The Man Who Skied Down Everest

 

I watched the movie the Man Who Skied Down Everest on YouTube. The award winning documentary was about Japanese skier and alpinist  Yuichiro Miura, who was the first to ski down Mt. Everest in 1970. He skied 2000 meters in two minutes and 20 seconds and fell 400 meters, using a parachute to slow himself. During this trip six sherpa were killed in an accident and one Japanese member died of a heart attack. It was an interesting, thought provoking film. Why do people want to set or break records at such danger to themselves and others?

I knew of Yuichiro Miura because he “climbed” Mt. Fuji in a wheel chair with the help of others in 2023 at age 90. (I posted about it here). He climbed Mt. Everest several more times after 1970, the last time at age 80, when he had to be airlifted down. This was a Guinness World record. Some climbers dismiss this record, saying it doesn’t count if you can’t climb down on your own.

World’s Oldest Pharmacist

 

Kesa Hatamoto, a 102 year old Japanese woman, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest pharmacist. She currently works at a pharmacy between 10 am and 6pm, six days a week and says she wants to continue her career forever.

She started her career over 70 years ago after being encouraged by her father. Relatives of Hatamoto were trying to arrange her marriage as she graduated from school before World War II, when women were expected to focus on taking care of their families. When she told her father she wanted to be a teacher or a doctor, he suggested she become a pharmacist, so she could continue her career after marriage. 

She studied at the school that later became Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences and graduated from the university in summer of 1942. She first worked in a lab at a chemical plant in Tokyo. She married at age 25, then opened a pharmacy in Tokyo when she was 30.  She is an inspiration to many people.  I think she is amazing!

Guinness - World’s Oldest Female Barber

I didn’t know this was a category! 

108 year old Shitsui Hakoishi from Nakagawa, Tochigi Prefecture was recognized on Wednesday as the World’s Oldest Female Barber! She began her apprenticeship at age 14 at a Tokyo barbershop and obtained her barber’s license in 1934. 

She and her husband, a fellow barber, opened a shop together. After it was destroyed in an air raid and her husband died in the war, she and her two young children moved back to her home town and she set up a small shop in their home. 

She participated as a torchbearer in the Tokyo Olympics torch relay in March 2021. How cool is that? She can no longer take as many customers as before due to knee pain, but wants to keep going as long as she can. She sounds like an amazing woman! 

Yesterday’s view of Mt. Fuji from my apartment.

World’s Smallest Park

 

On February 25, 2025, Guinness World Records recognized this Japanese Park in the town of Nagaizumi, Shizuoka Prefecture as the world’s smallest. The park measures just 0.24 square meters. The town has unofficially called this park the world’s smallest, and now Guinness has made it official, after a recent land survey led to the official recognition.

Guinness Record - 178 People, All Named Hirokazu Tanaka

Recently a new Guinness World Record was set in Tokyo. The record was for the "largest gather of people with the same first and last name." There were 178 people all named "Hirokazu Tanaka", breaking the previous record held by 164 Martha Stewarts. The Hirokazu Tanakas, all wearing identical T-shirts with their names packed into a theater for five minutes (Guinness rules), until the judge said, "Congratulations on your achievement!".  Everyone cheered. The people in the theater included a three year old, an 80 year old, and one person who flew in from Hanoi. 

This event was a dream come true for 53 year old Hirokazu Tanaka, who worked on it for years, including two failed attempts. He got the idea in 1994 when he read news about a baseball player with the same name.  He founded the "Hirokazu Tanaka campaign" and began searching for his namesakes. 

With everyone having the same name, each person was assigned an alias having to do with his hobby, job, or favorite food.  The originator of this campaign is known as Semi-Leader.  There are others known as Sunglasses, Chewing Gum, Triathlon, Earring, and Hot Pot. Twice the Tanakas failed to beat the Martha Stewarts, most recently in 2017 when only 87 gathered.  

I say Congratulations to all the Hirokazu Tanakas on the great achievement!  I wonder how many people are in the world with my exact same name? As my name is pretty common, there are probably many, but maybe not any in Japan.