Manaslu | 1974 E Ridge (to 6000m)

A Japan expedition to Manaslu in 1974 via E Ridge (to 6000m), led by Tsuneo Kuroishi. Summit reached on 4th May 1974. 15 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2323
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID MANA74101
Peak ID MANA
Year 1974
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 E Ridge (to 6000m)
Route 2 NE Face
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Japan
Leaders Tsuneo Kuroishi
Sponsor Women's Manaslu Expedition 1974
Success 1 False
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 6th
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Trisuli Bazar->Buri Gandaki->Samagaon
Basecamp Date 1974-03-03
Summit Date 1974-05-04
Summit Time 1730
Summit Days 62
Total Days 71
Termination Date 1974-05-13
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8163
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 5
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 12
Summit Members 3
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 15
Summit Hired 1
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 E-Ridge-BC(03/03,4400m),C1(10/03,5200m),C2(26/03,6000m),xxx; NE-Face-BC(01/04,4350m),C1(5300m),C2(5900m),C3(10/04,6500m),C4(28/04,7150m),C5(03/05,7650m),TrueSmt(04/05)
Route Notes Nakaseko - 28 May 74 C5 established 3rd May by 3 members and Jangbu Sherpa with help of 3 Sherpas who then went down to C3. Start from C5 4th May. One member and Jangbu left 8:30 am and 30 minutes later other 2 left C5. Mrs Uchida and Jangbu at 150m from summit waited for others: met at 4 pm. Then other 2 went ahead and a member reached 5:30 pm, Mrs Uchida and Jangbu at summit 10-15 minutes later and Mori reached 6 pm. Top very breakable rock - 150m down narrow snow ridge. Very clear weather at summit but stayed 5 minutes only (for photos) after leaving 2 flags because it's late. Could clearly see they were on highest summit. Reached C5 by another route by Nakaseko and Mori 10 pm (Mori's oxygen iced) while others reached 9 pm by same route as ascent. Mrs Uchida little frostbite on one finger but all right now. Went to C3 5th May - from C4 to C5 for summit next day: Miss Suzuki, Ito and 2 Sherpas. Suzuki maybe arrived 7400m and Ito 7400m or 7450m. Route C4 to C5 all fixed rope so not necessary to rope together. Suzuki left C4 9:30, Ito left C4 10:00, 3 support Sherpas left C4 before. 2 members, 2 Sherpas after Ito each by himself. Suzuki almost at C5 on on small plateau where end of fixed rope - rucksack, ice axe but not for the coat found on 6th May near end of fixed rope. Ito turned back because very strong wind and snow blizzard; left her rucksack at 7450m. Couldn't reach C4 herself: Sherpa found her in snow at 10:45 a little above C4, but next day could not remember coming to end of fixed rope. All night open and bright lights in camps including C5 where 3 Sherpas slept. 5th night, we could not sleep all night. 6th May 5 am Miss Suzuki missing and Sherpas went to search for her. Think she fell or was blown off balance when changing to down jacket in strong wind at 6 or 7 pm. 5th May 6th May also strong wind. Had placed 3rd summit party but then bad weather after 6th. 2 members were to be in this party when got good weather and Sherpas give help which didn't want to do, didn't want to carry to C5. Miss Suzuki looked a bit sick on 5th May to a member. Not so good acclimatization and should be stopped but could not be. Contacted by radio; maybe this caused death. E Ridge route not possble this team because a knife ridge route not possible for this team, because Sherpas not able to climb so far a fixed rope and difficult with loads; route changed end and shifted C3 up 200m. None will come to Everest in 1975 because 2 yrs succession; not enough money saved and each must pay for herself. Very happy to reach 8000m, but because of loss of Miss Suzuki cannot feel completely happy. 3 members still not here, maybe porter trouble on PKR highway. Hamal - 11 May 74 Reached summit May 4 5:30 pm by 3 Japanese, 1 Sherpa. 3rd May while going to establish C5, member Suzuki is reported missing. Sherpas tried to find her but not successful, but now taken as dead. MP Khanal, MFA - 7 April 74 Plan to go E Ridge and change to E Wall; very difficult to establish C3 and waiting for MFA approval. Leader wrote to MFA 31 March 3; MFA says OK and will reach after 3 days. MP Khanal, MFA - 17 March 74 C1 - 10 March 4980m Miss Sato by helicopter. Suzuki - 8 Feb 74 Leader is doctor and will stay at camp 4200m. Has been to Peru Andes and Everest trek. 1st summit team 2 members, as many as possible after that. 5 camps above base, highest 7850m. Route starts via E Ridge and traverses to join 1956 route on NE side; at C4 7400m join old route, E Ridge part. 1 member Japanese Mrs Nagasako: "We try to make on best effort to get summit" at end of April. Leave Kathmandu 14th Feb by road to Trisuli Bazaar; in Base 1-2 March 15 Sherpas (no women). Some Sherpas complained that we were too slow, we could not have made concession with them. We did not want to be said "Sherpa make" ascent later. Sherpas then sometimes went slow-down their tasks. We gradually mastered how to control them. Discord between two sirdars and troubles between their facilities however had always been our cause of anxiety. Carrying goods to C1 went on smoothly. Members also engaged in the work for the practice of acclimatization. Although loads were limited under 15 kg, some were completely tired out when returned to BC. Strict health examination prevented serious maladjustment. C1 was built at 5200m on March 10. I made a rotation program of