Everest | 1980 S Col-SE Ridge

A Japan expedition to Everest in 1980 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Naomi Uemura. Summit reached on 27th January 1981. 17 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1915
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER80401
Peak ID EVER
Year 1980
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Naomi Uemura
Sponsor Japan Winter Everest Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Lukla->Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1980-11-27
Summit Date 1981-01-27
Summit Time -
Summit Days 61
Total Days 66
Termination Date 1981-02-01
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8000m due to high winds
High Point (m) 8000
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 17
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 20
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(27/11,5350m),C1(09/12,6050m),C2(17/12,6500m),C3(26/12,7300m),xxx(27/01,8000m)
Route Notes Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 27 Jan 81 Today weather excellent: -20 degrees BC Don't know about Uemura in C2 Mitani and Matsuda 2 members left C2 yesterday afternoon; reached near C3 by 3:00 pm. Sugasawa to BC again; to Lukla 29 Jan says Brimay 28 Jan. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 28 Jan 81 -16 degrees C today at BC, serene and no wind. Poles climbed Everest in "extended winter." According to rules winter to 31 Jan. Yesterday Uemura, Mitani, Matsuda and Akutsu and 5 Sherpas started from C3 to South Col and Uemura, Matsuda and Akutsu returned to C3 from Geneva Spur because high wind at the Spur. Mitani and 2 Sherpas reached South Col at 3 pm, but because of very very high wind and food deposited earlier on 18 Jan between C3 and Col had been blown away and other Sherpas returning to C3 and lack of time, not time to pitch a C4 and returned to C3 5:30 pm. Uemura because of high wind on Col and unable make C4 after many days efforts and members and Sherpas being tired and food blown away, decided yesterday to abandon all attempt on mountain. Today, expedition cleared by 1:00 C3 and coming down to C2. Tomorrow will clear C2 and C1 to BC. Leave BC 1 Feb. Uemura - 6 Feb 81 I think I can not come back to Mount Everest in winter; it is too hard for me in winter. We had accident and 1 member killed; it was too sad for me so I don't like this any more, and in winter too hard. In this year during our climbing it was so bad weather, wind strong and not clear day. No 3 days in row were fine since after Xmas to end Jan. Jan too bad weather; Feb less bad weather. Last year fine weather to 19 Jan did not extent into Feb because weather so bad since Xmas and forecast was continuing bad into Feb, our power was not enough against bad weather but not more members, maybe leadership failed. Also food low and frostbite cases of Sugasawa and Mitani reached 8600m or 8700m on Everest north side supporting Kato last spring, very strong climber; also Matsuda who climbed Aconcaguq in winter, and Takenaka were strong. Everest is very terrible mountain, also Icefall very dangerous. I lost my great friend. No I don't want to come again; its very difficult, no money, don't know. Uemura, Mitani and 3 Sherpas reached Col but could not pitch camp because bad weather: wind cloud. On 12 Jan Takenaka slipped because crampans did not fit boots. Also bad weather he spwnt long time in descent from C3 probably because of crampons. No members used oxygen climbing but some in C3 sleeping. 5 climbing members in KTM. Uemura arrives today; left BC 1 Feb; leaves KTM 10 Feb with no plans he can say to return; I don't want to kill more members; better to go alone (but not Everest solo). Lost 12 kg on climb. Japan Everest Expedition 3 Japanese and some Sherpas in C2 today; -23 degrees centrigrade at BC, cloudy and light wind; weather improving and hope tomorrow fully improved and can go above C2; 2 days good weather all that's required not going to extend beyond 31 Jan. Want to climb in formal winter season Dec-Jan. Uemura has booked next winter also by South Col. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 22 Jan 81 Today again those in C2 not going above to C3 weather today is cloudy, foggy and light wind: -21 degrees centrigrade at BC Shyam, Tourism - 23 Jan 81 Climber still in C2. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 21 Jan 81 C2 5:30 pm yesterday reached by Uemura and 2 Japanese, Mitani and Matsuda, from BC day before 7 Sherpas left BC to go today. Thick mist -19 degrees C and cloudy did not try to go to C3. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 18 Jan 81 Will start climbing from tomorrow if weather is good and if all well, summit attack on 23 or 24 Jan. Weather not good today: cloudy. 16 Jan Takenaka cremated at Dugla. 