Down-to-earth, humble, and unwavering. A mountain guide who leads the mountains. Akira Shibusawa -LEAD Mountain Guide

While the great appeal of backcountry skiing in the great outdoors lies in the many dangers lurking in the snowy mountains, backcountry guides are experts who ensure safety in the snowy mountains while providing an indescribable skiing experience based on their extensive knowledge and experience. We take a closer look at the personalities and guiding of up-and-coming guides who have chosen to be professional guides as their profession and are slowly and steadily delving deeper into this world, step by step

I started a guide company when I turned 30

Hikari Shibusawa, who obtained her Ski Guide Stage II certification at the age of 25 (a new record for the youngest person to do so!), has started a new chapter in her career by launching "LEAD Mountain Guide" for the 2024-2025 season.

"I gained various experiences in my twenties, and when I turned 30, I decided to go independent. LEAD means 'guiding' and 'leading' customers into the mountains. I want to create a team that is in complete agreement with the customers and be the 'leader' as we move through the mountains. My selling point? What is it? I'm good at... and I like... gritty mountain climbing, like bushwhacking, crossing streams, and sweaty, long mountain hikes."

"Bush," "fording," "mud," "smelly"...keywords that are the polar opposite of pristine snow-capped mountains come out of his mouth one after the other. He is quite a rare guide in the glamorous and sophisticated BC industry. As I listened to him, I realized that the reason he had the qualifications but hadn't gone independent for a while was because of his own abilities. He supports senior guides, manages safety and carries loads for television filming throughout the year, patrols ski resorts, is a permanent summer mountain resident in the Northern Alps, and leads training sessions at his alma mater... he is in high demand. He has the kind of personality that makes it difficult for those around him to say no when asked. This mobile and thoughtful young man is relied upon from many quarters, and it seems that he has been so focused on meeting those expectations that he has been unable to do his own thing

From the Shinetsu Five Mountains to the Alps

Shibusawa Akira was born in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, overlooking the Shinetsu Five Mountains (Mount Madarao, Mount Myoko, Mount Kurohime, Mount Togakushi, and Mount Iizuna). His father, whose hobby was mountain stream fishing, took him to mountains such as Myoko and Togakushi from an early age. After school, the boy would fish for crucian carp and carp in the Chikuma River. He loved to exercise and played both soccer and baseball with the youth sports club. Fishing is still one of his hobbies, and he has an annual ticket from the Sekigawa Fisheries Association, enjoying the challenge of catching trout with lantern fishing

"In the future, I'd like to get a mountaineering qualification and ideally be able to guide stream fishing and canyoning in the summer, and backcountry skiing in the winter."

In junior high school, he belonged to the track and field club, focusing on middle-distance events such as the 1500m and 3000m. After entering Nakano Nishi Prefectural High School, he knocked on the door of the mountaineering club. He had a desire to master mountaineering and stream fishing on the stage of the Shin'etsu Five Peaks, which he grew up in. However, the club only had one other member, a classmate, and the club advisor.

"In high school, we had to be in a group of four to participate in mountaineering events, which was frustrating (laughs). But there was an individual event exclusive to the Hokushin area, orienteering, where you read a map and paddle through undergrowth to earn points, and I came in first place three years in a row by a long way. I've loved reading topographical maps since I was little, and I'm good at map reading. And I'm also good at paddling through undergrowth (laughs)."

For Shibusawa, his first real mountaineering experience was a summer mountain training camp in his first year, where he, his advisor, and two other students traversed the Hakuba mountain range while camping.

"It was a 2-night, 3-day traverse with tent camping, climbing the Hakuba Daisekkei (Great Snow Valley), passing through Fukaeri no Ken (Fukaeri Ridge), going to Karamatsu, making a round trip to Goryu, and descending via Happo-one (Happo Ridge). I was in charge of everything from setting up the tents to cooking meals and all aspects of shelter and clothing, which was incredibly rewarding and fun. I also felt the vast expanse of the mountains extending beyond the Shin'etsu Gogaku (Five Peaks of Shin'etsu), and it made me want to delve deeper into mountaineering. However, since there were no other club members, I would climb nearby mountains alone after school with a map."

