A one-legged climber, who uses forearm crutches, aims to conquer two rugged peaks in central Japan at the same time. We find out what spurs him to take up the challenge and what views await him.
Stories about people.
Stories about life.
Hometown Stories.
Let me show you my secret technique.
This man is using only his right leg to get around while carrying a bowl of ramen noodles.
Who on earth is he?
He's aiming to climb all of Japan's 100 famous mountains despite having only one leg.
No one in their right mind would
try that with one leg.
Success seems unlikely, and that
makes it worth the challenge.
We follow him as he attempts a climb in a soaring mountain range in the central region of Japan.
In the summer of 2023, he tackled one of the toughest climbing routes in Japan, with many tricky spots to navigate.
He'd attempted it twice in the past, but never made it to the top.
Whoa, that was close.
It's really tough.
After his repeated attempts, what views await him?
This is Kuwamura Masaharu, aged 60.
On hitting retirement age in 2023, he left the electronics maker he had worked for.
He goes to a gym two or three times a week as part of his climbing training.
I focus especially on the muscles
around my core and arms.
I try not to build them up too much
so as not to gain too much weight.
Masaharu is climbing Mount Fuji with some friends.
He uses metal canes called "forearm crutches."
At one moment, his entire body weight is supported by only his arms, and the next moment, by just one leg.
He says it's like doing continuous sets of push-ups followed by a one-legged squat.
I can't get a firm stance
while my leg slides like this.
I lose energy.
This type of slope may be the hardest.
At age eight, he had his left leg amputated because of a type of bone cancer known as osteosarcoma.
He says his mother later told him something that gave him a clear sense of purpose in life.
She said, "Even with the amputation,
you had only a 10% chance of survival."
A 10% chance, yet I survived.
So, I figured I wasn't meant to die yet.
I thought the gods were telling me to
do something with only one leg.
Masaharu climbed a mountain for the first time at age 44.
He says he felt a joy like no other he had ever experienced.
It was a lot of work getting to the top.
But the view was wonderful.
When I made it to the summit,
I felt a great sense of accomplishment.
Mountains inflict equal pain on us all,
whether you have a disability or not.
We still have to climb
over 1,000 meters in altitude.
This is the 17th time Masaharu has climbed Mount Fuji.
His companions have disabilities with their hearing or their legs.
You can do it!
This part isn't bumpy.
Masaharu has shown his friends how much fun it can be to take on a challenge.
Good job!
I've also lost a leg, so I want to
learn from him and follow him.
The first climber clears the bushes
and makes a path.
I think it's my job to create the path,
to show that you can climb with one leg.
By Masaharu's side, watching over him as he takes on his challenges, is his wife, Isako.
- How are you doing today?
- Couldn't be better!
The two got married in 2015.
They both keep physically active, and they've also climbed mountains together.
She's hitting me.
She slaps me around.
I'm happy we share the same hobby.
He's made an important promise to his wife.
I tell him,
"Make sure you come back alive."
He has good judgement and turns back
when it's risky. I trust him on that.
OK. Please let it be sunny.
Cheers!
Thank you.
My wife lets me do what I want.
She's rooting for me.
So, I can't die, no matter what.
I want to climb all the 100 peaks.
These are the 100 famous mountains.
The badges mark the ones I've climbed.
Masaharu started his 100-peak challenge in 2012.
He's climbed 63 of them so far.
This time, he's determined to tackle two more mountains.
Next, I'm hitting two peaks together,
Kashimayari and Goryu.
They're both renowned peaks in Japan's central mountain range.
First, he's going to attempt Mount Kashimayari, which soars 2,889 meters above sea level.
From there, one of the most difficult routes in the country awaits him.
It will lead him to his next target, Mount Goryu.
The total distance will be about 23 kilometers.
He plans to climb both peaks in four days.
I tried last year and the year before.
But I was having shoulder problems then.
During the climb, it got worse.
So, I decided not to push ahead.
I hope the third time is the charm.
I really want to conquer them this year.
Masaharu has found further inspiration to tackle all of Japan's 100 famous mountains from another climber.
