Movie Mt. Tsurugi-Point Record
Directed by Mr. Daisaku Kimura
Produced by Toei Movie Company, June 2009
Mt. Tsurugi or Tsurugidake means by Mountain Sward which is thesteepest mountain in Japan which had been prohibited climbing mainly
because of religious reason and believed as the devil mountain. The
height is 2999m above the sea level. The movie was produced at thesite not using any alternative places and also computer graphictechniques.
Point Record in direct translation from Japanese to English means by
the record of triangular point for topographic mapping survey whichused to be established mainly on peak of mountain.
The story of the movie was reconstructed from the novel of the same
title written by Mr. Jiro Nitta. The story was the record of a surveyor
named Mr. Yoshitaro Shibasaki who succeeded to set up a triangularpoint on the peak of Mt. Tsurugi after very difficult trials supported by aguide named Chojiro. It was believed that no one had succeeded toclimb Mt. Tsurugi but he discovered a rust sward and tin made stickhead on the peak which were placed about 1000 years before by maybe
an acetic. Mr. Usui Kojima, a chairman of Alpine Club also intended toclimb Mt. Tsurugi at the same time, which made a severe competition
between Surveyor Shibasaki and Climber Kojima. Shibasaki tried to set
up the third class triangular point but failed because the surveyor team
could not bring up 60kg weight stone as the geodetic station. But
Shibasaki won the competition though the Army Survey Department did
not appreciate his achievement because it was not the first climb to Mt.
Tsurugi and also he did not succeed to make the third class triangularpoint.

11. Opening title
2. Mr.

Shibasaki

wasorderedbyaCommander,

ArmySurvey

Department to climb Mt. Tsurugi to set up a trianglular point which
was only one point remained un-succeeded. In order to complete
1:50,000

scale

national

topographic

maps,

theclimbing

wasindispensable. He was ordered to win the completion against Alpine
Club team who tried to climb Mt. Tsurugi for the first time too.
3. Shibasaki was well understood his difficulty by his wife; Hatsuyo. Hevisited his senior, a retired surveyor to get suggestions how tosucceed to climb Mt. Tsurugi. The senior recommended Shibasaki toemploy a good guide named Chojiro for his success.
4. In autumn 1906, Shibasaki left Tokyo for Toyama City by train where
he met Chojiro who waited for him for two days without knowing thearrival time. Chojiro took Shibasaki to his house and showed several
drawings of various mountains including Mt. Tsurugi, which weredrawn by Chojiro.
5. The area around Mt. Tsurugi used to be a religious holly place,particularly Mt. Tateyama, 3015m high was a holly mountainrespected by many believers. There was a picture story at Ashikura
temple, the base of the religious mountain with which a priest
explained how awful hell Mt. Tsurugi was though Mt. Tateyama
should be a heaven.

After Mr. Shibasaki and Chojiro madegreetings to the head of the village and the forest bureau, they
moved to Murodo from where they tried to find a route to Mt. Tsurugi.
At the beginning of the pre-investigation, they met the son of Chojiro
who was against climbing Mt. Tsurugi because he worried somepunishment to be given to his father by god. Chojiro guided Shibasaki
to a cave where mountain god was located.
6. They stayed at a tent and discussed their strategy. The setting sunover clouds was so beautiful.
7. An ascetic was making practices on mountains who knew thosemountains very well. They tried to find various alternatives forclimbing Mt. Tsurugi.
8. They continued to try many routes including glacier valleys and very
steep rocky cliffs. Chojiro guided the upmost point from whereanyone could not go further.
2

9. They met Mr. Usui Kojima, the leader of Alpine Club. They met eachotherat

Army

SurveyDepartment

withoutgreetings.

Kojimaintroduced Shibasaki modern tools and equipments of mountainclimbing which were developed by Europe.
10. When they tried to get down, strong blizzard came. Chojiro tried tovisit the ascetic and decided to help him bring down to the foot ofmountain. Otherwise the acetic would not be possible to survive.
When they came back to home, the ascetic asked why they rescued
him. Shibasaki went back to Tokyo after the pre-investigation.
11. He was again ordered by Army to be sure to climb Mt. Tsurugi.

