Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

I love Mount Fuji and I think it is my love of the mountains in Japan that led me to seek other mountains around the world.

Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

We as children went up the mountain to find feed for livestock, like goats, cows and horses, and because in the winter time we would light the fire in the house, we would climb the mountain to collect firewood as well. Because of that, I suppose I became used to climbing mountains.

Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

I have climbed Everest from the Nepal route and the China route. The other routes are too hard for me. So I don't think I can climb Everest again.

Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

If children have an interest in nature, they will understand. I want them to become people who appreciate the consequences the next generation will suffer if we destroy our natural surroundings. So without a doubt, they need to learn that nature is vital to us by experiencing it. I want them to like nature and to climb mountains and so on.

Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

Well, only Japanese may understand it, but I'm like a goat or something that likes high places.

Tamae Watanabe
Tamae Watanabe

The reason for not getting married was that I just didn't have a partner to get married to. Climbing mountains was more attractive to me than marriage, or other fun things like that.