Another one-legged climber!
The discovery had a big impact on me.
Yokota Sadao was born in 1901 in the central Japanese city of Nagano.
He had his right leg amputated because of the same illness as Masaharu
but continued to climb mountains using underarm crutches.
I share many similar thoughts, like,
"I must always come home alive."
I climb despite my disadvantage.
So, I can't die in the mountains.
I'm trying to blaze a new trail.
I must prove it's possible.
Masaharu has been trying to find out more about Sadao through social media and other methods.
As it turns out...
"We've found a relative of his."
Really? That's great!
I'm moved to tears.
Life can be really interesting.
Visiting Yokota Sadao's nephew.
Wow!
- Mt. Tsurugi?
- Yes. This photo is in the book.
I've felt pain in my arm before
and thought about quitting.
I'd wonder if I could do it.
But every time, his book encouraged
me to keep climbing like he did.
He helped me a lot.
There are mountains that Sadao described as "unknown peaks."
Mt. Kashimayari is one of them.
"They loom like illusions on the back of my eyelids. I just can't help it."
Day before the climb,
paying respect at Yokota Sadao's grave.
I said I'll climb the mountain for him,
and come back to tell him about it.
It's time for Masaharu to start his third attempt on the peaks of Kashimayari and Goryu.
There are gods in the mountains.
So, I bow before and after a climb.
This time, he packed as light as possible, to minimize the weight he has to carry.
Still...
This path is tough on my shoulders.
When the ground level is uneven,
the crutches hit it at different heights.
There's a climber sitting on a rock to rest.
My knees started hurting
after about 30 minutes of climbing.
You don't want to push too hard.
You can start again once you recover.
Take care, and good luck.
Don't be mean, Mt. Kashimayari.
Show me your peak!
Clouds were covering the summit
of Mt. Kashimayari.
It's been about eight hours since he started climbing.
He's reached a mountain hut, his goal on Day 1.
I'm doing great.
But the rubber is wearing thin.
The next morning...
Masaharu heads for Mount Kashimayari, the peak described as "unknown" by the pioneering climber, Yokota Sadao.
In his past two attempts, shoulder trouble kept him from going further than this.
I was expecting a dirt path.
But there are lots of stones.
Oops. I almost knocked off a rock.
It moved. I was surprised.
He's made it to his first target, the summit of Mount Kashimayari.
I can see the next hut.
This is an amazing place.
Sadao wanted to climb this peak.
I hope he's seeing this through my eyes.
Arriving at the hut on Day 2.
I'm letting my wife know I'm alive.
I doubt she's worried, though.
She'd be mad at me for showing this.
"She says, 'Congratulations!'"
On the third day...
Wow!
Look at that!
Now, Masaharu heads for Mount Goryu.
To get to the peak, climbers have to navigate a narrow, rocky path.
Masaharu shortens his crutches to adjust them for the steep slope.
Oh boy. This is hard.
I climb because I want to.
Nobody's forcing me.
I chose the hard path myself.
How could I quit?
Good thing no one's down there.
- Hang in there.
- Thank you.
He's incredible.
We shouldn't be feeling tired.
That's right. This is nothing.
- How about a ladder?
- If it's short, just like this.
If the crutches get in the way,
I grab them with one hand and hop down.
- That's amazing.
- Tiring, though.
He enjoys chatting with fellow climbers.
This is a tough route.
- Be careful.
- Thank you.
Seeing me energizes other climbers.
Their steps get lighter after that.
It lifts their spirits, like,
"I can do it!"
And at last...
I'm so tired.
On his third attempt, he finally gets to see this view.
That was incredibly hard.
This scenery is amazing, though.
I'm glad I've made it here.
- You're home!
- I'm back.
He came back in one piece,
as he had promised Isako.
- Good job. You did it!
- Yes, I did!
He's now conquered 65
of the 100 famous mountains.
Difficulties make life interesting.
Rather than a featureless path,
I prefer one that's full of changes.
He aims to complete his
100-peak challenge in 4 years.