Photo: Ayako Niki
INDEX
- This is Japan's first public Wikipedia Daisuke Sasaki Part 1
- Wikipedia Daisuke Sasaki Part 2 Let's take a closer look!
- As early as high school, I climbed the Himalayas! Daisuke Sasaki's Activities Beyond Skiing
A Japanese skier who was one of the first to participate in the Big Mountain Ski World Tournament, the origin of the FWT (Freeride World Tour). It can be said that backcountry skiing gained citizenship and the niche genre of freeride skiing penetrated domestic skaters without a doubt because of this man's presence. Who is the international mountain guide, Daisuke Sasaki, who is also known for the NHK documentary program "Denali Great Downhill"? We will approach the activities that are currently ongoing, as well as the past that can not be heard now.
This is Japan's first public
Wikipedia-like Daisuke Sasaki Part 1
──It seems that there are still quite a few people who want to know Daisuke Sasaki's profile.
Really. I think there are quite a few people who first learned about me after watching NHK's Denali Southwest Wall program. Well, there is no such thing as Wikipedia.
──Come to think of it, there was talk about whether or not to write a manuscript for Wikipedia, but it was a long time ago.
That's nostalgic. Certainly, if you search for "Daisuke Sasaki", you will find professional wrestlers, and there are skiers of the same age and in the same genre with the same name, so I was often mistaken. "Eh, Daisuke-san, what is 〇@#△✕⁈? That's surprising." No, it was Daisuke Sasaki (*1) from Aomori, not me. It was really troublesome.
──Same age with the same surname. In the niche world of big-mountain skiing, I think we've come a long way. Moreover, Aomori's Daisuke Sasaki is from the wrestling club and is a half-serious martial artist, so it's even more complicated.
(laughs)
──Well, in the sense of looking back on Daisuke Sasaki's career, would you like to proceed with the story in a Wikipedia way?
Oh, that sounds interesting, doesn't it?
Daisuke Sasaki (International Mountain Guide)
Daisuke Sasaki (born 1977) is an international mountain guide and big mountain skier. After participating in the Big Mountain Ski World Championships and adventurous ski expeditions to Greenland and Patagonia, he has been an international mountain guide since 2014. He is also known for NHK documentary programs such as Rishiridake Downhill and Denali Southwest Wall Downhill. He presides over "Guide Bankei".
Overview
[ childhood ]
Born in the suburbs of Sapporo, Hokkaido. His father, who was a member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, returned to Japan and moved to the mountainous Bankei district of Sapporo. His house was built by his father himself, and most of the furnishings, including the wood-fired Goemon bath, are handmade by his father. His father's attitude of not entrusting anything to others and doing everything on his own seems to have had a great influence on Sasaki's later life.
[ Elementary and junior high school days ]
My home is in a blessed natural environment in the green mountains, and I spent all my time playing in nature throughout the year in elementary and junior high school. Especially in winter, she would go to the Bankei ski resort, which is close to her home, and after finishing skiing, she would ski from the top of the mountain through the forest behind her home. Of course there is no course there. By the way, the elementary school that Sasaki attended is Sapporo Municipal Bankei Elementary School, which is known for its unique education that makes the best use of its rich nature. His seniors include skiers such as Yoshiharu Patience, Masayuki Akiba and Gota Miura.
[Ski training period]
After graduating from high school, he joined the guide company "Alpine Guide Nomad" in Sapporo, where he had been a trainee (staff apprentice) since he was in school, and in winter he was based at the Teine Highland (now Sapporo Teine) ski resort Yuichiro Miura & Snow. Two seasons of ski training at the Dolphin Ski School. During that time, he won the 2nd Japan Extreme Ski Tournament and was invited to the legendary World Extreme Ski Championships in Valdez, Alaska. After that, he aims to be a mountaineering guide in the summer and a professional skier in the winter.
[ Namara Habit-X era ]
After that, while participating in freeride competitions around the world as a big mountain skier, he climbed Denali in Alaska and skied downhill with his skiing friends in Sapporo. expedition. It was around this time that he became known to domestic skiers and snowboarders along with the popular movie "icon" series.