7 Japanese including Uemura and 7 Sherpas at ceremony. Sugasawa bringing ashes to KTM 19 or 20 and father and sister arrive 21 Jan. Will also bring Takenaka's crampons, ice axe and some equipment, also. All members will return to KTM 10 Feb. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 16 Jan 81 Takenaka's body taken to cremation site at Dugla from BC this morning. Shrestha, Tourism - 14 Jan 80 Takenaka's body brought to C2 yesterday; today try to bring to BC. 6 more Sherpas went up from BC to help bring body to BC. Cremate at Dugla below Lobuche on 16th. Today at BC -20 degrees centigrade and windy. Shrestha, Tourism - 13 Jan 81 Yesterday 10:00 am Takenaka and Uemura started from C3 to C2 and at 6800m Takenaka missed to hook into fix rope and slipped. Death confirmed by Dr. Shigeru Takei at 3:00 pm. All members waiting for permission of Takenaka family about disposed of body. Today 5 Sherpas and 2 members Mitani and Matsuda going from C2 to place where body lying after 200m fall and are trying to bring body to C1 today. Expedition will meet at BC in next few days to decide continuation of expedition. At 11:00 am today - 25 degrees C at BC and weather good. Prachandra Shrestha, Tourism - 12 Jan 81 6 climbers; total 17 Noboru Takenaka (born 1952 = 28 student, Wasada University) slipped at 6800m while coming down from C3 to C2 today and declared dead by expedition doctor at 15:00 hours. Details expected tomorrow. Prachanda Shrestha, Tourism - 12 Jan 81 Established C3 26 Dec 7300m; in this camp Sugasawa received frostbite his middle finger righthand so came to BC on 9 Jan. 9 Jan in C3 were 5 members + 7 Sherpas Program was to go to C4 12 Jan and first summit attack 13 Jan. 12 Jan bad weather and need for rest all are coming to BC for 2 days. All from C2 and C1 also to BC, some will reach today some tomorrow. Those in C3 were Uemura, Matsuda, Mitani, Takenaka and Akutsu -20 degrees C at BC today 11:00 am and cloudy. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 5 Jan 81 pitched C2 17 Dec at 6500m + C3 26 Dec at 7300m On 27 Dec tried to go to Col and driven back by winds planned make C4 by 3 Jan and summit by 9 Jan. Uemura - 2 Nov 80 17 members total 6 climbers 3 researchers 2 Drs (also research) 6 correspondents Leave 5 Nov to Lukla. Acclimatize probably at Pheriche for 1 week, arrive BC end Nov. Research on physiology Maybe 4 camps with C4 on Col, possibly maybe a camp on SE Ridge, very flexible depending on conditions We hope arrive summit middle Jan, even early Jan but tat perhaps difficulties we can't make rush attack: we have 2 main purposes 1) climbing 2) ice cores from various altitudes (scientists have brought out ice for Himal). British can make rush attack, we cannot Ice cores for analysis of chemical properties and ice crystals which tells about past climate (10-20 years ago) 20 Sherpas above BC and 5 local Sherpas for Icefall 60 bottles of oxygen, use from Col, perhaps below depending conditions; without oxygen how to protect against cold of -50 degree C, -40 degree ? very beautiful without oxygen, without Sherpas, but how to do in Winter. Naomi Uemura - 20 Jan 80 Leave KTM Jan, arrived 6 Dec to Lukla soon afterwards to Kalapattar spin Pumori 5400m for nearly one month (near top of Kalapattar). Checked temperature, clouds and wind; now assistant researcher in glacialogy and metereology at Nagana University and did some research for University. Main findings: Sometimes -50 degrees centigrade above 8000m, -6 degrees every 1000m and at Kalapattar -26 degrees (almost every day below -20 degrees, -40 degrees at summit; wind more than 20 m/sec. Everest can be climbed in winter. Possible if find days without wind; at Kalapattar only 2 days without wind. After put final camp on South Col may have chance to get to top direct from Col maybe possible to reach top in Feb. Nov-Jan months of westerly jet streams at average 30-40 m/sec at 9000m. Col very strong winds; would put camp just below col; no different techniques. Uemura will make BC early Dec and reach summit on New Year's day but depends on weather. 10 members including journalists but 6 climbers including Uemura. Sponsors are Mainichi paper and Mainichi Broadcasting (TV) - already has permit. Maybe tents in Feb on Col but not possible in Dec-Jan. I think I have chance to get to summit in Jan because when I checked weather in one month could find some days no wind or very little wind; could wait in South Col for good weather but in winter difficult to go to summit from Col; 6:30 am day break, 5:30 pm dark, maybe would need biv on return. I want to go to top again myself. In winter very important to use oxygen because very difficult to get warm again without oxygen. Need special equipment (clothing) for cold maybe Eskimo clothing, but this is bulky and difficult to move. 3-layer tents instead of normal 2 layers (4 layers via Arctic) not much snow via Col in winter because wind; Khumbu