members of staying alternately in C1 for acclimatization. We began to make route to C2 from 18th. Nakaseko, Harada and two sirdars climbed up the couloir to east ridge. They found the rope which our reconnaissance party had left a year before was still useful. The weather changed to snow from afternoon every day. C2 was built at 6000m on East Ridge on March 26. Without a break, we attempted to make route to a rock peak which we had thought the first barrier to the summit. It took five days to traverse unsteady ice wall and to reach the foot of the rock peak. Sherpas would not bear over 15 kg of loads and arbitrarily fixed ropes on route. The shortage of ropes and snowbar became evident and carrying of goods delayed much. All members gathered in BC on March 31 and discussed whether to convert our attacking route or not. Some members strongly disagreed the route change. We consumed half a day in discussion and finally decided the matter by majority. We began to prepare the shift of our BC from the next day. Sama porters took advantage to our difficult conditions and Zangbu would build C5 on May 3 and to attack the summit by two members in good condition and the others would support them on the next day. Nakeseko reported that Sherpas showed threatening behaviour. They complained that we chose Zangbu as attacking member overheading sirdar Dawa Wangchu. They began slowing down of works. Although we had asked Dawa Wangchu to nominate an attacker from Sherpas, he could not select after all and asked us to choose one. We chose Zangbu instead of sirdar Dawa Wangchu since the sirdar had some anxieties in his health. Although Sherpas in C3 promised to support attackers, some fear remained since I could not directly grasp the situation of upper camps. It was unusually clear sky in the morning. There was no smoke of snow on the summit of Manaslu which was dyed in orange. Uchida and Zangbu started from C5 at 8:30. Nakaseko and Mori followed them 30 minutes later. They steadily climbed up. Uchida and Zangbu reached a pinnacle at 15:00. Zangbu thought the false summit as the true one. Nakaseko at the head, then Uchida, Zangbu and Mori followed her in order. They found a haven which must have supported the climb of JAC 1956 just below the summit. Nakaseko and Uchida made concession each other for a while and at last the attacking leader Nakaseko at first stood on the summit. It was 17:30. After an hour of stay there, they began descent. I could hear their voices at 19:30. They breathlessly spoke through tranceiver. To my surprise, all the members except Mori climbed up and down without oxygen for four hours from the false summit. They returned to C5 safely at 22:00. On May 5, Suzuki and Itoh who were the second attacking members were lost on their way from C4 to C5. We found ata 18:00 that both members had not reached to C5 yet. Nakeseko who were in C3 said that the route between C4 and C5 were almost fixed by ropes. C5 communicated at 19:30. The Sherpas in C5 said that Suzuki and Itoh seemed to go back to C4 abandoning to try the summit. The weather had changed to fierce blizzard. They did not return by 20:30. We took emergency. C4 reported that they found Itoh standing faintly near C4 at 23:00. We expected Suzuki would come. Manaslu: Premonsoon 1974 by Tsune Kuroishi East Ridge We built BC on a plateau at 4400m on March 3 and finished carrying up goods there on the next day. We began the preparation of carrying up good and reconassance from March 5. Members always were at the head of every activity and work. Although some Sherpas complained that we were too slow, we would not have made concession with them. We did not want to be said "Sherpas make" ascent later. Sherpas then sometimes went slow down their tasks. We gradually mastered how to control them. Discord between two sirdars and troubles between their facilities, however had always been our cause of anxiety. Carrying goods to C1 went on smoothly. Members also engaged in the work for the practise of acclimatization. Although loads were limited under 15 kg, some were completely tired out when returned to BC. Strict health examination prevented serious maladjustment. C1 was built at 5200m on March 10. I made a rotation program of members of staying alternately in C1 for acclimatization. We began to make route to C2 from 18th. Nakaseko, Harada and two sirdars climbed up the colouir to east ridge. They found the rope which our reconnaissance party had left a year before was still useful. The weather changed to snow from afternoon every day. C2 was built at 6000m on east ridge on March 26. Without a break, we attempted to make route to a rock peak which we had thought the first barrier to the summit. It took five days to traverse unsteady ice wall and to reach the foot of the rock peak. Sherpas would not bear over 15 kg of loads and arbitralily fixed ropes on route. The shortage of ropes and snow bar became evident and carrying of goods delayed much. Conversion of attack route All members gathered in BC on March 31 and discussed whether to convert our attacking route or not. Some members strongly disagreed the route change. We consumed half a day in discussion and finally decided the matter by majority. We began to prepare the shift of our BC from the next day. Sama porters took advantage to our difficult conditions and intended to raise wages. As we rejected it took nine days for the shift of BC. Five members led by Nakaseko began to attack by JAC route in this while. On our way to the new BC, we could find signs of spring after a month's stay in the snow. Tiny flowers and fresh greens pleased us much. We