Junko Tabei

Hello, my name is Junko Tabei. I was born on September 22nd, 1939, in the small town of Miharu, Japan. Growing up, many people saw me as a small and frail child, and I suppose I was not very athletic. But something inside me changed when I was 10 years old. My class took a school trip to climb Mount Nasu, a beautiful volcano in Japan. The air was crisp, the trail was challenging, and with every step, I felt a growing sense of excitement. When I finally stood on the top, looking out at the world below, I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment. That single experience ignited a fire within me, a passion for climbing that would guide the rest of my life. I knew then that I wanted to climb more mountains, to feel that amazing feeling of reaching the top again and again.

After finishing my early education, I attended Showa Women's University and graduated in 1962 with a degree in English and American literature. My passion for climbing only grew stronger, so I began joining several men's climbing clubs to gain more experience. In those days, it was not always easy being a woman in such a male-dominated activity. Some people believed that a woman's place was in the home, not on the side of a dangerous mountain. Sometimes I faced criticism, but their doubts only made me more determined to prove them wrong. I decided that if I couldn't find a place where I felt I truly belonged, I would create one myself. In 1969, I formed the Ladies Climbing Club, an all-female group dedicated to our shared passion. Our motto was simple but powerful: 'Let's go on an overseas expedition by ourselves.'

Our club had a very ambitious goal: we wanted to climb the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. In the early 1970s, this was an enormous undertaking for any team, but especially for an all-female one. We struggled to find sponsors who believed we could succeed. Many companies turned us down, thinking it was a joke. But we refused to give up. We were incredibly resourceful, saving our money and finding creative ways to fund our trip. We even made some of our own gear, using recycled car seat covers to sew waterproof gloves and pouches. Finally, in 1975, our expedition began. The climb was grueling, but the greatest test came on May 4th. While we were sleeping at Camp 2, a terrifying avalanche struck, burying our entire camp in snow and ice. I was knocked unconscious and buried completely. It was a chaotic and frightening moment, but my team worked quickly to dig me out. I was injured, but I was not defeated. My determination to reach the summit was stronger than ever.

Just twelve days after surviving the avalanche, I was ready to make the final push to the top. I could barely walk at first, but I pushed through the pain. My climbing partner, a skilled Sherpa named Ang Tsering, led the way. The final part of the climb was the most difficult. We had to cross a narrow, treacherous ridge with a steep drop on either side. I had to crawl on my hands and knees at times, focusing on every single movement. Then, on May 16th, 1975, we did it. Ang Tsering and I stood on the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. The world stretched out below me in a sea of clouds and distant peaks. I felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. I was the very first woman to ever achieve this dream, but in that moment, I didn't see myself as a celebrity or a record-breaker. I simply saw myself as the 36th person to climb the mountain.

Climbing Everest was a dream come true, but it wasn't the end of my journey. I soon set a new goal for myself: to climb the highest peak on all seven continents, a challenge known as the Seven Summits. I traveled the world, climbing mountains in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Antarctica. On June 28th, 1992, I stood on the top of Puncak Jaya in Indonesia, completing my goal and becoming the first woman to climb all Seven Summits. During my travels, however, I began to notice something troubling. I saw a great deal of trash left behind on the mountains by other climbers. These beautiful, wild places were being harmed. This inspired a new mission for me. I began to work on environmental projects, organizing cleanup expeditions and educating people about how to protect the mountains I loved so much.

My passion for climbing and protecting the planet continued for the rest of my life. Even after I was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, I never stopped exploring and leading expeditions with young people. I lived to be 77 years old. My greatest hope is that my story inspires others, especially young girls, to follow their own dreams, no matter how big or challenging they may seem. I want people to remember that your physical size does not determine the size of your spirit. With determination, you can overcome any obstacle and reach any summit you set your mind to.