Icefall not so dangerous, hard not so many seracs falling. Not alpine style climb, next winter with 20 Sherpas including sirdar Pemba Tenzing. Will have fixed camps and use oxygen kept camera ready for Yeti, does not believe in Yeti. Stopped drinking liquor last August to preserve courage over long period: if no drink make very big courage over long period, if drink make very big courage for short time. Hiroke Watanabe will lead Japanese on north side of Everest. Uemura will come next to KTM late Nov. After 1974 Dhaulagiri recce around mountain, no real climbing. Climbing was Everest 1971 but 1975 Elbrus and 5000m in Europe; wanted to do trans-Antarctic solo with dogs in 3-4 months but US refused help so now to Everest in winter and if success maybe can convince US to help cross 3000m from shortest route McMurdo Base at Ross Sea to Argentine base via US Scott base at Pole. this July-Aug next to go to Aconcagua 6960m in this winter; it has never been climbed in winter and stay one night on top; will be also very cold. 3 members with Uemura who will come to Everest. Already climbed it solo in Feb 1968 in 15 hours from foot at 4200m; this to get into good physical condition. -51 degrees Centigrade experience in Arctic all day and night one day in March 1978 at beginning; daily was 40 degrees and -45 degrees Centigrade, but in mountains some warm air to -7 degrees or so. Polish are very strong so I think they will succeed. For us is hobby but for them is job. If Poles succeed maybe Uemura will do something different; different route but probably not. Uemura believes Chinese in 1960 reached top. He met 1960 summiters and their description of final climb very true. Uemura lives in Tokyo. Will probably stay at Arora. Next Nov-Dec trekking representative not decided, maybe THT. Shailendra Raj Sharma, Tourism - 24 Oct 79 Uemura came to KTM on 19 Oct and met Sharma that day; applied for Everest for winter 1980-81 for 5 members ascent without Sherpas and oxygen, route not decided. Uemura will come back to Nepal this Nov and spend a month in Khumbu.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446702
Year 1980
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

17 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Etsuo Akutsu M 1938 Japan Film Team Asaka, Saitama, Japan Cameraman (Mainichi Broadcasting System) Details Other expeditions
Masaki Doi M 1938 Japan Deputy Leader Tokyo, Japan High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Masuo Harada M 1942 Japan Journalist Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan Mainichi Newspaper employee Details Other expeditions
Takashi Kitagawa M 1948 Japan Film Team Kyoto, Japan Cameraman on Mainichi Broadcasting System's television film team Details Other expeditions
Takashi Koaze M 1935 Japan Researcher Nagareyama, Chiba, Japan Professor (geomorphologist) Details Other expeditions
Kenichi Matsuda M 1954 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Toichiro Mitani M 1956 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Hideki Nishimura M 1951 Japan Film Team Mino, Osaka, Japan Director on Mainichi Broadcasting System's TV film team Details Other expeditions
Jun Nose M 1932 Japan Film Team Ikeda, Osaka, Japan Producer on Mainichi Broadcasting Systems TV film crew Details Other expeditions
Shuichi Okazawa M 1949 Japan Researcher Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan High school teacher Details Other expeditions
Masaharu Shimazu M 1949 Japan Film Team Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan Sound engineer on Mainichi Broadcasting System TV film crew Details Other expeditions
Toyozo Sugasawa M 1943 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Manager of his own company (buying and selling used bottles) Details Other expeditions
Shigeru Takei M 1949 Japan Exp Doctor/Researcher Tokyo, Japan Physician at Tokyo Medical College Hospital Details Other expeditions
Noboru Takenaka M 1952 Japan Climber Nara-shi, Nara, Japan Student of pedagogy, Waseda University Details Other expeditions
Akio Ueki M 1947 Japan Exp Doctor/Researcher Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan Physician at Tokyo Medical College Hospital Details Other expeditions
Naomi Uemura M 1941 Japan Leader Tokyo, Japan No occupation he says; expedition prospectus says photographer Details Other expeditions
Minoru Yoshida M 1952 Japan Researcher Tokyo, Japan Student of glaciology, Nagoya Univ. & member of research team Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER80401 AAJ - - - 55:253 (1981) -
EVER80401 MM - - - 79:13 (May 1981) -
EVER80401 IM Uemura, Naomi Japanese Winter Everest Expedition - 7:24-25 (Spring 1981) -
EVER80401 IWA - - - 88:186 (1982) -
EVER80401 IWA - - - 88:39 (1982) -
EVER80401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198125302/Asia-Nepal-Mount-Everest-Winter-Attempt-1981 - - -