Piolet d'Or
Hiraide became a serious mountain climber after joining a mountaineering club at his university. In 2001, he reached the eastern summit of Mt. Kula Kangri (7,381m) in Tibet. His list of accomplishments includes first ascents, reaching summits without oxygen and skiing from mountain peaks. In 2009, he scaled the previously unclimbed southeastern wall of Mt. Kamet (7,756m) in India, and with partner Kei Taniguchi, became the first Japanese to receive the 17th Piolet d'Or Award, the "Academy Award" of mountaineering. He also won three Piolet d'Or Awards for his first ascent on an uncharted route with Shispare in 2017 and Rakaposhi in 2019. He also received the Japan Sports Award, sponsored by the "Yomiuri Shimbun" newspaper, in 2001 and 2009.