Anewspaper agitated the competition saying who could climb Mt.
Tsurugi for the first time. Shibasaki again met his senior for furthersuggestion.
12. He went back to his house and met his wife; Hatsuyo who tried tosupport him wishing his success by putting a religious symbol into hisbag secretely. At the Survey Department Shibasaki made a team ofsurveyors including Mr. Nobu Ikuta, a young surveyor and others. Inspring 1907, they went to Toyama and met several key persons forgreetings. A newspaper man tried to make interview but Shibasaki
neglected.
13. The team employed porters and explained the jobs. When the teamdeparted for surveying, the son of Chojiro wanted to stop his father toclimb Mt. Tsurugi, but Chojiro beat his son and decided to go forsupporting the national mapping project.
14. On the first day of surveying, the climate was terrible with blizzard
and snow. Shibasaki started survey for surrounding mountains. He
selected triangular points not including Mt. Tsurugi. Though NobuIkuta suggested to challenge Mt. Tsurugi but Shibasaki refused hissuggestion as he should finish many other mountains in advance.
15. For selecting triangular points they had to climb snow covered
mountains. Shibasaki was always thinking how to challenge Mt.
Tsurugi.
16. The survey team met accidently snow falls. Very fortunately
everybody was rescued.
17. They continued difficult climbing and surveying. Shibasaki finishedthe selection of triangular points one by one. Alpine Club team3started their challenge to climb Mt. Tsurugi.
18. Shibasaki divided the team into two; one was to attack mountains forthe selection of points and another to prepare construction materials
for triangular towers at Tateyama Onsen, or hot spa. The three met
too strong blizzard to stay in tent. They decided to go down inblizzard but lost the way back. Chojiro found a way by a mountainbird’s voice which used to stay at fixed territory.
19. They finally succeeded to go back in heavy shower to Tateyama
Onsen where another team stayed. Fortunately those surveying
instruments and maps were saved. Nobu was hardly damaged.
20. Alpine Club team tried to find a route to Mt. Tsurugi but it was noteasy. They met two hunters who did not believe their success.
Shibasaki finished the selection of triangular points and had tosurvey of angles from those points except Mt. Tsurugi.
21. The survey team prepared construction of triangular towers using
long wooden bars. Shibasaki sent a letter to his wife though hereceived many letters from his wife. The team constructed the thirdordered triangular point at Okudainichi Mountain for the first time, butthere were many other points to go. Alpine Club team found thesurvey team and sent flag messages to them, saying it was
dangerous from this point and go down the mountain.
22. Shibasaki and his team tried to climb rocky cliffs for finding a routeto Mt. Tsurugi. Though Chojiro stopped the challenge, Nobu, a young
surveyor tried to climb the rocky cliff but he dropped from the rockand injured.
23. They went down to Tateyama Onsen where they could not get goodrooms. Shibasaki reported the accident to the Survey Department,
who confirmed Shibasaki to continue. Alpine Club gave up continuing
their climbing as the condition was so bad. Nobu recovered who met
the son of Chojiro and received a letter addressed to his father.
24. Nobu returned to his team and handed the letter to Chojiro. Nobu
reported to get his first baby. They continued observing angle
measurements at various mountains. Mr. Kojima met Shibasaki andsaid good luck. Shibasaki thought that climbing mountains should not
be for fun like Alpine Club but it should be more important for what
one tried to climb. Chojiro read the letter of his son who allowed his4

father to climb Mt. Tsurugi because he understood the will of Chojiro
to help the national mapping project.
25. Chojiro suggested to challenge a glacier valley as the ascetic taughtthat one could succeed to climb Mt. Tsurugi if one climbs themountain looking back snow and get down the mountain looking backsnow. Chojiro realized to follow his words by climbing the glacier
Sannosawa valley which was so steep. The survey team of fivepersons started to climb the glacier valley. Finally they climbed thetop end of the glacier valley after where rocky steep cliffs were ahead
toward the summit of Mt. Tsurugi..
26. Chojiro led the team by climbing the rocky cliffs. Chojiro wanted topush Shibasaki to climb Mt. Tsurugi as the first climber as a moral of
the guide but Shibasaki refused to go first as they were a team offriends. Finally they reached the summit from where 360 degree
panorama was looked around including Mt Fuji. They constructed thefourth class triangular point on July 13 1907(actually according to theofficial record it was the 28 th August 1907). They discovered a ruststeel sward and a tin made stick head which might be placed 1000
years ago by an ascetic for religious purpose. According to the reportby Shibasaki, Army Survey Department was disappointed with thefact that the climbing by Shibasaki was not the first climbing.
27. But Shibasaki was honored with his team who achieved the climbing.
The newspaper reported the secondary climbing by Shibasaki.
28. Shibasaki made observation from Bessan from where he targeted Mt.
Tsurugi. In binocular he found Alpine Club team who was standing atthepeakofMt.

Tsurugiandsending

flagsignals,

saying“Congratulation for the success of the climbing by the survey teamand the climbing record should be kept forever.” Nobu sent back theirmessages to Alpine Club team saying, “Congratulation for yoursuccess too. You are our good competitors and friends.”
29. Ending with the list of actors and collaborators with backgroundscenes of surrounding mountains.
Translated by Shunji Murai, President, Japan Association ofSurveyors; 21 December 20095