Naomi Uemura

About

He climbed the world's tallest peaks, traversed the length of his country, and hiked to the North Pole in solitude.

Before Fame

He took up mountain climbing as a way to get over his shyness.

Trivia

He had many close calls, especially in his North Pole expedition, where he faced bears and shifting ice floes.

Family Life

He grew up in Hidaka, Japan.

Associated With

While mountaineers like Sir Edmund Hillary were able to summit the highest mountains with guides and Sherapas, Uemura was the first one to succeed at it alone.