Tsuneo Hasegawa and Masami Hasegawa

Tsuneo Hasegawa

Born in Yokohama Japan on December 08, 1947 started climbing at the age of 15. He joined Everest Expedition of the Rock-Climbing Club in 1973 and became a professional mountaineering guide. He established U-Tan Club in 1977, became well known for his Solo Winter ascents in the European Alps and the Andes. He climbed the North face of the Metterhorn in 1977, the Eiger in 1978 and the Grandes Jorasses in 1979. He also climbed MT. Aconcagua in 1987, the highest mountain in South America. He was able to establish the Alpine Guide Hasegawa Office in 1983. He married Masami Shinomiya in 1983. Led Expeditions to Daulagiri 1 Nepal in 1983, Nanga Parbat Pakistan in 1984 and Everest from the Tibetan side in 1985, 1987 and 1988 in winter, but could not reach the summit. He is noted for his love of mountains, nature, people and his efforts to teach the art of climbing to children, aged and handicapped. His role was recognised the Alpine Guide Society of Japan. He came to Pakistan and led an Expedition to climb Ulter (7385 m) in Hunza, which nobody had climbed before and made a route upto 7050-m in 1990. While he was on his way to the climax of his adventure an avalanche happened to be the cause of his last breath on October 10, 1991. His grave is in the Basecamp of Ulter, Hunza.

Masami Hasegawa

Masami Hasegawa

Masami Hasegawa born in Gumma, Pref Japan on September 21, 1953. Graduated from Keio University majored in International Political Sciences. She worked for Sogetsu Publishing Co. until 1991. She started to learn rock-climbing at the Hasegawa Mountaineering School in 1979 and became a member of the MT Aconcagua Expedition led by Hasegawa in 1981. She married Tsuneo Hasegawa in 1983 and remained member of the Everest Expedition in 1985, 1987 and 1988. She was a sub leader of the Ulter Expedition in 1990. She herself took part in the Ulter adventure again and lost her beloved husband Tsuneo Hasegawa on his way to climb the Peak in 1991. She became president of the Alpine Guide Hasegawa Office, published books and made a documentary film highlighting her late spouse’s life history focused on mountaineering. She tried her best to fulfil the dream of her late husband by establishing an institution for quality education. Because of her continuous support to sustain education oriented programmes at HMPS She is considered as the Chief Patroness of HMPS.
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