from Fujimi,

Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...

, is a Japanese

ski mountaineer Ski mountaineering (abbreviated to skimo) is a skiing discipline that involves climbing mountains either on skis or carrying them, depending on the steepness of the ascent, and then descending on skis. There are two major categories of equipmen ...

, Alpine climber, and professional mountain cameraman. Hiraide has won the

Piolet d'Or An ice axe is a multi-purpose hiking and climbing tool used by mountaineers in both the ascent and descent of routes that involve snow, ice, or frozen conditions. Its use depends on the terrain: in its simplest role it is used like a walking ...

mountaineering award on three occasions.

Climbing career

Hiraide became a serious mountain climber after joining a mountaineering club at his university. In 2001, he reached the eastern summit of

Kula Kangri Kula Kangri is claimed by many authorities to be the highest mountain in Bhutan but this is disputed by others, who claim that Kula Kangri is wholly in Tibet. The first ascent was by a combined Japanese and Chinese team in 1986. The mountain is p ...

(7,381m) in Tibet. His list of accomplishments includes first ascents, reaching summits without oxygen, and skiing from mountain peaks. In 2009, he scaled the previously unclimbed southeastern wall of

Kamet Kamet ( hi, कामेत) is the second highest mountain in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India, after Nanda Devi. It lies in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. Its appearance resembles a giant pyramid topped by a flat summit area wi ...

(7,756m) in India, and with his climbing partner Kei Taniguchi, became the first Japanese to receive the 17th

Award, the "Academy Award" of mountaineering. He also won two other Piolet d'Or Awards for his first ascent on an uncharted route with

Shispare Shispare ( ur, ) is one of the high mountain peaks of the Batura Muztagh, the westernmost subrange of the Karakoram range in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Alternate forms of the name of this peak include Shispare Sar and Shisparé ...

in 2017, and

Rakaposhi Rakaposhi ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan. Geography Rakaposhi is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan, about north of the ...

in 2019. He also received the Japan Sports Award, sponsored by the ''Yomiuri Shimbun'' newspaper, in 2001 and 2009.

Selected results

Ski mountaineering

* 2009: ** 1st,

Asian Championship An Asian Championship is a top level international sports competition between Asian athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs. List of Championships (Summer Olympic Sports) ;Aquatics * Asian ...

, relay (mixed team), together with Mase Chigaya, Sato Yoshiyuki and Suzuki Keiichiro ** 4th, Asian Championship, individual ** 5th, Asian Championship,

vertical race A Vertical Race is a special kind of ski mountaineering without the typical downhill skiing after ascending. At the mountain running and climbing passages the runners have to carry their skis in their backpacks. Vertical Races for women and men are ...

11/02: Asian Ski Mountaineering Championships - Vertical Race (CHI)
, Skimountaineering.org, February 11, 2009.

Mountain climbing

* 2001 ** Kula Kangri East Peak (7381m), Pakistan, first ascent ** Cho Oyu (8201m) China, summit, ski down from top * 2003 ** Kunyang Chhish (7852m), Pakistan, first try, west face * 2004 ** Golden Peak (7027m), Pakistan, new route, north west ridge, summit ** Lila Peak (6200m), Pakistan, new route, east face, summit ** Kunlun Mustag (6355m), China, new route, summit * 2005 ** Mustag Ata (7564m), China, second ascent, east ridge, summit, ski down to west side ** Shivling (6543m), India, new route, north face to west face, summit * 2007 ** Shispare (7611m), Pakistan, first try, north east face * 2008 ** Gasherbrum II (8035m), Pakistan, summit ** Broad Peak (8047), Pakistan, summit ** Kamet (7756m), India, new route, south east face, summit * 2009 ** Gasherbrum I (8068m), Pakistan, Summit ** Gaurishankar (7134m), China, first try, east face * 2010 ** Ama Dablam (6856m), Nepal, first try, north west face * 2011 ** Everest (8848m), Nepal, south side, summit ** Naimonanyi (7694m), China, new route, south west ridge, summit, south peak (7200m), first ascent, first try, south east face * 2012 ** Khan Tengri (7010m), Kazakh, north side, summit ** Shispare (7611m), Pakistan, first try, south west face * 2013 ** Everest (8848m), Nepal, summit ** Diran (7266m), Pakistan, west ridge, summit ** Shispare (7611m), Pakistan, first try, south west face * 2014 ** Everest (8848m), Nepal, south side ** Hkakabo Razi (5881m), Myanmar, first try, north ridge * 2015 ** Everest (8848m), China, north side ** Api (7132m), Nepal, north side, summit * 2016 ** Everest (8848m), China, north side, summit * 2017 ** Shispare (7611m), Pakistan, new route, north east face * 2019 ** Rakaposhi (7788m), Pakistan, new route, south face

Awards

* 2008:

, together with for the first ascent of the South-West face of Kamet (7756m, India) in alpine style * 2017: The 26th Piolet d'Or Award and The 12th Piolet d'Or Asia Award, together with Kenro Nakajima for the first ascent of the North-East face of Shispare (7611m, Pakistan) in alpine style. * 2019: The 28th Piolet d'Or Award, together with Kenro Nakajima for the first ascent of the south face of Rakaposhi (7788m, Pakistan) in alpine style.The 2020 Piolet d'Or Rakaposhi (7,788m)
/ref>

External links

Kazuya Hiraide
Skimountaineering.org

, Ishii sports group

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiraide, Kazuya 1979 births Living people Japanese male ski mountaineers Japanese mountain climbers Sportspeople from Nagano Prefecture Piolet d'Or winners