Happy Women's Map 福島県 女性初76カ国最高峰登頂 田部井 淳子 女史 / Fukushima (Japan), Ms. Junko Tabei, The first woman to summit the highest peaks in 76 countries.
「女子だけで海外遠征を」
"Overseas Expeditions for Women Only"
田部井淳子 女史 Ms. Jyunko Tabei
1939 - 2016
福島県田村郡三春町出身 生誕
Born in Tamura-gun, Miharu-machi,Fukushima-ken
田部井淳子女史は女子登攀クラブを設立し、女性達だけで世界で初めて世界最高峰エベレストおよび七大陸最高峰への登頂に成功しました。生涯で76か国の最高峰・最高地点に登頂しながら、安全で楽しい登山の指導・山岳環境保護の啓蒙活動に力を注ぎました。
Ms. Junko Tabei is the founder of the Women's Alpine Club and the first woman in the world to successfully climb both Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth, and the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Throughout her life, she climbed the highest peaks and points in 76 countries while dedicating herself to promoting safe and enjoyable mountaineering, as well as environmental conservation efforts in the mountains.
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「ワァー登ったんだなぁ。」
淳子がはじめて山に登ったのは小学校４年の夏休み。山好きの担任の先生に引率されて学友４人と一緒に２泊３日で栃木県の茶臼岳1915mを大冒険。歩くうちにだんだん草や木がなくなって砂と岩だらけ。硫黄の変なにおいがして、地面がぶつぶつと煮たっている。病気がちで運動も苦手にも関わらず、わくわくどきどきしながら、先生また学友と励まし合ってゆっくり一歩一歩進んで頂上に立ちます。淳子は頂上から見下ろす風景の美しさに感動します。順位を競うこともなく選手の交代もなく、体育が得意な友だちと苦手な自分も一緒になって登り途中の風景も頂上にたどり着く達成感もともに味わう。淳子はすっかり登山に魅了されます。中学・高校の山岳部は女子禁制で入部を断念、年の離れた兄と一緒に安達太良山・磐梯山・吾妻山に登ります。
「どうしても白い山へ登りたい雪の山を歩いてみたい 」
上京して昭和女子大学の英米文学科に進学すると、寮生活のストレスで体調を崩します。ふさぎこんでいた淳子は友人に誘われて奥多摩の御岳に登ります。 ただ ひたすら一歩一歩登りながら頂上に立つと、確かな満足感と山を取り巻く自然の広がり・空気・あらゆるものが体中の臓器にしみわたります。それから友人２人で東京周辺の山々からはじめ、谷川岳・中央アルプス・八ヶ岳・北アルプス・南アルプス・北海道の山々を歩き回ります。雪山を登りたい淳子は、女性を受け入れている社会人山岳部を雑誌で探しだして入部。日本物理学会に就職して論文編纂に従事しながら、毎週末ヘルメットを被りロープを体に巻きつけて岸壁にへばりつきます。「白嶺会」では富士山での雪上訓練からはじめ冬山の五竜岳・谷川岳一ノ倉沢を目指し、「龍鳳登高会」では日本最大の岩場、谷川岳一ノ倉沢の奥壁・衝立岩、穂高岳の屛風岩を目指します。
「女同士で衝立山を登ろう」
本格的な登山にのめりこんでいく中、ヨーロッパ三大北壁の一つアイガー北壁をドイツ人女性が初めて登頂した話を聞きます。早速、淳子は佐宗ルミエと女性ペアを組んで谷川岳一ノ倉沢の衝立岩に雪期登攀します。女同士の登山では、歩く速度も岸壁をつかむ位置も同じ、着替えやトイレなど気を遣う面倒もない。淳子は今までにない満足感を味わいますが、数か月後、谷川岳で仲間を助けようとして転落死したルミエの訃報が届きます。淳子は登山家・田部井政伸と出会い結婚・出産。淳子は退職金で夫・政伸をヨーロッパのマッターホルンに送り出します。政伸はヨーロッパ三大北壁のグランド・ジョラス北壁・マッターホルン北壁の登頂に成功するも凍傷で足の指4本を切断します。淳子は夫とザイルを組む一方、女同士で何度も登攀合宿を行い、猛烈な勢いで山に登り続けます。
「女だけでヒマラヤへ行こう」
１９６９年「女だけでヒマラヤへ行こう」を合言葉に、淳子は宮崎英子、関田美智子とともに「女子登攀クラブ」を設立。気兼ねのない女性だけの海外遠征の登山隊「アンナプルナ日本女子登山隊」（隊長：宮崎英子、副隊長：田部井淳子、 隊員：平野栄子、漆原知栄子、平川宏子、佐藤礼子、真仁田美智子、山崎茂利江、 医師：大野京子）を結成。女性には登れないという世間の偏見に向き合いながらスポンサー集めに奔走、猛者達の統率に苦心しながら選出メンバーとトレーニングや登山計画を練ります。１９７０年、高山病・スリップ事故・荷揚げでメンバーが紛糾する中、アタックメンバーに選ばれた淳子はヒマラヤ山脈アンナプルナⅢ峰（7555m）に登頂を果たします。さらに、「エベレスト日本女子登山隊」（隊長：久野英子、副隊長：田部井淳子、 隊員：真仁田美智子、奈須文枝、渡辺百合子、 平島照代、三原洋子、中幸子、種谷由美、塩浦玲子、永沼雅子、荒山文子、北村節子、藤原すみ子、ドクター：阪口昌子）を結成。１９７５年、雪崩に巻き込まれ胸部圧迫・打撲を負いながらも下山を断固拒否、アタックメンバーに選ばれた淳子は世界最高峰エベレスト（8848m）の女性世界初の登頂を果たします。
「一緒に富士山に登ろう」
さらに淳子は女性登攀クラブを率いて、１９９２年女性世界初で7大陸最高峰登頂。さらに、アイガー、マッターホルン、グランドジョラスとエネルギッシュに登り続け７6か国の最高峰・最高地点の登頂を記録。還暦前には、キルギス共和国のポベーダ峰（7439m）・イスモイル・ソモニー峰（7495m）、レーニン峰（7134m）、コルジェネフスカヤ峰（ 7105m）、ハン・テングリ（7010m）の天山・パミール高峰五座に登頂を果たし、現地で「雪豹」の称号を贈られます。東日本大震災後、淳子は故郷福島はじめ東北の高校生たちを連れて富士登山をはじめます。仲間同士で日本一の富士山に楽しく登れるように、内気な子には声をかけて疲れた子は励まして、勇気や元気を持って前に進めるように頂上に立たせます。
