Japanese Nurse Naoko Watanabe Completes All 14 Eight-Thousanders, Sets K2 Record, and Plans Inclusive Nanga Parbat Trek

In July 2024 Naoko Watanabe became the first woman to summit K2 three times, a feat recorded by Guinness World Records. The climb completed her collection of all 14 mountains over 8,000 metres, making her the first Japanese woman to achieve this milestone when she reached Shishapangma (8,027 m) in October 2024.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

Born in Onojo City in 1981, Watanabe began climbing at age 3 through a children’s adventure club. After training as a nurse, she balanced full-time hospital work with mountaineering, eventually switching to temporary nursing to increase climbing opportunities. She describes the sport as a means to counter Japan’s high-pressure conformity culture and to find personal peace.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• 2006 – First 8,000-metre summit: Cho Oyu (8,201 m) while a student nurse.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• 2011 – Everest attempt aborted 150 m from the summit due to deteriorating weather; returned with pneumonia.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• 2013 – Successfully summited Everest on a windy day after other teams turned back.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• October 2024 – Completed the 14-peak list with Shishapangma.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• July 2024 – Achieved third K2 summit (8,611 m).

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• June 2026 (planned) – Leads a group of amateur trekkers to Nanga Parbat base camp.

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• 14 eight-thousanders conquered.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• 3 successful K2 ascents.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

• 31 expeditions over 20 years.

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• Peaks include Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Shishapangma (8,027 m), K2 (8,611 m).

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• She aims to climb roughly 100 Himalayan peaks in her lifetime.

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Watanabe announced that the June 2026 Nanga Parbat trek will emphasize a relaxed pace, allowing participants to photograph scenery, converse with Sherpa guides, and “be free from the stereotypes” of hard-core mountaineering. She highlighted that her nursing training aids rapid decision-making during emergencies on the mountain. Watanabe also said climbing offers mental relief from Japan’s demanding social expectations and that she hopes the experience will encourage others to view the Himalayas as a source of joy rather than solely a record-setting arena.

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During the 2011 Everest attempt, a Sherpa accompanying Watanabe protested her decision to turn back, insisting the summit was only an hour away. Watanabe’s assessment of potential oxygen depletion and worsening weather prompted the retreat, underscoring the split-second judgments required at extreme altitude.

Japanese woman who scaled the world's 14 top peaks says she wants to share joy

Watanabe’s achievements challenge gender norms in high-altitude mountaineering and promote an inclusive, culturally immersive approach to climbing. By inviting amateurs to experience Nanga Parbat without pressure to summit, she models a mental-health-focused paradigm that could broaden participation in extreme sports.

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• “I’m just an ordinary person who has happened to achieve records while climbing the Himalayas during my vacations,” — Naoko Watanabe, nurse and mountaineer

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• “The Nanga Parbat base camp is extremely scenic and it’s my favorite among the 14 peaks,” — Naoko Watanabe

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• “They are not supposed to be working hard,” — Naoko Watanabe

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Watanabe will lead the amateur Nanga Parbat trek in June 2026 and has expressed a goal of completing about one hundred Himalayan climbs, a personal benchmark she hopes will inspire a broader, more accessible climbing culture.

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