[ To International Mountain Guide ]
At the age of 32, he stayed in Antarctica for about half a year as a field assistant for the 51st Antarctic Expedition. After he returned to Japan, he made a full-fledged shift from activities as a professional skier to a ski guide business. At the age of 36, he became an international mountain guide. During that time, the Rishiridake downhill in 2013 and the Denarikashin Ridge ascent to the Southwest wall downhill in 2017 were broadcast nationwide as a TV documentary program "NHK Special", and have gained a new name recognition to this day.
Currently, based in Bankei, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, he presides over "Guide Bankei". A family of five with his wife, eldest daughter, second daughter, and eldest son. His wife is Yoko Miyake, a former Salt Lake Olympic halfpipe snowboarder known for her free riding.
──Did you play on the powder when you were a child?
My parent's friend's villa was in Niseko, and I used to go there every year since I was in elementary school. Even though it's a little powder on the side of the course.
──I was returning home after skiing through the forest behind Bankei Ski Resort. Even though she was in elementary school, she was already backcountry skiing (laughs).
It was easier than walking home on the road, but not every time, maybe 2 or 3 times out of 10.
──I think many people are surprised by this, but when I was in high school, I was involved in basic skiing in the ski club.
I agree. In those days it is. I wasn't aiming to enter the technical competition, but I was straight up attracted to that world.
──So you read "Ski Journal" and admired famous demonstrations?
I don't think so. Yamakix (*2), who was my senior in high school, and their peers were so cool that I admired their skating and chased after them.
──When I joined Nomad (*3) after graduating from high school, Mr. Miyashita, the representative of the company, told me to go to Teine's Dolphins for two winter seasons to practice skiing. What kind of existence were Miura & Snow Dolphins in you at that time?
I think I heard about it around summer and watched the Snow Dolphin video (*4). A film set in Zermatt. I feel like I was taken away. Wow, Dolphins, Kakke.
Even before that, I was watching North American extreme skiing (*5) videos under the influence of Mr. Miyashita. I have a bit of a crush on Scott Schmidt (*6). So while I was practicing basic skiing at Bankei Ski Resort, I also skied in the forest and jumped over cliffs. Because of that, when I saw the Dolphin video, there are such skiers in Japan too! I was surprised, can I go there? That's what it felt like.
It was a big deal for me to meet Mr. Take (Takeshi Kodama) there. We stimulated each other and skied like crazy every day, which led to improving our skiing skills. Having a rival or a riding partner is important.
──Didn't you want to continue skiing with the Dolphins instead of just two seasons? After all, that WESC (*7) is the 8th place in the first appearance. I think that was enough to pave the way for riders.
Two seasons with the Dolphins were a step towards becoming a nomad and a guide. Of course, I was also interested in skiing, but I had always dreamed of being a guide, so I thought I would try that first.
──Then, after graduating from the Dolphins, Teine will start patrols. why is that?
After two seasons with the Dolphins, I worked full-time at Nomad for two full years. In the winter of my second year, I competed in an American competition (North America Extreme Ski Competition) and finished 7th. There was something I couldn't burn out, and I wanted to take on a little more challenge, or rather, I wanted to burn more.
In the end, I thought it might be a good idea to put the guides aside for now, so I decided to focus on skiing. That's why I left Nomad, and the next year I went to help Teine on patrol while training, and worked part-time at artificial snowfall to save up money and started going to competitions around the world.
──Did you get support from Salomon around that time?
It is from the second Alaska WESC a little while ago. Originally there was a connection between Nomad and Salomon in mountaineering shoes. It was right around the time when Cross Scream came out.
──Yellow carving ski with pro link.
that's right. When Salomon started making those skis. After that, an AK rocket (*8) will appear. The AK rockets back then weren't able to carve at all, so it wasn't very slippery on the slopes. Intuitively, I thought they were really thick skis, but now they are all thicker than the AK Rocket.
*1 [Daisuke Sasaki from Aomori]
Professional skier born in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture in 1977. After graduating from high school, he traveled to Whistler, Canada, where he received a baptism of authenticity. He is currently active as a ski base jumper after leaving behind achievements such as being the first Japanese to win a sick bird.
