Kokichi Akuzawa has made history by being recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest person ever to reach the summit of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji at the age of 102, 24NewsHD TV reported on Friday.
Speaking to the Associated Press after his record-breaking climb, Akuzawa admitted that he was tempted to give up halfway through the demanding ascent.
“I was really tempted to give up halfway through,” he said, crediting the support of his family and friends for enabling him to complete the climb.
Akuzawa was joined by his 70-year-old daughter, Motoe, his granddaughter, and her husband, along with four friends from a local mountain climbing club.
The group camped for two nights before beginning their August 5 climb of the 3,776-metre (12,388-foot) peak. With the help of his 75-year-old daughter, Yukiko, who assisted with communication, Akuzawa reflected: “I don’t take any mountain for granted at my age. It’s better to climb while you still can.”
This achievement was not his first encounter with the record books.
At the age of 96, he became the oldest person to climb Mount Fuji, a record he has now surpassed six years later. In that time, Akuzawa has overcome serious health challenges, including heart issues, shingles, and even injuries from a previous climbing fall.
In preparation for this year’s climb, Akuzawa committed to three months of training, rising at 5 a.m. for hour-long walks and scaling approximately one mountain a week, mainly around Nagano prefecture in central Japan.
When asked whether he might attempt Fuji again, Akuzawa replied candidly: “I’d love to keep climbing forever, but I guess I can’t anymore.” Instead, he suggested he may continue with smaller climbs, such as Mount Akagi, which rises to about half the height of Fuji at 1,828 metres (5,997 feet).
Beyond mountaineering, Akuzawa leads an active life. He volunteers at a senior care centre in the mornings and spends his afternoons painting in his home studio.
His daughters are now encouraging him to capture the splendour of Mount Fuji at sunrise for his next art project, which they hope will decorate the walls of his living room.