hurried to rebuild BC, but, at that stage, the liaison officer forbade us to go ahead because he suspected our route change objected the permission. We had to wait for a while without activities till he received the approval of competent authority. Nakaseko team had already built C1 and were making route to C2. We hired 37 porters for the carrying of goods between BC and C1, and seven local porters for C1-C2. We could regain the delay of schedule by it. I could feel complaints of members who had engaged in the withdrawal of the former BC. Nakaseko insisted that as her team members acclimatized to 6000m, she would make C3 by these members. The others complained that they had no freedom to climb up but only climb down. I could not communicate well with Nakaseko through transceiver. It was lucky for me when Nakaseko injured her health a little and climbed down to BC. Nakaseko, Uchida and I discussed the problem about the attack members. At first we did not include Sherpas in attacking team but later added some since they requested. Nakaseko returned to C2 on April 16 and determined the place of C3. Although fixed ropes on steep slopes, members need not wear climbing irons. We made direct route from C3 to C4 on the "back of Whale." Conditions of snow changed frequently by the wind blowing down from North Col. Sherpas requested to fix ropes for about 800m between 6600m of altitude and C4. Although we had much snow, we could steadily continued to build camps. Three days of behind schedule, on April, 28, we built C4. Members began to use oxygen above C4. When sleeping, I tasked them to consume oxygen 0.5 litre a minute. We began to make route to C5 from 29th. Itoh with three Sherpas determined the place for C5 at 7650m om May 1. I talked with Nakaseko and decided the candidate for attacking members as Nakaseko, Uchida, Sekita, Kuribayashi and Mori. Also, I order sirdar, Ila Tsering to go up to C2 and support attacking members. Sherpas carried goods to C5 and Nakaseko, Uchida and Mori went to C4 on May 2. I could directly talk wth Nakaseko through transceiver. She reported that the three members and Zangbu would build C5 on May 3 and to attack the summit by two members in good condition and the others would support them on the next day. Nakaseko reported that Sherpas showed threatening behaviour. They complained that we chose Zangbu as attacking member overheading sirdar Dawa Wangchhu. They began slowing down of works. Although we had asked Dawa Wangchhu since the sirdar had some anxieties in his health. Although Sherpas in C3 promised to support attackers, some fear remained since I could not directly grasp the situation of upper camps. It was unusually clear sky in the morning. There was no smoke of snow on the summit of Manaslu which was dyed in orange. Uchida and Zangbu started from C5 at 8:30. Nakaseko and Mori followed them 30 minutes later. They steadily climbed up. Uchida and Zangbu reached a pinnacle at 15:00. Zangbu insisted to return from there. Nakaseko and Mori overtook them. Zangbu thought the false summit as the true one. Nakaseko at the head, then Uchida, Zangbu and Mori followed her in order. They found a haken which must have supported the climb of JAC 1956 just below the summit. Nakaseko and Uchida made concession each other for a while and at last the attacking leader, Nakaseko at first stood on the summit. It was 17:30. After an hour of stay there, they began descent. I could hear their voices at 19:30. They breathlessly spoke through transceiver. To my surprise, all the members except Mori climbed up and down without oxygen for four hours from the false summit. They returned to C5 safely at 22:00. Disaster On May 5, Suzuki and Itoh who were the second attacking members were lost on their way from C4 to C5. We found at 18:00 that both members had not reached to C5 yet. Nakaseko who were in C3 said that the route between C4 and C5 were almost fixed by ropes. C5 communicated at 19:30. The Sherpas in C5 said that Suzuki and Itoh seemed to go back to C4 abandoning to try the summit. The weather had changed to fierce blizzard. They did not return by 20:30. We took emergency. C4 reported that they found Itoh standing faintly near C4 at 23:00. We expected Suzuki would come back too. However, she did not come back that night. In the early next morning, members in C4 and C5 began to search. Dawa Wangchu and Mingma in C5 began descent in the strong wind. They found Suzuki's pickel and oxygen cylinder just below the plateau. They however, could not collect them by strong wind. Morever, they found her windjacket with climbing belt near C4 and collected it. We guess that Suzuki must have been blown away when she ws changing her clothes (to feather wear) without maintaining her body to fixed rope. She slipped down to near C4 and C5 since they used climbing belts to fixed rope and also used jumar. The weather was worsening and Sherpas began descent from upper camps neglecting our request to stay. We could take Itoh down to 3 to our best. I ordered withdrawal of upper camps on May 7. All members came back to BC on May 8. We returned Sama and had funeral of Suzuki at lamaery on May 13. We built a memorial stones of Suzuki on a hill where Manaslu could be seen well. We started from Sama on May 17. Our attempt seems to bave proved that mountaineering of eight thousander is possible by women if making schedule suitable for female. The possibility however, is merely physiological one. We were not matured in public relations. We have many to be reflected about the matter. We hope women parties in the future can get better fruits standing on our experience.