*2 [Yamakicks who was a senior in high school]
Masahiro Yamaki, also known as "Yamakix", who participated in numerous expeditions to Greenland and other places as a member of Team Namara Habit-X, was Daisuke's senior in high school, and at the time was a promising skier in the basic ski scene. was. He is currently one of the leaders of the scene along with Tsuyoshi Kodama. Of course, the naming of "Yamakicks" is by Daisuke
*3 [Nomad]
Alpine Guide Nomad is a guide company based in Sapporo. The representative is Mr. Takeo Miyashita, a mountain climber who is a pioneer in Japan as a ski guide. Daisuke looks up to him as a teacher, and has produced many excellent guides such as Satoshi Tsukahara and Wataru Nara. In the spring of 2020, the business was suspended due to the impact of the corona whirlpool.
*4 [Snow Dolphin Video]
A pioneering Japanese freeski video featuring Yuichiro Miura & the Snow Dolphin ski team. Released eight titles each year, from the New Zealand edition in the autumn of 1992 to the Tahoe edition in the United States, Niseko edition, and Zermatt edition. We welcomed the staff of the TV program "SKI NOW" to the production team. Publisher: Shobunsha
*5 [North American extreme skiing]
The mainstream of ski culture that has flowed through North America since the 1960s. In the '90s, stars such as Glenn Pleike, Scott Schmidt, and Trevor Peterson were produced. The next generation, Shane McConkey, proposed a new name, "Freeski." Even now that it has become a “freeride ski,” the spirit remains the same.
*6 [Scott Schmidt]
Extreme skier from North America in the 90's, splitting popularity with Glen Pleiku. Greg Stump's "Blizzard of Aaah's" and "Groove.....Requiem in the Key of Ski" featuring him are monumental works in the freeride ski scene. You can also watch it on YouTube, so please do!
*7[WESC]
An abbreviation of the legendary "World Extreme Ski Championship" held on the super steep slopes of Alaska Valdez in the '90s. The creator and organizer of the event is Mike Cozad of Seina Lodge, who started the heli ride in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska.
*8 [AK rocket]
Salomon's fat ski that appeared in the '90s. "AK" stands for "Alaska specification" like the K2 "AK launcher" that appeared at the same time, and it was intended to realize aggressive long turns that are as good as snowboards even in powder, rather than making it easy to slide on fresh snow. . It became the base of the popular model "Pocket Rocket"
Wikipedia-like Daisuke Sasaki Part 2
Let's take a closer look!
Biography (Added to "Guide Bankei Website")
Born in 1977
near Sapporo, Hokkaido.
In 1986 (9 years old),
he read Naomi Uemura's "Seishun wo Yama ni Betto" (Betting Your Youth on the Mountain) and was greatly inspired, and began to admire the world of mountains and adventure.
In 1990 (13 years old)
, when I entered junior high school, I visited the mountain guide company "Alp" in Sapporo with my father. Please, but I don't have much money, so please give it away." After that, he took advantage of the summer vacation and so on to be an apprentice to a mountain guide in Alp and let him carry his luggage. When he became a high school student, he participated in the "Nomad" tour launched by Mr. Miyashita as an apprentice carrying luggage and learned the basics of mountain climbing.
In 1994 (age 17)
, he traveled to Nepal with his family and climbed Island Peak (6,189m) with a local guide.
1994 (age 18)
, joined Alpine Guide Nomad. Her apprentice guide era begins. In winter, under the direction of Mr. Miyashita, the representative, he worked as an instructor for two seasons at Yuichiro Miura & Snow Dolphin Ski School in Teine Highland (now Sapporo Teine). Mr. Miyashita said, ``You can't get a job as a guide in Hokkaido if you can't ski,'' and Mr. Miyashita himself was a former core member of Snow Dolphin. At Snow Dolphin, he meets Tsuyoshi Kodama, who is two years older than him, and spends his days training hard.
1996 (19 years old)
Expedition to Nepal Himalaya Manaslu Peak (8,163m) with Captain Miyashita. Ski downhill from 7,400m. He gave up participating in the 1st Japan Extreme Ski Competition (JESC) held at Daisetsuzan Asahidake due to an injury just before. His riding partner Tsuyoshi Kodama participated in the event, but was hospitalized due to a serious injury during qualifying.
