The climbing culture in Japan
They are competing how bold they were by jumping off from the 40-year-old Cut anchor believing it is stronger than cams. The truth is cam is safer since you can add anytime if you feel unsafe.
The sport climbing in the crag is considered safest choice in the climbing community.
However it is only so, only when bolts are placed properly. And this is not done in Kyusyu.
but it is not so in Japan, that can explain recent popularity in trad.
I was climbing with my senior at ex alpine club which I joined shortly, when I was a beginner, and we went for Azumaya crag, for our first time in cragging in Kyusyu.
The R route without R ... Indian Face
There we saw a grand fall. https://allnevery.blogspot.com/2018/04/blog-post_23.html
The grand fall was done in the route called, "Indian face 5.10b". I happened to see the entire accidents and belayer was standing properly very close to the wall, and the tall male climber failed to clip the 3rd one. He broke his back born and carried to the hospital.
My climbing partner had to go clean up. He could red-point up to 5.12. So the 5,10b should be easy enough to him. He did not seem to notice the runout between 2nd and 3rd.
On the contrary, I was horrified!
Because, 5.10b is my grade, I was very positively trying to onsite those grades. something of 5.1X... was my next level.
5.10b ----> 5.10d
Later at home, I consulted to a lady climber who I knew in Kyusyu, a new friend, about this accidents.
She told me "Maybe the 5.10b was not correct, since Azumaya is the crag that is told the grades are two grades high"
I asked her, "So you mean, 5.10b was actually 5.10d?"
"No", she said, "It may be 5.11b". She also said this crag is no one really enjoys since it is badly bolted. It was the first "Free climber"'s opinion.
I could onsight there 5.8 and 9. But in retrospect, the bolts were infamous "cut anchor".
Later I met the developer there, and I did not like him. He was one of those, who are so proud of his skill, how bold he is, and force other people should do exactly same as him. Each people has each strength and skills. Expecting the same talent to everyone is just impossible but some people do not realize it until they kill someone. I only feel so sorry for those guys... for I had young brother, 2 year younger than me and he was medalist swimmer but had passed away at age 24... I think of my dead bro, all the time when I saw this kind of people, too short sighted.
Syayou 5.9
Later in the summer of 2017, I was in Osaka, to take care of my downtown apartment. There, my climbing mentor was back to his old house also, to celebrate his grand children was born.
He took me out for drinking, and there I learned about the routes called Syayou 5.9.
The Kansai climber was very honest people, anybody can read what's going on in the crag and what to be considered.
"Syayou" had 6 serious accidents, and 4th running was too far, so when failed, people broke there legs. 6 cases are good enough.
My climbing mentor was complaining that the developer is too proud of himself so stubborn that he did not let replace the bolt at a proper height, 70 cm lower... he insisted that the belayer should run backwards. Silly.
70 cm is not the distance I can manage somehow, as a short climber... so I was horrified again... 5.9 was my onsite grade those time, so I was willing and eager to climb anything labeled 5.9. So I took this conversation as a gift from my mentor; he must have warned me.
The good thing is that in Kansai(Osaka), those were discussed. In Kyusyu, there is no open discussion nor warning of badly placed bolts for new comer. So it works some sort of tricks, people climb without knowing it is R, or X.
The culture in Green Climbers Home in Laos
I was fascinated by the culture of Green Climbers Home since I could pick up any route and climb without feeling too much fear...
I wanted to build the bottom of climbing pyramids... according to Wolfgang Güllich, your climbing skill makes pyramid construction, very stable 5.9 climber is a beginner in 5.10b, two grades higher. So based on this theory, I am finally allowed to lead climb outdoor crags... since I hardly ever fall in 5.9 which is equivalent to 5c.
I wanted to climb as many 5c as I can since I am determined to build the solid base of my climbing skill so I won't ever fall in 5.9.
I finished climbing all 5c there and noone looking down on me, not just that, young men at my half of age were struggleing at the same 5c, sometimes I am better than they.
A one 7A climber told me, "I can climb up to 7A but sometime I struggle even at 6A so this is what is fun in the climbing. We all struggle."
Another climber said, "I can climb 5.13 if I try and try and try, but I enjoy any level of climb. So it is not a big deal if you need me clean up for your draw."
He was a very popular man in the crag, every one loved him. I did not need to ask him to clean up my draw but I thought it is a very different climbing culture than Japan.
Japanese climbing culture
In Japan, if you fall on 5.9, people look down on you. Talk behind you that you are no climber. You are trying something at your limitation, and can not retrieve you draw? People call you a name. Looking down on you. That is so nasty. Unforgiving.
I was very scared to lead 5.9 in Ogawayama for a long time, since I can not reach to the bolts... from where I am standing, when taller people can easily clip to the bolts, for their safety, I could not.
I had to be able to stand smaller foot stance, then it will not be 5.9, more like 5.11... clipping failure can be fatal, I had already done in my Ogawayama without my mentor... it was forced lead climb from my younger fellow, they are so unconscious bout climbing grade differ by body size.
They knew me climbing harder in plastic so they said, "Why don't you try this 5.10b" and it was peer pressure. I could not reach the 3rd bolts, failed to clip with rope on my hand so I was at 50 cm meter above the ground when I was caught.
I said to myself I should never climb by peer pressure again.
Back to home, in the car, the young man who took us said, "You were most dangerous climber today..." and he did not seem to realize it was forced lead climb and I did not say I want to lead that one, it was him, who wanted me to go there, even though I had nothing else to climb. He was climbing 5.13 and 99% of his climbing was hang dog, whereas I was taught not to fall ever as an alpine climber.
So, this is the difference in two culture.
In Japan, it is something of "Pride" and "Boldness". They are competing. It will eventually kill someone of course, the weakest ones.
So it is impossible to stop killing since it is a mass bullying is what is happening. They need a cat to be kicked. and as a short, older started, I am the easiest target.
I do not want to join the competition, it is no worth. I don't care who is the most bold. I care about my life.
In GCH, it is just "fun stuff" and "take it easy". No one sets the male pride on climbing grade, I think it is foolish that showing off to climb better than me who started to climb at age 41 and you are only 14 year old young man. Ofcourse you win. Or you've been climbing around 40 years now? Ofcourse you win.
