Junko Tabei (born September 22, 1939 – died October 20, 2016) was a Japanese Mountaineer and Director from Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture. She is extremely popular for being the first woman to climb the peak of Mount Everest.
In the initial days of her career, she reached mountains like Mount Fuji in Japan and the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps. Furthermore, her real full birth name was Ishibashi Junko.
In 1969, Ishibashi formed the Ladies Climbing Club: Japan (LCC). It has a team of 15 women known as the Japanese Women’s Everest Expedition (JWEE) and Eiko Hisano was their head.
source – heavy
They started their attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1975. Earlier, Eiko and Junko limbed the peak of Annapurna III on May 19, 1970. Moreover, the mountaineer also helped to raise funds from the Yomiuri Shimbun (newspaper) and Nippon Television.
In the early of 1975, all the members began the expedition and traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal. Later, in May 1975, a disaster came when an avalanche struck their camp. Many women and their guides buried in the deep snow.
Tabei also lost consciousness for about 6 minutes. But fortunately, her sherpa guide named Ang Tsering helped her to come out of the snow. On May 16, 1975, she and Ang Tsering reached their target and created history.
Early Life, Profile & Education
Mountaineer, Junko Tabei was born on the 22nd of September 1939 in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Hence, her age was 77 years old, as of 2016. She was raised by father and mother in a family of 9 members.
At the age of 10, she developed her interest in climbing mountains. She also started a class climbing trip to Mount Nasu. During her high school days, Ishibashi was not able too much of adventure as her parents were not able to give her money for her hobby.
image – metropolisjapan
Tabei graduated from Showa Women’s University and studied there from 1958 to 1962. She received a degree in English literature and education. The late mountaineer also remained the member of her college mountain climbing club.
At university, Junko always wanted to join a boy group named alpine club. But at that time the male mountaineers insulted her for gender and refused to climb with her. Therefore, she later launched a women group LCC.
Manay years later in 2000, Junko post-graduated from Kyushu University. She obtained a masters’ degree which focuses on the environmental degradation of Everest.
Personal Life, Spouse & Children
picture – quartoknows
As of relationship, Ishibashi Junko married her husband “Masanobu Tabei” (a fellow climber) in 1967. The couple met each other in 1965 in Japan and began dating.
Junko and her spouse were blessed with two kids i.e. a daughter “Noriko Tabei” and a son “Shinya Tabei”. In her successful career, she climbed the summit of Mount Vinson and Puncak Jaya.
In 2012, Junko diagnosed with peritoneal cancer but continued to follow her passion. On October 20, 2016, she passed away at the age of 77 due to complications from the disease.
| Wiki/Bio | |
|---|---|
| Real Full Birth Name | Ishibashi Junko. |
| Nick name | Junko. |
| Profession | Mountaineer and Director. |
| Famous for | being the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. |
| Age (As of 2016) | 77 years old. |
| Date of Birth (DOB), Birthday | September 22, 1939. |
| Date of Death | October 20, 2016. |
| Birthplace/Hometown | Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. |
| Nationality | Japanese. |
| Sexuality (Gay or Lesbian) | Straight. |
| Gender | Female. |
| Ethnicity | Japanese. |
| Religion | Christianity. |
| Sun Sign (Zodiac Sign) | Virgo. |
| Current Residence | Miharu, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. |
| Social Media Account Stats | Instagram: NA. Twitter: -- Facebook: -- |
| Physical Statistics | |
| Height (Tall) | Feet & Inches: 4' 9". Centimeters: 151 cm. Meters: 1.51 m. |
| Weight | Kilograms: 45 Kg. Pounds: 99 lbs. |
| Bra Size | 32B. |
| Body Measurements (Breast-waist-hips) | 34-25-35. |
| Shoe Size (UK) | 4. |
| Tattoo details? | NA. |
| Eye Color | Brown. |
| Hair Color | Brown. |
| Family | |
| Parents | Father: Name not Known. Mother: -- |
| Siblings | 6 siblings. |
| Personal Life Relationship | |
| Marital Status | Married. |
| Dating History? | Love Affair with her boyfriend. |
| Boyfriend | None. |
| Husband/Spouse Name | Masanobu Tabei (m. 1967 – till her death 2016). |
| Son | Shinya Tabei. |
| Daughter | Noriko Tabei. |
| Education | |
| Highest Qualification | Post-Graduate. |
| School | Local High School. |
| Alma Mater. | 1. Showa Women's University. 2. Kyushu University. |
| Hobbies & Favorite Things | |
| Favorite Celebrities | Actor: Toshiro Mifune. Actress: Setsuko Hara. |
| Dream Holiday Destination | Paris. |
| Favorite Color | Blue. |
| Love to do | Climbing mountains and spending time with family. |
| Favorite Food | Sushi, Soba Noodles, and Okonomiyaki |
| Wealth | |
| Net worth (approx.) | Under Revision (As of 2019). |
| Salary, Income & Earnings | -- |
Some Lesser Known Facts about Junko Tabei
- On September 22, 2019, Google gave tribute to her on her 80th birth anniversary by dedicating a doodle.
- Junko is also the first lady to climb all the Seven Summits by ascending the highest peak on every continent.
- Furthermore, she even worked as the director of the Himalayan Adventure Trust of Japan.
- During her college days, many male climbers used to think that she only wanted to join their club so that she could find a boyfriend.
- Mountaineer, Junko Tabei’s height was 4 Feet 9 Inches (151 centimeters tall).
- Her physique is lean and weight is around 45 kilograms (99 pounds) and maintained her health by taking part in numerous adventurous activities.
Read Also: Jonah Marais Biography, Family, Body Stats & Trivia
- In her own group, there were mostly working women such as a juvenile counselor, teachers, and a computer programmer.
- However, she never focused on gender-based accomplishments.
- A television miniseries even created on her about the expedition.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pb7ErJ%2BaqpVjsLC5jqOsp6OfYsGirsSiZg%3D%3D