"Wow, I actually climbed it. I finally made it."
Junko took her first mountain climb during the summer vacation of her fourth year in elementary school, led by a mountain-loving homeroom teacher. Accompanied by four classmates, they embarked on a great adventure to Mount Chausudake (elevation 1915m) in Tochigi Prefecture for a two-night, three-day expedition. As they walked, the landscape gradually changed from grass and trees to sand and rocks. Strange smells of sulfur permeated the air, and the ground seemed to bubble and boil. Despite being prone to illness and not particularly athletic, Junko felt excited and nervous. She encouraged herself along with the teacher and classmates, slowly advancing step by step until they reached the summit. From the top, Junko was moved by the beauty of the landscape below. There was no competition for rankings, no player substitutions; both those skilled in sports and those less adept climbed together. They experienced the scenery along the way and the sense of achievement upon reaching the summit together. Junko was captivated by mountain climbing. Unable to join the mountain club in junior and high school, which was off-limits for girls, she climbed Mount Adatara, Mount Bandai, and Mount Azuma with her older brother.
"I really want to climb a white mountain, want to walk on a snowy mountain."
Upon moving to Tokyo and enrolling in the English and American Literature Department at Showa Women's University, Junko faced health issues due to the stress of dormitory life. Feeling downhearted, she was invited by a friend to climb Mount Ontake in Okutama. Climbing steadily, step by step, when she finally reached the summit, a sense of fulfillment washed over her. The expansive nature surrounding the mountain, the air, and everything around permeated every organ in her body. Subsequently, with two friends, she started exploring the mountains around Tokyo and ventured to Mount Tanigawa, the Central Alps, Mount Yatsugatake, the Northern Alps, the Southern Alps, and mountains in Hokkaido. Eager to climb snowy mountains, Junko sought out and joined a mountaineering club that welcomed women. While working for the Japan Physical Society and engaging in paper compilation, she spent every weekend donning a helmet, wrapping a rope around her body, and clinging to rock walls. In the "Hakurei-kai," she began with snow training on Mount Fuji and aimed for winter ascents of Mount Goryudake and Mount Tanigawa's Ichinokurasawa. In the "Ryofu-tocko-kai," targeting Japan's largest rock face, the inner wall of Ichinokurasawa of Mount Tanigawa, and the Hotsukiamakabe of Mount Hotaka, she set her sights on challenging climbs.
