Japanese climber, she boasts several records and firsts in her palmares. In 1975 she was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
The “female saga” of Google Doodles continues. For about a month now, the images that from time to time take the place of the writing “Google” at the center of the home page of the search engine par excellence are dedicated to women who, with their actions and their stubbornness, have achieved results of primary importance in different areas and have given luster to the female cause.
After the various Ynes Mexia, Cesaria Evora, Fong Fei-Fei and Amria Pritam, today it’s Junko Tabei’s turn. His stylized image, in fact, stands in the center of the main page of Google, prompting tens and tens of thousands of users to wonder who was Junko Tabei and what did he do during his life? Among the various feats that are remembered, Junko Tabei was the first woman to climb Everest. In her palmares, however, there are many other noteworthy climbs that have helped write the history of female mountaineering. Let’s discover them together.
Who was Junko Tabei
Born in Miharu, a small town in Fukushima Prefecture on September 22, 1939 and died in Kawagoe on October 20, 2016, Junk Tabei was one of the main figures in the history of female mountaineering. Always fond of climbing and trekking, she founded the first Japanese mountaineering club dedicated only to women as soon as she finished her university studies.
Little less than 30 years old, Junko Tabei started to devote herself full time to climbing, starting with the main Japanese peaks and then devoting herself to those of the European Alps. During the years 1969-1970, together with her husband, she conquered all the Japanese and European peaks, thus making a name for herself in the world of mountaineering.
It was during these years that the periodical Yomiyuri Shimbun and the broadcaster Nihon Television decided to create a team of climbers made up exclusively of women. The goal was to create a team capable of climbing Everest and to make sure that the first woman to climb the “roof of the world” was Japanese.
After a 5-year training period, Junk Tabei and the other 14 members of the team reached Tibet, beginning their climb to the world’s highest peak. After many adventures, Junko Tabei reached the summit of Everest as leader on May 16, 1975.
As mentioned, however, this is only one of the records that the Japanese climber holds. Junko Tabei was the first woman to complete the ascent of two eight-thousanders and the first to complete the so-called Seven Summits, the highest peak on each of the seven continents.