Attending the Tokyo University of Agriculture Mountaineering Club 100th Anniversary Celebration

Yoichiro Yamagami, Gakushuin University Mountaineering Club, Class of 2020

To everyone at the Tokyo University of Agriculture Mountaineering Club, congratulations on your 100th anniversary.

On June 14, 2025, the "Tokyo University of Agriculture Mountaineering Club 100th Anniversary Celebration" was held at Enomoto Hall on the Tokyo University of Agriculture Setagaya Campus. Attendees included not only those affiliated with the Nodai Mountaineering Club, but also nearly 200 members from the mountaineering clubs of Aoyama Gakuin, Gakushuin, Kansai, Kwansei Gakuin, Keio, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Sophia, Chuo, Tokyo, Nihon, Hitotsubashi, Hosei, Hokkaido, Meiji, Meiji Gakuin, Rikkyo, and Waseda universities.

Seven members from the Gakushuin San-o-kai attended: Kiyoo Migawa, Yoshio Kinukawa, Yoshinori Fujioji, Yotaro Hirao, Shinichi Hirasawa, Kei Fujita, and Yamagami.

We began by singing "Der gute Kamerad" in honor of our departed comrades.
It was my first time hearing it, but I learned from my seniors that it is a German military song that is characteristic of the Nodai Mountaineering Club, meant to ensure we "never forget our departed comrades." Our mountaineering clubs sometimes face tragic accidents. We always strive to remember those we have lost and conduct our activities in a way that prevents accidents. It was a chorus that truly touched my heart.

Next, there was an opening address by the current captain, Tomoyoshi Kamiyama. His words were so composed that I could hardly believe he was a current student. I couldn't help but think, "As expected."

Then, the university cheering squad led the singing of the school anthem. The excitement was palpable.

Representing the Nodai Mountaineering Club, speeches were given by Koichi Miyazaki, Chairman of the Nodai Mountaineering Association (alumni group), and Kiyoshi Shimojima, the club advisor, who touched upon the club's 100-year history. Perhaps because I had visited the "Food and Agriculture Museum" beforehand to see the "100-Year History of the Nodai Mountaineering Club" exhibition, I was strongly impressed by their challenges on 8,000-meter peaks and their "environmental mountaineering" initiatives.

This was followed by congratulatory speeches from Dr. Fumiya Eguchi, President of Tokyo University of Agriculture, and Shiori Hashimoto, President of the Japanese Alpine Club.

During the celebration, perhaps because I am a coach myself, my eyes were drawn to the current student members.

The introduction of the current members by Director Yu Takano was the moment that piqued my interest the most. There are 10 members in total, with an even gender ratio. At Gakushuin, we have 9 members, but zero female members. I felt this was a major challenge for us. I wanted to ask about the activities of the female members later, but I felt too shy to ask on the day. I thought having an even gender ratio was simply wonderful.

When the banquet began, I was happy to see the faces of friends I used to work with in the Japanese Alpine Club student division, but I was also distracted by the delicious food. I was shocked by the bee larvae and silkworm tsukudani from Nagano provided by the alumni. Is this part of our "tradition"? It's a bad habit of mine to always focus on the food. (laughs)

As the banquet heated up, the Nodai tradition of the "Daikon Odori (Radish Dance/Aoyama Hotori)" was performed.

I had never seen it from so close before. And when you think of the Nodai Mountaineering Club, you think of "Hakkaisan" sake. We drank a bit too much in celebration, got carried away, and tried the "Daikon Odori" ourselves, but we were still at a child's level. It was painful to realize our dancing was like that of children compared to everyone in the Nodai Mountaineering Club.

The venue was buzzing with excitement during this "Daikon Odori." I went home carrying a "daikon" radish grown in Setagaya. To everyone at the Nodai Mountaineering Club: thank you for the Setagaya-grown "daikon." I want to take home the essence of today's Nodai Mountaineering Club and share it with the alumni and current members of the Gakushuin Mountaineering Club.

Finally, next month I will participate in the Japanese Alpine Club Youth Club's 100th-anniversary climb of Mount Alberta. For the sake of the next 100 years, I want to do my small part to support the activities of the current students.

#TokyoUniversityOfAgricultureMountaineeringClub #TokyoUniversityOfAgricultureMountaineeringClub #NodaiMountaineeringClub #TokyoUniversityOfAgriculture #Nodai #TokyoUniversityOfAgricultureMountaineeringAssociation #GakushuinUniversity #GakushuinSeniorHighSchool #GakushuinUniversityMountaineeringClub #GakushuinSeniorHighSchoolMountaineeringClub #GakushuinMountaineeringClub #GakushuinSanzankai #Sanzankai #UniversityMountaineeringClub #HighSchoolMountaineeringClub #Mountaineering #EnjoyingTheOutdoors #Outdoors #PlayingInTheMountains #MountaineeringClub #Mountain #Nature #ClubMemories #WindAndSnowBivouac #AkiraMatsuto #KatsumiArimoto #KunieSugio #EnvironmentalAcademicMountaineering #EnvironmentalMountaineering #TsuneoMiyamori #MiyamoriBolt #Kisling #MtFujiColdWeatherTrainingCamp #JapanAlpineClub #ShioriHashimoto #EnomotoHall #AoyamaHotori #DaikonDance #SetagayaGrown #Daikon