born in 1979. Japanese mountaineer and filmmaker. He has done outstanding climbs in the Karakoram range (the first ascent of a seven-thousander Kula Kangri East Peak in 2001), Garhwal Himalayas (new routes: on a six- thousander Shivling in 2005 and a seven-thousander Kamet in 2008) and the Central Himalayas in Tibet (a new route on a seven-thousander Naimonanyi in 2011). In 2016, together with Kenro Nakajima, he led a new route on the north face of the Loinbo Kanari (7095 m) in the Chinese Transhimalaya. A year later, with the same partner, he established a new route on the north face of Shispare (7611 m) in the Batura Mustagh. The Japanese have also made the first traverse of the peak, descending it via the Polish-German route from 1974. For this ascent they were awarded Piolet d’Or which they will receive during the Festival in Lądek Zdrój.