His desire to take up mountain climbing more seriously grew, and he enrolled in the Mountain Professional Department at the International Nature and Outdoor College (INAC) in Myoko City

"At the time, I had no desire to become a guide. But by interacting with the instructors, the mountain guides and other mountain guides, I began to aspire to become like them. Where we were struggling, the instructors were able to move briskly and with ease, and were full of depth as people, and they were just so cool."

At the age of 20, in September of his third year of university, he traversed the entire Southern Alps. This was also a 12-night, unsupported, and uninterrupted trek.

"I started from Hirogawara, the gateway to the northern part of the Southern Alps, and went to Kitadake, Ainodake, Notoridake, entered the Shiramine South Ridge, Zarugatake, descended from Aonagiyama to Hatanagi Lake, climbed Chausudake, did a round trip to Hikaridake, then went to Hijiridake, continued north, Akaishi, Arakawa, Shiomi, Senjo, Kai-Komagatake, the Houou Three Peaks, and descended to Yashajin

The names of the mountains came out of his mouth smoothly in the order he walked them. He must have a clear map spread out in his mind.
"The Southern Alps is more of a loop than a traverse. I just wanted to step on all the ridgelines. The fundamental reason for my actions is that I want to cut deep into nature and walk for a long time."

In September of his second year of university, at the age of 19, he took a break from long-distance traverses and went with friends to variation routes such as the Northern Ridge and Kitakama Ridge. In this way, even outside of school lessons, he independently honed his long-distance trekking techniques and climbing skills, mentally building a map of the Japanese Alps.

Meeting his master, Daisuke Sasaki

During his summer vacation in his third year, before setting off on his traverse of the Southern Alps, he worked as a permanent summer mountain guide on the ridge of the Northern Alps for 50 days, from Marine Day on July 10th to the end of August. It was around that time that he began to think about making a living as a guide

"In my third year, we went to Mount Hotaka in the dead of winter for a winter mountaineering training course. Our instructor was international mountain guide Sasaki Daisuke, and there were just two other students, myself and others. I received intensive, almost one-on-one instruction, and when we came down the mountain after three nights and four days, Daisuke asked me, 'We're going on a ski tour in Myoko now. Do you want to come, Shibusawa?' I immediately replied, 'Yes,'"

After the customers had finished skiing, it was my turn and I was told, 'Shibusawa, ski down with all your might,' so I did, and he said, 'You've only been skiing for three years, but you're doing great.' That night, while we were drinking, Daisuke said to me, 'I'll take you to Denali,' and I'd always wanted to be there, so I said, 'I'll go!' (laughs)

After graduating from vocational school, Shibusawa spent the winter of the 2016-17 season training as a ski guide at Sasaki's guiding company, Bankei.

"Daisuke told me, 'Study with me,' so I worked under him as a sub-guide for one season. I learned a lot, from tail guiding to carrying luggage on overnight trips and driving cars to the bottom of the mountain. I was staying at his parents' house, which is next door to his, so I ate meals with them (laughs)."

On weekdays when Sasaki's Bankei tours are not running, he reflects on his own basic skills as an instructor teaching children how to ski at the Snow Dolphin Ski School at Sapporo Teine Ski Resort, which Sasaki introduced him to.

"I was the only one among the instructors who had never properly learned to ski before (laughs). Clearly, I was by far the worst."
　He says that his mentor, Daisuke Sasaki, hardly taught him anything about skiing techniques or guiding in the snowy mountains.
"He never gave me advice like, 'Try doing it this way here.' It was more of a Showa-era style, where he'd tell me to watch his every move closely and learn by doing."