Accidents Teiko Suzuki disappeared (fell?) near C5
Achievement Photos confirm true summit
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2445316
Year 1974
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) e ridge (to 6000m)

Members

15 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Kyoko Sato F 1938 Japan General Commander Shiga-ken, Japan Chemist for Research Institute Details Other expeditions
Tsune Kuroishi F 1925 Japan Leader/Exp Doctor Saitama, Japan Physician Details Other expeditions
Naoko Nakaseko F 1937 Japan Climbing Leader Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan Clerk for insurance company Details Other expeditions
Michiko Sekita F 1939 Japan Climber Tokyo, Japan Teacher of physically handicapped people Details Other expeditions
Masako Uchida F 1941 Japan Climber Yamaguchi, Japan Clerk for manufactury Details Other expeditions
Meiko Mori F 1941 Japan Climber Hokkaido, Japan Clerk of manufacturing Details Other expeditions
Masako Itakura F 1943 Japan Climber Chiba, Japan Clerk for manufactury Details Other expeditions
Teiko Suzuki F 1943 Japan Climber Nagasaki, Japan Employee of land development company Details Other expeditions
Mutsumi Nakajima F 1944 Japan Climber Kyoto, Japan Teacher for junior high school Details Other expeditions
Tomako Ito F 1947 Japan Climber Osaka, Japan Clerk for manufactury Details Other expeditions
Shizu Harada F 1948 Japan Climber Okayama, Japan Pharmacist Details Other expeditions
Naoko Kuribayashi F 1949 Japan Climber Gifu, Japan Nurse-counselor Details Other expeditions
Jangbu Sherpa M - Nepal H-A Worker Pangboche, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Ila Tshering Sherpa M 1936 Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions
Dawa Wangchu Sherpa M - Nepal Sirdar - - Details Other expeditions

References

14 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
MANA74101 AAJ Nakaseko, Naoko - - 49:201 (1975) -
MANA74101 HJ Sato, K. & Nakaseko, N. Manaslu, 1974 - 33:37-41 (1973-74) -
MANA74101 JAC Kuroishi, Tsune Manaslu, Premonsoon 1974 - 69:6-10 (1974) -
MANA74101 AJ Nakasako, Naoko Japanese Women's Expedition - Manaslu 1974 - 80:94-100 (1975) -
MANA74101 - Japan Women's Manaslu Expedition Manaslu 1974 Meikei-do, Tokyo - jN139
MANA74101 MM - - - 37:10 (Jul 1974) -
MANA74101 MM Dyhrenfurth, G. O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman Manaslu - 62:38-41 (Jul 1978) -
MANA74101 - Asahi Newspapers Japanese Ladies Manaslu Expedition 1974 Asahi Newspapers, Osaka - JA34
MANA74101 JAC Kuroishi, Tsune Manaslu, Premonsoon 1974 - 69:18-33 (1974) -
MANA74101 HMJ Kuroishi, Tsune Manaslu: Premonsoon 1974 - 10:40-44 (1975-76) -
MANA74101 IWA - - - 42:25 (1975) -
MANA74101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197520101/Asia-Nepal-Manaslu-Womens-Expedition - - -
MANA74101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/33/8/manaslu-1974/ - - -
MANA74101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1975_files/AJ%201975%2094-99%20Nakaseko%20Manaslu.pdf - - -