Kokichi Akuzawa sets Guinness World Record after scaling Japan’s iconic peak at 102

A 102-year-old Japanese man has become the oldest person in history to climb Mount Fuji, earning a Guinness World Record — and delivering a characteristically humble reaction: “Been there, seen the view… wasn’t anything special.”

Kokichi Akuzawa, born in 1923, reached the summit of Mount Fuji — Japan’s highest peak at 3,776 metres (12,388 feet) — on 5 August, after months of training and recovery from several serious health setbacks.

Akuzawa, a seasoned mountaineer, had previously climbed the same peak at age 96. Now, six years later and following a bout of shingles, heart failure, and a fall on a nearby mountain, he decided to try again.

“I’ve been there and seen the view many times,” he told AFP. “It wasn’t anything special.”

Despite his nonchalant tone, the record-setting feat required three days of climbing via the Yoshida Trail, the easiest of Mount Fuji’s four main routes — one that still demands a 5,800-foot vertical ascent.

Akuzawa’s daughters, Yukiko (75) and Motoe (70), accompanied him on the climb and provided support during tougher stretches. On the third day, battling fatigue and low oxygen near the summit, Akuzawa considered turning back — but Motoe urged him to keep going.

At 11am on 5 August, he reached the top.

“I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help,” he said in a statement released by Guinness World Records. “It was tough… a lot different than last time. I’m amazed I made it.”

The previous record for oldest Fuji summiter was held by Ichijiro Araya, who completed the climb at 100 years and 258 days in 1994. Akuzawa shattered that milestone at 102 years and 51 days.

While Akuzawa joked he wouldn’t attempt it again, he left the door open:

“If you ask me next year, maybe you’ll get a different answer. But for now, I’m happy with that climb.”

This isn’t Akuzawa’s first record-setting trek. In 2022, to mark his 99th birthday, he climbed Mount Nabewariyama, a 1,274-metre (4,177-foot) mountain near Tokyo.

Guinness officials confirmed the record earlier this month, praising his determination, resilience, and lifelong dedication to the mountains.