At 102, the Japanese Kokichi Akuzawa entered the history of mountaineering becoming the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Fuji, the symbolic mountain of Japan. His company was officially recognized by the Guinness World Records, which certified the rise made in early August.
Despite a life marked by heart problems, falling and even recent hospitalization, Akuzawa has never stopped cultivating his passion for peaks. Former breeder, now retired, has maintained a iron discipline: daily walks, weekly excursions and a constant training that made him fit in this extraordinary goal.
A three -day trip with his daughter
The rise was not an improvised adventure. Akuzawa chose the most accessible route, the Yoshida Trail, but divided the climb into three stages, staying overnight in shelters along the way. The pungent cold, the rarefied air and the effort almost forced him to stop at the ninth station. However, it was the determination of his daughter Motoe, who accompanied him and encouraged him step by step, to push him to the top.
In addition to the family members, Akuzawa was supported by travel companions and by a nurse nephew, who made it possible to enter otherwise prohibitive. He himself recognized he did not have done it alone: ”One step at a time, with everyone’s help“He said after the arrival.
Arriving at 3,776 meters, Akuzawa signed the visitors register with emotion, confessing that he was amazed by the result. Although he joked that he will not repeat the experience, he left the opportunity to surprise again. His message goes beyond the primacy: he shows that the determination, discipline and support of loved ones can also transform the biggest obstacles into possible conquests.
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