Everest | 1981 Lho La-W Ridge

A Japan expedition to Everest in 1981 via Lho La-W Ridge, led by Shinichi Nakajima. Summit reached on 20th May 1981. 22 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1845
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER81102
Peak ID EVER
Year 1981
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 Lho La-W Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Shinichi Nakajima
Sponsor Meiji University Everest Expedition 1981
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 Lamosangu->Khumbu Valley
Basecamp Date 1981-03-25
Summit Date 1981-05-20
Summit Time -
Summit Days 56
Total Days 60
Termination Date 1981-05-24
Termination Reason 7
Termination Notes Abandoned at 8750m due to fatigue and lack of oxygen
High Point (m) 8750
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 20
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 23
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(25/03,5330m),C1(11/04,6025m),C2(21/04,6700m),C3(25/04,7200m),C4(05/05,7500m),C5(15/05,8100m),xxx(20/05,8750m)
Route Notes Hasegawa & Nakajima - 1 June 81 Very difficult to Lho Lha, up steep rock face, so took time to reach C1 site - tents only at C1 (did not use snowhole). Above C1 went on route on ridge to C2 which also close to ridge at 6700m - not off on to North Face like Yugoslavs. C3 also very near ridge at 7200m near top of shoulder; short, easy way from C2 to C3. C1 to C2 10 days: 4 days to make route, then weather not so good. C3 to C4 easy snow ridge but very long distance; 4 days to make route and after that had to carry many oxygen bottles which took long time; same route at Yugoslavs. C4 almost same as Yugoslav C4 and US C4 West on ridge. Route to C5 found good route on ridge and Japanese C5 on ridge; good rock, not very difficult and found small platform at 8100m as good place for C5. Just above C5 was yellow rock tower and just above that met Yugoslav route again. 17 May - Matsuda and Nakanishi went up from C5 but very cold and wind; waited for sunshine 3 hours; Nakanishi started freezing right toes and had to to return to C5; reached 8250m and fixed rope to there. Nakanishi to BC and Matsuda to C4. 18 May - Tanaka and Pemba Lama reached same place, Pemba Lama beginning frostbite and had to go down. 18 May Hasegawa and Mitani to try but Hasegawa not so good condition, so Matsuda and Mitani went to 8350m and fixed 5-6 ropes; crossed yellow band and returned to C5. 19 May - Matsuda and Mitani tried for summit. Matsuda's oxygen regulator not good and lost almost all oxygen in few hours. When end of fixed rope, his oxygen almost empty so fixed 4 ropes and went back. 20 May - Tanaka and Taguchi crossed yellow band and snow ridge above, reached last steep cliff at 8500m. Tanaka tried climb cliff and finally succeeded after 3 hours. At 1:00 pm, reached easy snowfield and went on up, but Taguchi was tired so he took more than 1 hour to climb 1 pitch. When reached 8750m leader decided they should return as it was 3:30 pm. Taguchi's was freshman and not experienced; cannot say for him to stay out that night. Had good fight against West Ridge; many young men got experience. From C4 up all use oxygen including Sherpas. 13 members reached 8000m. No accidents, etc. Ministry camps not correct. Shailendra Sharma, Tourism - 24 May 81 Everest failed. 3 groups tried from last camp on 16, 17 and 18 May, but strong winds unable to reach top; how high reached not known. 20 May Junichi Tanaka and Shin Toguchi went from C5 at 3:30 am and reached 8750m at 3:30 pm. Oxygen finished and shortage of time, could not go higher and returned C5 in evening. Health of all good. Have decided to abandon climb and leave 25 May. Katano - 21 Feb 81 Katano climbed McKinley 1960 (6191m). Wants now to go ABC on this expedition if possible; will go to BC on foot with expedition began mountain climbing at 11 years of age. Retired 6 years ago and now my life work is "cultivating high places" - sheep breeding. Wife, 1 son, 1 daughter and 4 grandchildren; residence in Japanese Alps. Was guide to [Theodore] Somervell in Japanese Alps when he visited Japan. Hasegawa & Nakajima - 21 Feb 81 1st expedition from Japanese from same club to Everest 1975 Chimen Himal, Nakajima Route = West Ridge from Lho la Five camps above BC: (ABC) C1 at start of Lho la C2 about 6700m on north side of West Shoulder C3 about 7300m on top of Shoulder C4 " 7500m on Ridge C5 " 8200-8300m or if possible even higher Will not go over to Hornbein Couloir Use oxygen from C4 for climbing "Orthodox climbing" 9000m fixed rope will be needed to keep route on Ridge 2 sirdars and 21 Sherpas above BC Annu, Churen Himal sirdar, 1975 Pemba Lama 5 members already here 12 members arrive KTM today 3 members arrive KTM on 4 March 20 climbing members No journalists or film team 24 Feb leave KTM 26 Feb leave Lamosangu 2 weeks to arrive Namche 8 days acclimatization climbing from Pheriche 25-26 March arrive BC 5-10 May arrive summit 20 May finish expedition
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route False
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2446816
Year 1981
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) lho la-w ridge

