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The Frail Kid From Japan Who Became the First Woman to Summit Everest
How willpower can help blaze trails and reach new heights
Howie Chan
October 13, 2024
Welcome to Legend Letters - A rebellion against the ordinary, where you redefine success, make your mark and live your legend.
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THIS ISSUE
Our featured legend this issue is Junko Tabei - someone who never took no for an answer and pursued her dreams relentlessly. Her story inspires me to never let my self-doubt drown out my desires.
My seven most important lessons from Junko’s incredible journey and life.
Ideas and insights about willpower from around the web.
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FEATURE STORY
May 16, 1975 - Mount Everest, final push to the summit
“Carefully I made my downward step onto the two-pitched knifepoint ridge, one side descended east into Tibet, and the other west into Nepal. The exposure was dizzying. My movement mimicked a sideways crawl, with my trunk on the Nepal side and my arms swung over to Tibet.
Leaning over the ridgeline for glimpse down the Tibetan side caused my body, chest to toes, to hang freely towards Nepal. I could see the slop run at least 3,000 metres down. Dropping my head and peeking at the Nepali side between my legs, I saw our bean-sized tents at Camp 2.
Neither of us could have stopped the other if we had slipped. A fall would mean death. My hair stood on end beneath my helmet, my scalp shook, and goose bumps crawled up my back. I felt on the verge of madness from the extreme tension of the situation…”
Junko Tabei was born as the youngest of seven in the castle town of Miharu, Fukushima Prefecture in 1939. As a child she would suffer from numerous bouts of pneumonia and considered by many as frail.
Her fascination with mountains took root when she was 10 years old. Her primary school teacher would take the students to the mountains in the region, including a 1,900 meter volcano in a neighbouring prefecture. The sights, the smells, the experience of something real ignited a sense of wonder that would stay with her for the rest of her life.
“This wasn’t something I had learned about in school. It was something I could experience directly, physically by walking and seeing it with my own eyes. It was really intense and I wanted more of it. That was the starting point for me and I still feel it at 74.”
Image credit: Alterreny.com
As a woman, she had expectations placed upon her at an early age. She had to make a deal with her father that she would have children but only after he let her finish her education. This was when she was a teenager and she wanted to go to Tokyo for university, which was an extreme rarity for a girl back then.
When you break from the mould, criticisms will come.
“Junko is only climbing because she wants to meet men.” Comments that stem from sexism would be something she had to face from her early pursuits and even after she summited Everest.
But she persisted.
If people want to call me “that crazy mountain woman,” that’s okay.
As it got increasingly difficult to find a group where she felt a sense of belonging, Junko founded the Joshi-Tohan Club (Women's Mountaineering Club) in 1969, the first of its kind in Japan. Its slogan was "Let's go on an overseas expedition by ourselves", and that’s exactly what they did just a year later when the club set out for an expedition to Nepal to climb Annapurna III. Isn’t that just marvelous?
The Everest expedition: 4 years of hard work before getting to Nepal
It took multiple tries and years of waiting before they got the permits to climb, from 1971 to 1974. In one of the worst economic downturns in Japanese history and being an all female climbing team, it was tremendously hard to raise money. Not to mention the criticism for the two mothers on the team (one of them Junko.)
“Raise your children and keep your family tight rather than do something like this”
But eventually they managed to secure funds and started their journey. December 22, 1974, Junko Tabei left Noriko, her 2 and a half year old daughter and her husband Masanobu Tabei (also a climber) for Nepal. Noriko’s cry would fill her head for days after she left Japan.
On March 23, 1975, fourteen women climbers, a female doctor, seven journalists and 140 porters gathered in the courtyard of a hotel in Pokhara and they were ready to start their arduous journey - it took 8 days to reach base camp.
Adapted image from “Honoring high places” by Junko Tabei
“I thought I was dead” The avalanche at 6,400 m (21,000 feet)
“My mind flitted to Noriko, my three-year-old daughter; she would be devastated if I died. I was determined to hang on, to stay alive. As soon as I processed that thought, I slipped into unconsciousness.”
After many weeks of climbing without too much incidents, disaster struck.
An avalanche hit the climbers at Camp II in the middle of the night. Junko’s tent was completely buried and she was smashed face to face with Mihara Watanabe, her fellow climber whom she shared a sleeping bag with as they were short of one.
They were rescued soon after and it was a miracle that no one was killed. Their climb team leader and their physician both urged the team to cancel the expedition and return to base camp at once. But Junko refused and the other team members agreed.
It took Junko three days to recover and regain her ability walk. The entire team took 7 days to repair, recalibrate and reach Camp III on May 11.
And then there were two: the big decision
When the team reached Camp IV, they were in very rough shape. Altitude sickness had wiped out most of the team and even the sherpas were suffering tremendously. Because of that there was also not enough oxygen bottles for the final attack team of three people. The critical decision was made by their team leader, to have Junko Tabei and Ang Tsering complete the climb and Yuriko Watanabe had to descend. Junko was conflicted, she felt guilty for being chosen but she also felt a responsibility and determination to complete the climb.
That’s when she faced the knife-point ridge, the sharp icy connection with sheer drops on either side between the 8,700 m south peak to the true summit. Her will and determination nudged her forward, despite the tension and fear that gripped her the entire way.