"Let's climb the Tuitateiwa together, just us women."
Immersed in her passion for serious mountaineering, Junko heard a story about a German woman being the first to conquer the Eiger North Face, one of the three great north faces of Europe. Without delay, Junko teamed up with Rumie Satomune to embark on a snow season climb of the inner wall of Ichinokurasawa in Mount Tanigawa. In climbing with fellow women, there were no complications such as differing walking speeds or handholds on the rock wall, and concerns about dressing or using the restroom were nonexistent. While experiencing a satisfaction like never before, a few months later, Junko received the tragic news of Rumie's fatal fall while attempting to assist a companion on Mount Tanigawa. Junko then encountered mountaineer Masanobu Tabei, leading to marriage and childbirth. Using her retirement funds, Junko sent her husband, Masanobu, to the Matterhorn in Europe. Although Masanobu successfully climbed the Grandes Jorasses North Face and the Matterhorn North Face, he suffered frostbite and had to amputate four toes. While continuing to climb mountains with her husband and forming rope teams, Junko also organized numerous climbing camps for women, relentlessly pursuing her passion for the mountains.
"Let's climb the Himalayas, just us women."
In 1969, under the slogan "Let's go to the Himalayas only with women," Junko, along with Hikoko Miyazaki and Michiko Sekita, founded the "Women's Climbing Club." Defying societal biases that deemed women unfit for such challenges, they formed an all-female international expedition team known as the "Annapurna Japan Women's Climbing Team" (leader: Hikoko Miyazaki, deputy leader: Junko Tabei, members: Eiko Hirano, Chieko Urushihara, Hiroko Hirakawa, Reiko Sato, Michiko Manita, Teruyo Yamazaki, and doctor Kyoko Ono). Struggling against the prevailing prejudices, they worked tirelessly to secure sponsors while facing challenges in coordinating the diverse group of skilled climbers. They meticulously planned training and climbing schedules while grappling with the management of the formidable team. In 1970, amidst conflicts within the team due to altitude sickness, slip accidents, and load-carrying issues, Junko chosen as one of the attack members, and successfully summited the Annapurna III peak in the Himalayas (7555m). Furthermore, she established the "Everest Japan Women's Climbing Team" (leader: Hidoko Kuno, deputy leader: Junko Tabei, members: Michiko Manita, Fumie Nasu, Yuriko Watanabe, Teruyo Hirashima, Yoko Mihara, Yuko Naka, Yumi Tanetani, Reiko Shioura, Masako Enuma, Ayako Arayama, Setsuko Kitamura, Sumiko Fujiwara, and doctor Masako Sakaguchi) in 1975. Despite being caught in an avalanche and suffering chest compression and contusions, Junko, selected as an attack member, steadfastly refused to descend, ultimately becoming the first woman in the world to summit Mount Everest (8848m), the highest peak on Earth.
"Let's all climb Mount Fuji together!"
Furthermore, Junko, leading the Women's Climbing Club, achieved the unprecedented feat of summiting the highest peaks on all seven continents in 1992. Continuing her adventurous pursuits, she conquered challenges like the Eiger, Matterhorn, and Grandes Jorasses, recording ascents to the highest points in 76 countries. Before reaching the age of sixty, she accomplished ascents of the Pobeda Peak (7439m), Ismoil Somoni Peak (7495m), Lenin Peak (7134m), Korchenevskaya Peak (7105m), and Khan Tengri (7010m) in the Tian Shan and Pamir high ranges, earning the local designation of "Snow Leopard." In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Junko initiated climbs of Mount Fuji with high school students from her hometown Fukushima and other areas in Tohoku. Striving to make the ascent of Japan's highest peak an enjoyable experience for her companions, she reached out to reserved individuals, encouraged the weary, and empowered everyone to move forward with courage and energy, ultimately standing atop the summit.
-田部井淳子基金 Junko Tabei Foundation
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