）ISBN 4-09-387086-1
- 『山の頂の向こうに』 （佼成出版社,1995年）ISBN 4-333-01706-8
- 『エプロンはずして夢の山』（東京新聞出版局,1996年）ISBN 4-8083-0567-4
- 『さわやかに山へ』（東京新聞出版局,1997年）ISBN 4-8083-0598-4
- 田部井淳子編『エヴェレストの女たちWomen on Everest』（山と溪谷社,1998年）ISBN 4-635-17113-2
- 『山を楽しむ』（岩波書店,2002年）ISBN 4-00-430803-8
- 『はじめての山歩き:花、木、自然に会いに』（文化出版局,2002年）ISBN 4-579-30397-0
- 『高いところが好き』（小学館,2007年）「七大陸最高峰に立って」の増補 ISBN 978-4-09-408206-7
- 『山からの贈り物』（角川学芸出版,2007年）ISBN 978-4-04-621304-4
- 『いつでも山を:田部井淳子の実践エイジング登山』（小学館,2008年）ISBN 978-4-09-387776-3
Related books:
- 日本女子登山隊著『私たちのエベレスト:女性初登頂の全記録』（読売新聞社,1975年）
- 落合誓子著『女たちの山:シシャパンマに挑んだ女子隊9人の決算』（山と渓谷社,1982年）ISBN 4-635-04136-0
- NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
プロジェクトX制作班編『プロジェクトＸ挑戦者たち;6：ジャパンパワー、飛翔』（日本放送出版協会,2001年）ISBN 4-14-080574-9 - 澤正宏ほか編,木村幸雄監修『福島県文学全集.第2期(随筆・紀行・詩編) 第4巻(現代編1)』（郷土出版社,2002年） ISBN 4-87663-586-2
- 養老孟司著『話せばわかる!:養老孟司対談集:身体がものをいう』（清流出版,2003年）ISBN 4-86029-050-X
- 毎日新聞社大阪本社学芸部編『わたしとおかあさん』（青幻舎,2004年）ISBN 4-86152-005-3
- 日本エッセイスト・クラブ編『カマキリの雪予想：ベスト・エッセイ集;2006年版』（文藝春秋,2006年）ISBN 4-16-368380-1