Toru Nakajima has made the first repeat of Tokio Muroi's Asagimadara, F8C/+, at Mizugaki, a contender for the hardest problem in Japan.
© Nakajima coll.
Toru, who is yet to celebrate his 20th birthday, is continuing his already splendid season which, so far has seen him on top of things like Tokoyo and The Big Island, both 8C.
According to Toru, Tokio Muroi, after working the problem for more than 100 days, suggested "6 DAN", or ~8C+ in our money, for Asagimadara. Toru, modest as always, is leaning more towards 8C, and says it's the best problem he has ever done. He was close already in November, but fell from the very high top out. Apparently, somehow he walked away unharmed from what must have been quite a big fall.
Toru about the problem:
Asagimadara is such an impressive line. It's located on a big boulder, and independent of any other problem.
You start standing with a three finger pocket and a crimp. The first five moves are the crux of this problem and the second move to a far pocket is especially hard for me. After the crux, the next eight moves to a small ledge are easier, but since I tried it ground up, I couldn't predict holds and movement I should do. Actually, holds were dirty and I fell from this section two times.
The top out is very easy, but it was also dirty and I felt nervous.
I took five days to climb this problem. Tokio Muroi made the first ascent of this amazing problem without boulderingpads [!].
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