In May 2017, Shibusawa was selected as part of the support team for "The World's First Arctic Adventure: Denali Skiing," which was broadcast on NHK. He was inspired by the shared experiences and activities with renowned mountain guides, including international mountain guides Naoyuki Kato and Makoto Kuroda, who were part of the filming and support team, as well as leading Japanese alpine climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Takero Nakajima

At that time, he only managed to carry his luggage up to 4,300m where he set up a medical camp, and did not reach the summit, but he was captivated by the allure of the gigantic massif of Denali. He subsequently summited Denali twice on his own in 2019 and 2023

Daisuke Sasaki, whom Shibusawa called his mentor, evaluated him in this way and decided to accept him

"I've known him since he was a student, and I've always thought he'd make a great guide. No matter what happens, he never gets upset or upset, and his emotions are consistent. He always thinks positively. Above all, he has a great personality. His qualities as a guide are also impeccable. He has strength and stamina, and he actively spends a lot of time climbing mountains, always striving to improve."

He decided to guide in his hometown of Hokushin

The spring after spending a winter at Bankei, I took the Ski Guide Stage I exam in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture. The examiner was Toyokazu Nakano, a guide based in Myoko, Niigata Prefecture.

"I had known Mr. Nakano since my student days, and he asked me, 'Do you have plans for next winter?' I ended up working at Mr. Nakano's 'IN Field' for about five years. He took me to various mountains visible from my hometown, and I was able to build a foundation as a backcountry guide."

In 2020, at the age of 25, after obtaining his Ski Guide Stage II certification, he was entrusted with leading the level-based tours offered by 'IN Field'. Now independent, the sub-guides at 'IN Field' have been passed down to younger students from his alma mater.
How was he able to obtain Ski Guide Stage II at such a young age? Even with good physical fitness and personality, it's the most difficult certification to pass without accumulated experience over time.

"There was a lot to learn, but I didn't find it difficult at all. With skiing, you can walk freely in the mountains. Because of that, you have to consider many things, such as the weather, snow quality, terrain, and the reactions of the customers. Being able to freely create what I thought was the best tour while taking various factors into account was fun and rewarding. When the weather was bad and the snow conditions weren't good, the participants seemed to be racking their brains, but I actually found it more enjoyable. Even when faced with difficulties, I didn't dwell on it, but instead thought, 'Okay, if that doesn't work, then this will!' and switched flexibly, being optimistic. I guess you could say that I get more motivated when faced with tough situations."

　He laughs and says, "I'm an optimist," but optimism in the mountains, where life and death are at stake, can only come from unwavering confidence.
Shibusawa has decided to base his activities in Shinano-machi, a town next to Nagano City where he was born and raised, and has rented a house there. Incidentally, he is in a long-distance relationship with the woman he has promised to marry, and is still living alone.

"Shinano-machi is close to the mountains, but it doesn't snow as much as Myoko, so it's a comfortable place to live. And you can see the mountains well. It's surrounded by Mount Myoko, Kurohime, Madarao, Takatsuma, and Togakushi, making it easy to guide people around the mountains. It's right in the middle of Myoko-Arai, where it snows a lot, Togakushi in the inland and dry, and Nagano, so I can quickly change the guiding area depending on the weather that day. For example, if high pressure is determined to be in the west and low pressure in the east and it snows too much on the Sea of ​​Japan side, I can move inland, and I can move on the morning of the day in search of good conditions."

There are two types of BC guides. One is someone who loves or is good at skiing or snowboarding and has entered the world of snowy mountains. The other is someone who loves the mountains in all four seasons and has acquired a ski or snowboard that is highly maneuverable. Needless to say, Shibusawa is the quintessential latter type. He is a mountaineer who has come to ski from down-to-earth mountaineering, from bushwhacking orienteering to long-term unsupported traverses and mountain stream fishing. That's why he doesn't get discouraged by the odds, and the tougher the situation, the more reliable a leader he becomes

LEAD Mountain Guide
Official Website:https://www.leadmountainguide.com/
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