Dhaulagiri IV | 1975 Junction Pk-W Ridge from SW

A Japan expedition to Dhaulagiri IV in 1975 via Junction Pk-W Ridge from SW, led by Tetsuya Nomura. Summit reached on 9th May 1975. 16 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2305
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID DHA475101
Peak ID DHA4
Year 1975
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Junction Pk-W Ridge from SW
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Tetsuya Nomura
Sponsor Osaka Mountaineering Federation Dhaulagiri IV Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 1st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1975-03-24
Summit Date 1975-05-09
Summit Time 1730
Summit Days 46
Total Days 55
Termination Date 1975-05-18
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes Success claimed by radio, but summiters died on descent
High Point (m) 7661
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 7
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 16
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 2
Total Hired 5
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(24/03,4200m),C1(06/04,4700m),C2(08/04,5200m),C3(10/04,5800m),C4,C5(22/04,6800m),C6.Relay(7000m),C7(05/05,6950m),Biv(08/05,7150m),Smt(09/05)
Route Notes Kodama & Yokoyama - 16 May 75 Arrive KTM Today; left BC 10 May - others arrive 27 or 20 May (leave BC 18 May). 6 May - 1st summit attack by Fujiwara and Yamamoto; no success because very strong wind and route very difficult; they reached 7300m and returned to C6 at 70000m where also were Kodama, Otsu and Nakamura. 7 May - C7 Ham tent broken and on Kodama's left hand some fingers frozen; only one tent C7 tent replaced by C5 tent and all 5 down. 9 May - Summit attack reached summit 5:30 pm; weather "little good." Talked on radio to relay camp at about 7000m with Shin Kashu and he relayed messages to Nishimura at BC (Nomura did not return to expedition). Kawazu says at 8 o'clock 5:30 pm success and going down, but Yasuda very weak and now biv at 7400m. 10 May - No contact. Kashu and Nima Kancha in relay camp go up for rescue and find nobody at C7 site 69500m and back with binoculars but see nothing. But 1000m downwards on South Face on glacier 2 bodies can be seen. Could not go to bodies because very difficult. So all members came down and climbing finished. C6 Relay camp on West-East Ridge between point 6921m and 7108m. C7 on ridge beyond point 7108m towards Dhaulagiri IV. Route was traverse North Face via ridges from relay camp to C7 to summit. All other members Ok. Kodama and Yokoyama go to Japan Monday. MP Khanal, MFA - 16 May 75 Kawazu and Yasuda reached summit 9 May 5:30 pm from temporary C6 at 7000m. Could come down only 200m and biv that night. Contacted BC by walkie-talkie and informed of success and could not descend more 200m. No more radio contact after that. Slope slippery ice and dropped rucksack and food stuff that evening. Leader assumes they stayed night at same place 7400m. Next day no radio contact. 1 member and 1 Sherpa went up from C7 but didn't find them and returned back; coming back they saw black objects about 1000m below on glacier; saw by telescope. MP Khanal - 16 May 75 1st attempt failed. C7 made 5th May by Fujiwara and Yamamoto. Made attempt but failed because bad weather. 2nd pair started from C7 on 8 May, but went up only 200m and bived. Nomura - 23 March 75 Nomura arrived KTM yesterday. Returned because of stomach trouble, for which he going to Japan for treatment. May return to Nepal after 2-3 weeks and helicopter to BC. But climbing leader capable of directing expedition. Nomura leaves KTM for Japan tomorrow. Expedition should reach BC on 27 March; he turned back at Beni. MP Khanal, MFA - 20 March 75 Dhaulagiri V leader got sick and he has gone back to KTM, says message from Baglung sent 18 March. Nomura & Nishimae - 7 March 75 Leave KTM 10th by road to Pokhara. 13th leave Pokhara. 2 weeks caravan up Kaphe Khola (same route as up 1970). Arrive BC at 4100m site of 1970 (see Dhaulagiri IV map) and same as Meiji's Churen BC. Route in lower part same as 1970 but not onto North-South Ridge south of Dhaulagiri VI but just south of Junction Peak. Whether go over or around peak, hope ridge this for north to climbable. There is col between Junction and Dhaulagiri IV at 6900m where Austrian 1969 had last camp. Leader was climbing. 6 high camps with highest hopefully above col towards summit. 5 Sherpas including sirdar and 1 cook. Don't expect Sherpas high. Summit attempt about 10 May. Most dangerous part is rock ridge and sanct from south and northern approach ridge. Think "ours is safest route." Many porters in southwest area without accident. "We should have success we have strong party, many good climbers."
Accidents Kawazu and Yasuda died in fall on 10 May; Kodama broke arm 7th May when wind struck C6
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448477
Year 1975
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) junction pk-w ridge from sw

Members

16 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Tetsuya Nomura M 1927 Japan Leader Osaka, Japan Associate professor, Osaka College of Social Work Details Other expeditions
Shiro Nishimae M 1935 Japan Climbing Leader Sakai, Osaka, Japan High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Tadanobu Yokoyama M 1939 Japan Climber Daito, Osaka, Japan Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Shiro Kawazu M 1943 Japan Climber Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan Chemical engineer Details Other expeditions
Hisazumi Nakamura M 1944 Japan Climber Sakai, Osaka, Japan Sells mountaineering equipment Details Other expeditions
Toshio Kodama M 1945 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Telephone engineer Details Other expeditions
Kazuo Nishimura M 1946 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Shinsuke Fujiwara M 1948 Japan Climber Mino, Osaka, Japan Construction engineer Details Other expeditions
Mikio Otsu M 1948 Japan Climber Sakai, Osaka, Japan Sells beauty supplies Details Other expeditions
Etsuro Yasuda M 1948 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Cook at Royal Hotel, Osaka Details Other expeditions
Shin Kashu M 1949 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Medical student (Kansai Medical College) Details Other expeditions
Hideo Yamamoto M 1949 Japan Climber Sakai, Osaka, Japan Heating & air-conditioning engineer Details Other expeditions
Fuminori Kimura M 1949 Japan Climber Itami, Hyogo, Japan House painter and painting supplies dealer Details Other expeditions
Akira Yoshimi M 1950 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Chemical engineer Details Other expeditions
Kyoko Uekawa F 1942 Japan Climber Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan Office clerk Details Other expeditions
Kazuko Nishimura F 1949 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Telephone operator Details Other expeditions

References

8 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
DHA475101 AAJ Nishimae, Shiro - - 50:520-521 (1976) -
DHA475101 HJ Nishamae, Shiro First Ascent and Trajedy on Dhaulagiri IV, 1975 - 34:35-39 (1974-75) -
DHA475101 JAC Nomura, Tetsuya & Nishimae, Shiro The First Ascent of Dhaulagiri IV and Accident - 70:126-138 (1975) -
DHA475101 MM - - - 44:10 (Jul 1975) -
DHA475101 IWA - - - 48:148 (1976) -
DHA475101 IWA - - - 48:60-61 (1976) -
DHA475101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197652004/Asia-Nepal-Dhaulagiri-IV - - -
DHA475101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/34/5/first-ascent-and-tragedy-on-dhaulagiri-iv-1975/ - - -