In 1997 (20 years old)
, the following year, he participated in the second JESC at Mt. As a result, he was invited to participate in the legendary big mountain tournament "World Extreme Ski Championships (WESC)" held in Valdez, Alaska, and came into the limelight with a good result of 8th place in his first appearance.
In 1998 (21 years old)
won the 3rd JESC victory in a row. In the same year, his second WESC participation was reported on TV Asahi "News Station". In the summer, I went on a climbing trip to Yosemite with Suigo Mugiya, a classmate from junior high school and a member of the Shinshu University mountaineering club. He does half free climbing and half big wall climbing. Completed El Capitan Nose.
In 1999 (age 22)
, he left Nomad before the summer and started working as a mountain guide in the summer and a professional skier in the winter. He finished 7th in the North American Extreme Ski Tournament in the spring. After that, I left Nomad before the summer and went to Yosemite again with Mr. Mugitani to climb the El Capitan Shield.
In 2000 (age 23)
, he successfully skied downhill from the summit of McKinley (now Denali) with Tsuyoshi Kodama, Masahiro Yamaki, and Wataru Nara. From around this time, the name of the team or the expedition team began to be called "Namara Habit-X" on a large scale. An article featuring Sasaki and Kodama, centering on the pattern at this time, decorates the beginning of "2001 Bravoski".
In 2001 (age 24),
a ski expedition to Paramushir Island in the Kuril Islands led by the members of the team "Namara Habit X". Appeared as a central skier in EBIS Films' maiden work "icon of what they are -" released in the fall of the same year, including the pattern at that time. Since then, he has participated in almost all the works as a central slide that is indispensable for the icon series.
2002 (age 25) Won
3rd place at the Red Bull Snow Thrill of Alaska. This is the first podium as a Japanese in the big mountain skiing world competition.
2003 (age 26)
Greenland Sea Kayak & Ski Expedition. A unique expedition to go up the fjords on the west coast of Greenland in a sea kayak fully loaded with equipment and food for about 40 days and slide down the steep snowy mountains rising from the sea. A total of 7 members, Tsuyoshi Kodama, Masahiro Yamaki, Akihiro Tachimoto, Wataru Nara, Takayuki Tsujii, and Masaki Sekiguchi.
The situation at that time is recorded in "icon 3 presence" by Sekiguchi of Ebisu Films who participated in the shooting. In addition, "presence: 40 days in Greenland", which is a special edition of only the Greenland expedition part, has been selected and awarded at numerous mountain film festivals such as the Banff Mountain Film Festival and Mountainfilm in Telluride.
In 2004 (age 27
), Yuzuru Tochiuchi, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Kyoichi Kano, and Makoto Koyama went on a ski expedition to Mustaguata (7546m) in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China. Downhill from 6,900m.
2005 (age 28)
2nd place at Big Mountain Ski World Tour France Tournament. @ Lesarques
In 2006, at the age of 29,
he teamed up with snowboarder Yoshitaka Ota, filmers Haruhito Mori, and Hiroyuki Yamada to win the Ride Week held in Couchvel, France.
Yamada, who was in charge of photography, said, "The reason for the victory is Daisuke's navigation skills and efficient action." This encounter with Yamada led to Daisuke Sasaki's 2009 signature film END OF THE LINE. In February, the first downhill on the western wall of Mt. Rishiri during the cold season. Sasaki leads from beginning to end in a four-person party with Wataru Nara, Hitoshi Ishibashi, and Kyoichi Kano.
2007 (age 30)
Rishiri-dake Nanryo - first downhill down the east wall.
"Patagonia Darwin Mountains Sea Kayak & Ski Expedition". Expedition with six friends (Masahiro Yamaki, Wataru Nara, Takayuki Tsujii, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Takao Niiba, Kyoichi Kano) in the Patagonia region straddling Chile and Argentina, crossed the strait by sea kayak, and climbed the 2,286m peak of Tierra del Fuego Island. First ascent & first downhill.
In 2008 (age 31), he
attended the “Glacier Guide Training” in Chamonix, France. Started activities to acquire an international mountain guide qualification.
In 2009 (32 years old), he
attended the European Alps "Glacier Ski Training".