Willing herself to the summit
After the ridge was Hillary’s Chimney, now called Hillary Step named after Sir Edmund Hillary. It is a 40-foot vertical rock face that gets you to the summit. She knew that 90% of climbing accidents in the Himalayas occur on the descent, but she buried that thought as she focused on the present moment of ascent. Each step was harder than the last, she could barely lift her legs, and she dragged her body up the mountain top with each agonizing step.
Then… “Tabei-san, tyojo dayo” Ang Tsering said in Japanese. “It’s the summit.” 12:30 pm, May 16, 1975, Junko Tabei became the first woman to summit Mount Everest.
Junko Tabei at summit of Mount Everest (Image credit: Kinesophy.com)
An alpinist, environmentalist, and cancer patient
Junko Tabei remained an independent climber, refusing sponsorships and continued her expeditions by earning money as a hiking guide, public appearances and teaching music and English.
She also became the first woman to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each continent on 1992. (Watch a short video of her return to Nepal in 2003.)
70 summits and 7 books later, Junko Tabei died from stomach cancer in 2016, at the age 77. She was still climbing after her initial cancer diagnosis years ago went into remission.
A force of nature, a true inspiration. I wished I read about her sooner. Share her story!
Image credit: Girltivity.com
7 lessons from legend Junko Tabei
1/ Nothing matters except taking each step forward
No one is coming to save you. Only you can do the things that take you to your dreams. Put on your blinders and take one step at a time.
“Only you can move your legs, all you have to do is to put one foot in front of the other and you would get there”
2/ If you can’t find it, create it
Junko loved to climb, but all the clubs were dominated by men. She couldn’t find a place where she belonged. So what did she do? She created her own club.
Not only that, I loved the fact that the slogan of the club was "Let's go on an overseas expedition by ourselves."
Nothing screams defiance and freedom more than that! A middle finger to the establishment. I can only imagine the scorn from her critics and the true delight of the women in Junko’s mountaineering club.
3/ Stay humble
What struck me was that Junko was very humble. She didn’t come from a place of ego. Instead of saying “I should summit”, she had quite some back and forth with Watanabe, saying she should go, and not her. Also after her crowning achievement, she always prefered to be known as the 36th person to summit rather than the first woman.
Don’t let our highs define us.
4/ Ignore the critics (they will be there)
If you stick out from the crowd, you will be hammered. It’s just a fact of life. Haters’ gonna hate. Just ignore them.
And you know what? Your persistence will inspire others to join you and that’s what happened to Junko Tabei when their team was desperately trying to raise money for their Everest expedition.
“We’re impressed by you indefatigable will, despite scarce resources and funding, and that’s the reason we’d like to support you”
5/ Feel the fear but focus on the present moment
She felt fear just like everyone else. How she dealt with it was remarkable. After reading her detailed description of her experience on knife ridge, I’m just in awe of how she was able to feel the immense fear, but still focus on taking one step at a time and move forward.
For most of us, our fears won’t include slipping and falling off a mountain ridge, so let’s not let our fears stop us.
6/ Defy expectations
What I truly love about her story is that she is a 4’ 9” Japanese lady, a mother and one of the kindest person you’ll meet AND she is a force to be reckoned with. That IDGAF* energy coming from someone unexpected just brings a grin to my face. Ear to ear.
When you defy what others expect, you leave a lasting impression.
7/ Harness the willpower from your heart
“Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top - it is the willpower that is most important. This willpower you cannot buy with money or be given by others - it arises from your heart.”
Need I say more? Listen to your heart and leverage it to do the most amazing things in your life.
I hope you enjoyed this deep dive and it has inspired you to live your legend. I’ve loved every moment of my research, including reading her book in one sitting.
*IDGAF (I don’t give a fuck)
LEGENDARY CURATIONS
🔗 4 interesting things across the interwebs about willpower and mountaineering:
Nir Eyal a world expert on habits, share an article in Harvard Business Review about how we’ve been thinking about willpower the wrong way for the last 30 years.
How do you increase tenacity and willpower? A previous issue of Legend Letters dive into this specific topic. A special part of your brain actually grows when you do things you don’t want to do.
A different take on willpower: how do you make it easier for yourself to do the things you should be doing? Check out this YouTube short.
Checkout the world’s 12 best mountaineers with short summaries and videos (ranked in 2023 by Redbull.)
ONE ACTION
Lean into my energy and let my heart guide me. I’ve second guessed myself too many times, this story is a stark reminder to follow it, not doubt it. When I feel doubtful I shall ask this question “Does it fill my heart?”
Make your mark, live your legend 🤘🏽,
Howie Chan
Creator of Legend Letters
How did you like today's Legend Letters? |
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?”
SOURCES
Tabei, Junko, Honouring High Places: The Mountain Life of Junko Tabei, Book - LINK
Hornyak, Tim, Everest’s First Lady, Tim Hornyak Blog, May 31, 2020 - LINK
Frenette, Brad, A Final Interview With Junko Tabei, Outside Online, October 20, 2017 - LINK
Junko Tabei Facts and Worksheets, Kidskonnect - LINK
Junko Tabei - Pioneering Japanese Alpinist, First Woman to Summit Mount Everest, Metals Magazine, January 2, 2021 - LINK
Rhonni, Junko Tabei: Seven Summits, Tea & Strumpets - LINK
Bradshaw, Jo, Junko Tabei First Woman to Summit Everest in 1975, Jo Bradshaw Blog, October 20 - LINK
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