Members

22 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Yasuaki Arai M 1952 Japan Exp Doctor Tokyo, Japan Physician (National Tokyo Daini Hospital) Details Other expeditions
Atsuhiro Aso M 1942 Japan Deputy Leader Tokyo, Japan Executive of chain of fruit shops Details Other expeditions
Ryoten Hasegawa M 1947 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Head of Kannongi Buddhist temple in Tokyo Details Other expeditions
Yasuaki Hayashida M 1955 Japan Exp Doctor Tokyo, Japan Physician (National Tokyo Daini Hospital) Details Other expeditions
Takeichi Katano M 1908 Japan Climber Hase, Kamina, Nagano, Japan President of Katano Farm (sheep breeding) Details Other expeditions
Shunichi Machi M 1947 Japan Climber Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan Managing director of Hokuto Building Materials Co. Details Other expeditions
Kenichi Matsuda M 1954 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Sadaki Matsumura M 1959 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student in faculty of politics and economics, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Toichiro Mitani M 1956 Japan Climber Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan Office worker Details Other expeditions
Shinichi Nakajima M 1938 Japan Leader Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan Public servant (chief officer of Fuchu city) Details Other expeditions
Norio Nakanishi M 1958 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student in commercial science faculty, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Makoto Nebuka M 1947 Japan Climber Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan Section chief in Asashi Life Insurance Co. Details Other expeditions
Kazuo Nishimura M 1944 Japan Climber Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan Executive of farming business Details Other expeditions
Norio Onishi M 1954 Japan Climber Nishidaiji, Nara, Japan Public servant (case worker in Nara city's public welfare) Details Other expeditions
Junichi Sakamoto M 1950 Japan Climber Urawa, Saitama, Japan Student of Japanese literature, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Kazuyoshi Sakuma M 1956 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Office worker in food-packaging company Details Other expeditions
Shin Taguchi M 1958 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Student in commercial science faculty, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Tsuyoshi Takano M 1959 Japan Climber Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan Student of politics and economics faculty, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Junichi Tanaka M 1952 Japan Climber Chofu, Tokyo, Japan Inspects water tanks on buildings Details Other expeditions
Koichi Wada M 1952 Japan Climber Daito, Shizuoka, Japan Student of politics and economics faculty, Meiji University Details Other expeditions
Anu Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Pemba Lama M - Nepal Sirdar Junbesi, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER81102 AAJ Nakajima, Shinichi - - 56:214-215 (1982) -
EVER81102 MM - - - 80:12 (Jul 1981) -
EVER81102 IWA - - - 88:186 (1982) -
EVER81102 IWA - - - 88:39 (1982) -
EVER81102 - Meiji University Everest West Ridge 1981 The Expedition, Tokyo - jM106
EVER81102 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198221400/Asia-Nepal-Everest-West-Ridge-Attempt - - -