He announced that he would put a period on his professional skiing activities. Announcing the documentary film "END OF THE LINE" starring three seasons. Produced and directed by Hiroyuki Yamada.
2009 (age 32) From
November to March of the following year, he was assigned to the Ser-Rondane Mountains in Antarctica as a field assistant for the 51st Antarctic Expedition. He supports camp life and field research for two months.
2010 (33 years old)
Started full-scale backcountry guide business in November of this year.
European Alps "Glacier Ski Guide" certification. Montblanc ski downhill.
2012 (34 years old)
European Alps "Glacier Guide" certification.
2013 (age 35)
Rishiridake Tohoku Ridge to Ochiushinai Sawa midwinter downhill. NHK Special "Severe Winter Rishiri Ultimate Skiing Downhill" is aired.
In May, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Greenland expedition in 2003, almost the same members went on a "Greenland Sea Kayak & Ski Expedition". Released "10 years after: revisiting Greenland" (Ebisu Films).
2014 (age 36)
the center of the western wall of Mt. Rishiri ~ Candle Rock ~ Aftromanai swamp downhill.
Certified as an international mountain guide by the International Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA).
2017 (age 40) In
June, climbed Denarika Singh Ridge and descended down the southwest wall. With Takao Niiba and Kyoichi Kano as partners, he climbed Kashin Ridge, a difficult variation route, and downhill down the southwest wall. NHK Special broadcasts "The Adventure of the Far North: Denali Great Downhill".
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As early as high school, I climbed the Himalayas!
Daisuke Sasaki's Activities Beyond Skiing
──Looking at mountains, you already climbed Island Peak (*9) in Nepal when you were in high school. Is this your first time climbing abroad?
I agree. If I remember correctly, the senior guide told me in a drunken voice, "Oh, even Daisuke can climb!" Along with that, my parents also decided to go trekking, so the four of us went to Nepal, parted ways, and I climbed Island Peak with a local guide. I heard later that the guide had been scolded by Mr. Miyashita, saying, "Don't say such nonsense!"
At the age of 19, you joined Mr. Miyashita's Manaslu team, and at the age of 23, you climbed Mt. McKinley (now Denali) by yourself and skied down from the summit. What made you want to skate McKinley then?
I think Mr. Nara (*10) brought up that story. "Let's go!" I also admired Mr. Uemura, so I guess that's why I wanted to go and invited Mr. Take.
──So, Yamaki decided to participate after meeting up at the venue.
I agree. Yamakix must have heard the story completely and got something right. "I have to go to this too".
──It was around this time that I began to feel that I was an existence that could not be grasped by the conventional concept of a professional skier. This is the beginning of an activity in which mountain, skiing and expedition are closely linked.
I agree. More to the point, I often talk about when I am interviewed, but I had three big encounters. The first is Naomi Uemura's book, the next is Mr. Miyashita from Nomad, and then Mr. Take (Takeshi Kodama)... something like that. That's how it is.
──Mr. Uemura's book opened my eyes to the world, Mr. Miyashita trained me in mountaineering, and I met Tsuyoshi Kodama and improved my skiing skills. Both points are essential.
*9 [Island Peak in Nepal]
Located in the direction of Everest, the main peak is 6,189m above sea level. Compared to the high peaks of the Himalayas, it can be climbed with a simple trekking permit (permit), so it is often the first target for climbers who do not necessarily aim for high peaks or those who aim to climb the Himalayas. It is often used for altitude acclimatization during Everest expeditions.
*10 [Mr. Nara]
Wataru Nara, a mountain guide. Like Daisuke, he worked for Alpine Guide Nomad for a long time and is familiar with the mountains of the world. He is one of the key members of Team Namara Habit-X and has accompanied them on two expeditions to Greenland and Patagonia. Currently, he runs a guest house and restaurant bar called "Sapporodge" in Sapporo city and continues to guide.
[Editor + Writer]
Chikara Terakura
After working for Miura Dolphins led by Yuichiro Miura for 10 years, he has been involved in moguls and freeskiing for nearly 30 years as a member of the BRAVOSKI editorial staff. Currently, he is working on "Fall Line" as the editor-in-chief, and is active in various media as a freelancer. He has been writing interviews for over 10 years in the mountaineering magazine PEAKS.