How This Woman Became the First to Summit Mount Everest

Tabei instantly fell in love with the sport of mountain climbing. She liked its non-competitive nature and the opportunities it offered to enjoy spectacular scenery. However, her family lacked the funds to support her hobby and she made fewer climbs during her teenage years.

After graduating from the Showa Women’s University, Tabei joined a number of mountaineering clubs. As climbing was seen as a traditionally male sport, not all of her new peers welcomed her presence, with some believing she had only joined in order to find a husband.

In 1969, Tabei founded the Joshi-Tohan Club (Women's Mountaineering Club), the first of its kind in Japan. Its slogan was "Let's go on an overseas expedition by ourselves", and that’s exactly what they did just a year later when the club set out for an expedition to Nepal.

The club’s first trip saw the team summit Annapurna III. They were the first female and first Japanese team to do so. Next, the club decided to climb Mount Everest. They applied for a permit in 1971, but didn’t receive permission to climb the peak until four years later in 1975.

The 1975 Joshi-Tohan expedition was made up of 15 women, two of whom – including Tabei – were mothers. The group attracted a lot of media attention and their initial ascent was followed closely by the press. Six Sherpa guides accompanied the team up the mountain.

The first part of the climb went smoothly, however, when the team were camping at 6,300m, an avalanche hit their tents. Tabei and four fellow climbers were buried under the snow. When she was dug out, she’d lost consciousness and could barely walk. 

After recuperating for just two days, Tabei resumed the expedition. Due to a lack of oxygen, only one woman was able to attempt the summit, Tabei’s teammates nominated her and she reached the peak on 16 May 1975, just 12 days after the avalanche.

Tabei was uncomfortable with the fame her achievement brought. She stated that she’d never intended to be the first woman to summit Everest and said she’d rather be remembered simply as the 36^th person to reach the peak.

Tabei continued climbing throughout her life, eventually conquering the highest mountain on every continent. She led regular expeditions up Mount Fuji, wrote a number of books, and gave talks to fund her expeditions around the world.

Learn about other pioneering women.